Note: This post is not a call to reject hadīth literature in its entirety, but rather an invitation to approach it with critical scrutiny and historical awareness. I will present the views of both contemporary Islamic and academic scholars later. For now, the following points highlight serious concerns raised by respected Sunni voices regarding two of the most prominent hadīth compilers.
- Imam al-BukhÄrÄ« Deleted and Altered HadÄ«ths
The renowned Sunni hadÄ«th scholar Shaykh al-HadÄ«th HabÄ«bullÄh DervÄ« (d. 1428 AH) openly acknowledges that ImÄm al-BukhÄrÄ« made unjustified alterations to hadÄ«th texts:
āImÄm al-BukhÄrÄ«s deletion of Zayd ibn ThÄbitās narration and alteration of that hadÄ«th was an unjustifiable action.ā (101)
- Imam al-BukhÄrÄ« Deliberately Distorted Narrations
Shaykh DervÄ« further accuses ImÄm al-BukhÄrÄ« of manipulating the words of individuals he viewed as personal or theological opponents:
āMÄ shÄ AllÄh! ImÄm al-BukhÄrÄ« was very skilled at deleting and altering the statements of his rivals.ā (83)
- Imam al-Tirmidhī Corrupted Doctrinal Foundations
According to Shaykh DervÄ«, ImÄm al-TirmidhĆÆs hadÄ«th compilation had a corrupting influence on Sunni theology. He claims that respected Sunni scholars were misled or harmed through their reliance on al-TirmidhĆÆās work:
āImÄm al-TirmidhÄ« corrupted the doctrines of SunnÄ« ImÄms through his hadÄ«ths. This even resulted in a respected scholar such as Shaykh al-AynÄ« losing his reputation due to reliance on ImÄm al-TirmidhÄ«s āÅahÄ«hā collection.ā (23)
- Imam al-BukhÄrÄ«ās Silence on the Accuracy of His HadÄ«th Recordings
The eminent ShÄfiÄ« muhaddith ImÄm al-KhaČÄ«b al-BaghdÄdÄ« (d. 463 AH) narrates an incident in which ImÄm al-BukhÄrÄ« was questioned about the accuracy of his hadÄ«th recordings. Al-BukhÄrÄ« boasted that he would only write down hadÄ«ths after traveling to another region to verify them. However, when asked directly whether he had written them down in full or accurately, he gave no answer:
āAl-BukhÄrÄ« said: āThere may be a hadÄ«th I heard in Basrah but which I later wrote down in Syria; and there may be a hadÄ«th I heard in Syria but which I later wrote down in Egypt.ā He was asked: 'O AbÅ« āAbd AllÄh, did you write the hadÄ«ths completely?ā He remained silent.ā
- Ibn Hajar al-'AsqalÄnÄ« Reports al-BukhÄrÄ«ās Uncertainty and Reliance on Memory
The great ShÄfiÄ« Sunni muhaddith and Shaykh al-IslÄm, ImÄm Ibn Hajar al-'AsqalÄnÄ« (d. 852 AH), documents two more incidents that raise concerns about ImÄm al-BukhÄrÄ«ās recording methods and his reliance on memory rather than immediate transcription. In the first report, the governor of Bukhara recounts a conversation with al-BukhÄrÄ« that mirrors the earlier incident noted by al-KhaČÄ«b al-BaghdÄdÄ«:
āMuhammad ibn IsmÄÄ«l [al-BukhÄrÄ«] said to me: āThere may be a hadÄ«th I heard in BaÅrah but which I later wrote down in Syria; and there may be a hadÄ«th I heard in Syria but which I later wrote down in Egypt!ā I asked him: 'O AbÅ« āAbd AllÄh, did you write the hadÄ«ths completely?ā He remained silent." (201)
In the second incident, a firsthand witness observed al-BukhÄrÄ« attending a scholarly gathering, listening to hadÄ«ths without writing anything down. When asked why, someone replied:
āWhen he [i.e. al-BukhÄrÄ«] returns to Bukhara, heāll write down from his memory what he heard!ā (194)
- Al-BukhÄrÄ« Reported Contradictory Versions of HadÄ«ths Under a Single IsnÄd
Shaykh al-IslÄm Ibn Hajar al-'AsqalÄnÄ« points out a strange and troubling habit in al-BukhÄrÄ«s methodology. He notes that al-BukhÄrÄ« would sometimes report two different versions of a hadÄ«th under a single chain of narration (isnÄd):
āWhat is unusual about al-BukhÄrÄ« is that he would fully report the hadÄ«th with a single isnad, but give two [different] versions [of that hadÄ«th]!"
- A Sunni FaqÄ«h Warned That Reading Sahih al-BukhÄrÄ« Could Lead to Apostasy
A striking statement is reported by the eminent Sunni hadith master, Shaykh al-IslÄm Ibn Hajar al-'AsqalÄnÄ« (d. 852 AH), in his historical chronicle Inba al-Ghumar. He records that a respected HanafÄ« jurist, Shaykh al-MultÄ« al-HanafÄ« (d. 803 AH), issued a severe warning regarding Åahih al-BukhÄrÄ«.
āHe [Shaykh al-MultÄ« al-Hanafi] said: 'Whoever reads Åahih al-BukhÄrÄ« will become a heretic.ā
- Sunni Ulema Accused ImÄm al-BukhÄrÄ« of HadÄ«th Corruption (TadlÄ«s)
One of the most serious charges against ImÄm al-BukhÄrÄ« comes from within the Sunni tradition itself. The eminent Sunni muhaddith and Shaykh al-IslÄm, Ibn Hajar al-'AsqalÄnÄ« (d. 852 AH), documents in his work TabaqÄt al-MudallisÄ«n that another major hadith master, ImÄm AbÅ« 'Abd AllÄh ibn Mundah, explicitly accused al-BukhÄrÄ« of practicing tadlÄ«s-a form of hadÄ«th manipulation in which transmitters obscure or hide the actual source of a narration:
āImÄm AbÅ« 'Abd AllÄh ibn Mundah accused ImÄm al-BukhÄrÄ« of tadlÄ«s, saying: āImÄm al-BukhÄrÄ« would say āfulÄn (so-and-so) said thisā and āfulÄn said that.ā This was tadlÄ«s by ImÄm al-BukhÄrÄ«.ā But Ibn Mundah didnāt stop there. Whatās clear is that ImÄm al-BukhÄrÄ« himself admitted the following: he reported hadÄ«ths he did not personally hear; or hadÄ«ths he deemed didnāt meet his personal criteria; or he narrated mawqÅ«f reports (statements of Companions) as if they were marfű (Prophetic), saying āhe said to meā or āthey said to usā. I came to know this by reading his book."
- More Sunni Scholars Accuse ImÄm al-BukhÄrÄ« of HadÄ«th Corruption Through TadlÄ«s
The accusations of hadÄ«th manipulation against ImÄm al-BukhÄrÄ« were not isolated to Ibn Mundah. Another towering Sunni authority, the renowned muhaddith and historian ImÄm al-DhahabÄ« (d. 732 AH), also explicitly charged al-BukhÄrÄ« with committing tadlÄ«s-the concealment of transmission gaps or the use of ambiguous phrasing that compromises isnÄd reliability.
In his biographical compendium MÄ«zÄn al-/tidÄl, ImÄm al-DhahabÄ« states bluntly:
ImÄm al-BukhÄrÄ« frequently practiced tadlÄ«s."
In another of his seminal works, Siyar AālÄm al-Nubala, al-DhahabÄ« reaffirms this criticism, stating:
āNo doubt, ImÄm al-BukhÄrÄ« narrated from him in his ÅahÄ«įø„. But he [i.e., al-BukhÄrÄ«] practiced tadlÄ«s.ā
It is common to hear the claim that ÅahÄ«h al-BukhÄrÄ« is the most authentic book on earth after the QurāÄn, and that for it to contain even a single daĆÆf (weak) hadÄ«th is impossible. However, this perception will be challenged here. I will also cite academic scholarship to support the argument later. The case in question revolves around a narrator named 'Ikrimah. Many people assume that the primary reason for rejecting him is his affiliation with the KhÄrijite sect, but in reality, his weaknesses extend beyond that, particularly according to the principles of 'Ilm al-RijÄl as understood by scholars, including the HanafÄ«s. First, this 'Ikrimah is not the son of AbÅ« Jahl, but rather the tÄbiÄ« 'Ikrimah ibn 'Abd AllÄh al-MadanÄ«, who died in 105 AH. There are multiple defects attributed to him, which cast serious doubt on his reliability as a transmitter of hadÄ«th:
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Accusations of lying, reported by several contemporaries, including Ibn SÄ«rÄ«n, SaÄ«d ibn al-Musayyab, SaÄ«d ibn Jubayr, and 'AlÄ«, the son of Ibn 'AbbÄs.
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He reportedly moved between royal households asking for money.
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He was known to use coarse or indecent language.
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He exhibited an obsessive tendency toward declaring others disbelievers (takfīr).
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He was accused of harboring violent inclinations, including a willingness to kill fellow Muslims.
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He reportedly did not perform prayers, as stated by his own student, AyyÅ«b al-SakhtiyÄnÄ«.
These are not minor criticisms, and his inclusion in ÅahÄ«h al-BukhÄrÄ« does not exempt him from scrutiny. Al-BukhÄrÄ«, while a towering scholar, was not infallible. Some reported details further illustrating his unreliability include:
- He allegedly used vulgar terms like āshitā in response to questions about hadÄ«th and legal matters-an unusual precedent among transmitters of knowledge.
- Ibn 'AbbÄs reportedly called him khabÄ«th (vile or corrupt), and it is confirmed that he propagated the SafarÄ« branch of the KhÄrijites.
- ImÄm Ahmad ibn Hanbal stated that 'Ikrimah used to frequent the courts of princes to ask for financial assistance and reaffirmed his sectarian affiliation.
- SaÄ«d ibn al-Musayyab is reported to have said that 'Ikrimah wanted to go on Hajj with a spear in hand to kill people around him. He also said that 'Ikrimah fabricated narrations in the name of Ibn 'AbbÄs.
- 'AlÄ« ibn 'Abd AllÄh ibn 'AbbÄs also confirmed 'Ikrimahās tendency to fabricate narrations on behalf of his father.
- Saīd ibn Jubayr similarly accused 'Ikrimah of fabrication. Both he and Saīd ibn al-Musayyab lived in the same region and time period as 'Ikrimah, so they were well acquainted with him.
- Ibn SÄ«rÄ«n called him a kadhdhÄb (liar). YahyÄ ibn SaÄ«d also confirmed this accusation. Ibn AbÄ« Dhib said, I saw 'Ikrimah, and he was not thiqah (trustworthy).
- ImÄm MÄlik explicitly rejected 'Ikrimahās narrations, stating it is impermissible to accept his hadÄ«th. MÄlik personally knew and saw him. Ahmad also described his narrations as mudČarib (inconsistent or contradictory).
- Ayyūb confirmed that 'Ikrimah did not pray. Other accounts describe him as mentally deficient, a beggar, and someone who traveled to Samarkand to collect money from royalty.
- 'Ikrimah himself admitted that he only accepted money from princes.
- In one instance, he fabricated a story and attributed it to Ibn 'AbbÄs. When people admired the story, he reportedly confessed, āI made it up.ā
We have established that 'Ikrimah is a severely weak narrator, and the majority of scholars have cast doubt on his reliability. Despite this, ImÄm al-BukhÄrÄ« makes a questionable claim:
*āThere is no one among our companions except that he uses 'Ikrimah as proof. Al-NasÄÄ« said: He is trustworthy.ā (*TahdhÄ«b al-KamÄl fÄ« AsmÄ al-RijÄl 20/289)
And, al-BukhÄrÄ« himself relies heavily on 'Ikrimah in his ÅahÄ«h. As noted:
āA group declared him trustworthy, and al-BukhÄrÄ« relied on him. As for Muslim, he avoided him and narrated from him only in conjunction with others. MÄlik also avoided him and only narrated from him in one or two hadÄ«ths.ā (MÄ«zÄn al-ItidÄl fÄ« Naqd al-RijÄl 3/93)
Not only did al-BukhÄrÄ« overlook the overwhelming scholarly consensus on 'Ikrimahās weakness, but he also made an inaccurate generalization by claiming that āallā of his peers accepted 'Ikrimah as reliable when that is not the case.
