Imam Bukhari  Al Shafi’i - Page 03

Monday, 23 November 2009 16:08 Advanced - Books

“The inscription of Suyuti is that Ibn Jareer Tabari should not be counted as Shafi’i, which is not admitted because Rafi’ said in the commentary of beginning of book of Zakah that saying of Ibn Jareer alone could not be counted as doctrine even if he is not categorized amongst the companions of Imam Shafi’i. And Nawawi said in “Tahzeeb” that Abu ‘Aasim ‘Abaadi categorized Ibn Jareer amongst the Shafi’i Jurists and said that this person is amongst our kindred scholars. He learnt Shafi’i school of thought from Rabi’ Maraawi and Hasan Za’faraani. End of saying of Nawawi.”

And meaning of being related with Shafi’i is that (he) followed the way of Imam Shafi’i in the search of Ijtihaad and evidences and about preferring certain over certain others, and his Ijtihaad is agreeable to the Ijtihaad of Imam and if he went against on some issues then didn’t care for the disagreement and didn’t went against Imam’s method beside some matters and (this thing is not against in) remaining present in Shafi’i school of thought. And Muhammad bin Ismail Bukhari was also of the same sort because he is counted in the category of Shafi’iyah and those, who counted him in the group of Shafi’iyah, amongst them is Sheikh Taaj-ud-Din Subki because he said that Bukhari learnt jurisprudence from Humaydi and Humaydi learnt jurisprudence from Imam Shafi’i. And to include Imam Bukhari into Shafi’i, our teacher Allama took this declaration that Taaj-ud-Din Subki mentioned in “Tabqaat-us-Shafi’iyah” and Nawawi’s saying, which we quoted, is witness of this matter.
(Insaaf, with urdu translation, page 66-67)

Summary of the speech is that if we agree to take Imam Bukhari as Mujtahid who is attributed to Imam Shafi’i, he still cannot be excluded from the Shafi’i school. But for Imam Bukhari in being this kind of jurist is not due to some distinction, because there are many such jurists in Shafi’i school of thought. Accordingly, Shah Wali Ullah Muhaddith Dehlvi (Allah’s mercy be upon him) writes:

Some names are written with reference as the examples:

1. Imam Ibn al-Manzar:

Meaning: “Imam was Jurist”.

2. Imam Ibn Jazeemah:

Meaning: “Abu Bakr al-Salami Naishapoori was Mujtahid”.

3. Imam Ibn Jareer at-Tabari:

Meaning: “Imam Jaleel was Mujtahid”.

4. Abu al-Qasim Ibn Abi Ya’laa ad-Daboosi:

Meaning: “Was a star in doing Ijtihaad.”

5. Abu al-Faatih Taqi-ud-Din bin Qadeed al-‘Aeed:

Meaning: “Sheikh ul Islam, memorizer, ascetic, devotee, abstemious, was Mujtahid”.

6. Imam Ali bin Abdul Kaafi al-Subki:

Meaning: “Educator of the educators was amongst Mujtahidin”.

These all were Mujtahid e Muntasib (attributed, related), and none of them was Mujtahid e Mustaqil (Independent). Hence Allama Suyuti wrote in “Sharah al-Tambiyah”:

“I do not know any of the companions of Imam Shafi’i who reached the status of Mujtahid e Mustaqil except for Abu Ja’far ibn Jareer who was Shafi’i and became Independent in doctrine later.

But Ibn Ziaad proved it that Ibn Jareer was too not Mujtahid e Mustaqi, as mentioned earlier.

It is understood from the above explanation that Imam Bukhari was not Mujtahid e Mustaqil (Independent) but was Mujtahid e Muntasib (related) with in Shafi’i school. And here it is also necessary to clarify this that scholars are not agreed about him being Mujtahid e Muntasib (attributed to) Shafi’i Doctrine. Shaykh ul Islam Taaj-ud-Din Subki explained in his “Tabqaat” that so and so elder was Mujtahid Mutlaq (Permanent) as it is comprehensible in the examples, but he didn’t write Imam Bukhari as Mujtahid, his wordings about Imam Bukhari are:

“He is guide of Muslims, leader of Muhaddithin (interpreters of Ahadith), prelate of faithfuls, reliable source of traditions of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), memorizer of the dispositions of the religion, Abu Abdullah Ja’afi the aristocrat of Ja’af dynasty, meaning Imam Bukhari is compiler of authentic (traditions).”

This tells that Imam Bukhari’s popularity is in art of the traditions only. Imam Yaaqut Hamoodi (died on 626 Hijri) writes about the charisma of Bukharaa:

“There are many people related to Bukhaara who are leaders of Muslims in different aspects. Amongst them is leader of people of the traditions, Imam Abu Abdullah Muhammad bin Ismail.”

We can’t quote further more references here, but, amongst them, the words of Imam Taaj-ud-Din Subki bears great reputation. He is Shafi’i, his father was Mujtahid he himself was Mujtahid and therefore Allama Jalaal-ud-Din Suyuti writes about his personality:

“Chief Justice Sheikh ul Islam Taaj-ud-Din Subki once wrote a letter to the ruler of Syria in which he wrote “I am Mujtahid e Mutlaq (Full Mujtahid) of today’s world, none can deny this” and his saying about himself is accepted.”

When such person about whom Jalaal-ud-Din Suyuti and even the world acknowledged as Mujtahid e Mutlaq and got the upper hand in a work of art amongst scholars of Shafi’iyah, didn’t write Imam Bukhari as Mujtahid e Mutlaq; though clarified some Shafi’i scholars, who were capable for such status, to be Mujtahidin. For this reason this Shaykh’s saying is superior and carries no qualms in its authenticity. And this Shaykh is not the only individual in this motto, but abundance of rest of the scholars confirmed it to be truth.

Over here this point is also worthy of consideration that Imam Tirmidhi, who is student of Imam Bukhari, in his (book) Jami’ where he identified doctrine of different authorities, nowhere mentioned Imam Bukhari; but, however, mentioned him everywhere in relation with Ahadith. Thus, it is now proved that Imam Bukhari being Mujtahid is a weak and ineffective statement. Hence, there is no doubt about Imam Bukhari being a follower of Imam Shafi’i and follower of Shafi’i school of thought.