Imam Bukhari  Al Shafi’i - Page 02

Monday, 23 November 2009 16:08 Advanced - Books

“We should talk about scholars of Shafi’iyah, after scholars of Hanafiyah, so that our books become perfect and collective of both nobilities. And scholars of Shafi’iyah are of two kinds, one are those who got opportunity to be close with Imam Shafi’i and second are those scholars who came after them, the first sort belonged to Imam Khalid Al-Khilaal Abu Ja’far Al-Baghdadi….. And from the second sort Muhammad bin Idrees Abu Haatim Raazi and Muhammad bin Ismail Bukhari and Muhammad bin Ali Hakeemul Tirmidhi”

The saying of Banarsi that Imam Subki categorized Imam Ahmad bin Hambal amongst Shafi’i in “Tabqaat” is incorrect. Perhaps Banarsi didn’t even see “Tabqaat”, otherwise he would have not written so! Tajuddin Subki classified Imam Ahmad bin Hambal into “first group” and his wordings are:

“First group” belong to those people who sat in the assembly of Imam Shafi’i together.”

Since Imam Ahmad bin Hambal was student of Imam Shafi’i, so he was assumed amongst “first group” but at the same time clarified that he was Mujtahid e Mustaqil (Independent Jurist) and possessor of doctrine. Hence the wordings of Imam Taaj Subki are these:

Imam Tajuddin Subki classified Imam Bukhari into “second group” about which he says this:

“The category of “second group” belonged to those who died after 200 Hijri and who could not get the opportunity to be with Imam Shafi’i and those who followed only method of Imam Shafi’i and sufficed to only those who saw Imam Shafi’i at hand and applied approach of Imam Shafi’i, whose moon (of knowledge) appeared in between the darkness of doubts.”

Thus, Imam Bukhari being from Shafi’i school of Jurisprudence is now proved.

Banarsi quoted Allama Ismail Ujlooni’s saying to prove Imam Bukhari as an Mujtahid e Mustaqil (Independent Jurist) but this does not fulfil the objection of Banarsi because there are two types of Mujtahid e Mutlaq (full Jurist). First is “Mujtahid e Mustaqil (Independent)” and second is “Mujtahid e Muntasib (Attributed)” about which Shah Wali Ullah (Allah’s mercy be upon him) says:

“And it should be acknowledged that Mujtahid e Mutlaq is one who comprehends the five acquaintances….. Then this should be known that it is Mujtahid e Mustaqil and sometimes Mujtahid who is related with Mujtahid e Mutalq (attributed). And Mujtahid e Mustaqil is different from the other jurists in the following three matters as these were found in Imam Shafi’i:

1: Those rules and regulations through which deduction of jurisprudence is done should be acquired.

2: Second quality about Mujtahid e Mustaqil is that, he compiles the traditions and narrations, and conveys their commands, and knows the source of jurisprudence in it, and identifies the difference in it, and prefers certain over certain others, and appoints some of the suppositions (to his doctrine), and about two third of this thing is found in the knowledge of Imam Shafi’i as far as our knowledge is concerned. And Allah knows best.

3: Third quality in Mujtahid e Mustaqil is that, those issues which are not answered already, meaning those which are witness to be satisfactory in the three ages, but creates further division of those issues and answers them.

He should be having good command over these three points and he should be superior and takes lead in the ground of competition in between those who are equal to him and be the greatest individual in this field. After these three points, fourth one follows which is, his acceptance should be revealed from the heaven, so that Mufassireen (the writers of Quranic exegesis) and Muhaddithin (interpreters of the traditions) and Jurist and faction of memorizers of the books of jurisprudence all bend down to his knowledge. And, his acceptability and the attention of scholars (towards him) spreads to the whole realm of the era to this extend that it penetrates into the depth of hearts. And Mujtahid e Muntasib is a person who is follower of Mujtahud e Mustaqil such that he admits the first point (mentioned above) and selects to adopt the way of his own in the second point. And Mujtahid e Mazhab (Jurist of doctrine) is one who admits first and second points but to the third point makes his own approach in resolving the issues.
(See also ‘Aqd al-Jaiyad with urdu translation, page 10)

Now it is to see that Allama ‘Ujlooni wrote about Imam Bukhari as Mujtahid, but which type (of Mujtahud) did he mean? I say this very strongly that Allama ‘Ujlooni or anyone else did not mean to write Imam Bukhari as Mujtahid e Mustaqil (Independent Jurist).

Ibn Ziaad Shafi’i Yemeni contradicted with the statement of Allama Suyuti (died on 911 Hijri) and writes his verdict like this: