The number of Hadeeths of Al-Bukhari

24/11/2009| IslamWeb

Question

How many Hadeeths (narrations) did Al-Bukhari narrate in his Saheeh from the Prophet ?

Fatwa

All perfect praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad is His Slave and Messenger.

The majority of scholars are unanimous in agreeing that Al-Jaami‘ As-Saheeh Al-Musnad, popularly known as Saheeh Al-Bukhari, which was compiled by Abu ‘Abd-Allah Muhammad ibn Ismaa‘eel Al-Bukhari is the most authentic book after the Quran. Al-Bukhari compiled it in sixteen years. He did not write a Hadeeth in it, even if it met the conditions of authenticity, unless he performed Ghusl (ritual bath), prayed two Rak‘ahs (units), sought the forgiveness of Allah the Almighty and had no doubt about its authenticity. He stated that he had chosen the Hadeeths of the book from among six hundred thousand Hadeeths.

According to Ibn As-Salah and An-Nawawi there are 7,275 collected Hadeeths . Scrutinizing the chapters and Hadeeths of Al-Bukhari, Ibn Hajar found that, including repeated Hadeeths and excluding Hadeeths whose chains of narrators were dropped, the number was 7,397. However, the total without repeated Hadeeths becomes 2,602. If the 159 Hadeeths whose chains of narrators were dropped are added to this number, the total will be 2,761.

The number of Hadeeths, including repeated Hadeeths, Hadeeths whose chains of narrators were dropped and those that have other narrations, is 9,082. This number does not include the Mawqoof Hadeeths which are the sayings of the companions and Taabi‘is (successors).

And Allah knows best.