BukhariGate Part 1: Sahih Bukhari is NOT so Sahih -Mufti Abu Layth | https://youtu.be/X6SfFYRljeY2kv93MLs8Nlaiwm6
BukhariGate Part 2: Sahih Bukhari is NOT so Sahih -Mufti Abu Layth | https://youtu.be/lijbMTxUEOw
Are Sahih Bukhari & Muslim 100% Authentic? Dr. Shabir Ally answers | https://youtu.be/-DB_mxLqLgc WEpqS0dLRUhM2OHU
Ending Over-Reliance on Hadith | Shaykh Atabek Shukurov | https://youtu.be/Mb2MOsjzetQ
The Rise of Hadith Forgery | Dr. Shabir Ally | https://youtu.be/7RnJ0iZZVYw iUnrPDNGYR6alIFS
Problems Arising from Weak or False Hadiths | Dr. Shabir Ally | https://youtu.be/bnCQqTVKvu0
Oxford Scholar Dr. Joshua Little Gives 21 REASONS Why Historians are SKEPTICAL of Hadith | https://youtu.be/Bz4vMUUxhagYtfYlwPIVSSoRXx3
21 Reasons Historians are Skeptical of Hadith (Review) | https://youtu.be/V511ekpifQ0
Dr. Jonathan AC Brown - Q&A: Is Sahih Bukhari 100% Correct? (Only 3-4 hadith are disputed) | https://youtu.be/m15MhaYuLEwRH2JG8EMal6k4M1W
KitÄb TabaqÄt al-Muātazila - https://archive.org/details/tabaqat-moatazila/page/n14/mode/1up
Some contradictions in Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim refuting the baseless excuse by some scholars that no further work needs to be done on Hadith - https://asimiqbal2nd.wordpress.com/wp-content /uploads/2009/06/contradictions.pdf
A Collection of Scientific Criticism on Sahih al-Bukhari - https://www.diwan.com.af/en/a-collection-of -scientific-criticism-on-sahih-al-bukhari/
Criticism of Hadith - https://www.irfi.org/articles3/articles_4701_4800 /criticism%20of%20hadithhtml.htm
Appendix 19 by The Final Testament, by Rashad Khalifa, PhD https://www.masjidtucson.org/quran/appendices /appendix19.html
Hadith & Sunnah are satanic innovations that are not from the Prophet - https://www.masjidtucson.org/submission /perspectives/hadith/
STONING FOR ADULTERY: CONTRADICTIONS AND CONFUSIONS GALORE IN THE AHADITH - https://www.irfi.org/articles/articles_51_100 /stoning_for_adultery.htm
WHICH HADITH DO YOU BELIEVE? - https://www.irfi.org/articles/articles_151_200/which _hadith_do_you_believe.htm
52 Weak Ahadith https://www.irfi.org/articles/articles_251_300/52 weak_ahadith.htm
Research: 8000 Female Hadith Scholars - https://www.irfi.org/articles/articles_1051_1100 /research_8000_female_hadith_scholars.htm
Not Acting Upon a Hadith: Any Excuses? - https://www.irfi.org/articles/articles_1301_1350/not _acting_upon_a_hadith.htm
BUKHARI AND EARLY HADITH CRITICISM - https://go.gale.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE %7CA78131769&sid=googleScholar&v=2.1&it=r& linkaccess=abs&issn=00030279&p=AONE&sw=w& userGroupName=anon%7E69d46cb5&aty=open-web -entry
A Summary of Early Sunni Hadith Criticism - https://islamicorigins.com/a-summary-of-early -sunni-hadith-criticism/
How reliable are Hadith? Some are contradictory. - https://www.mohammedamin.com/Community _issues/How-reliable-are-hadith.html
Review of āA Textbook of Hadith Studies: Authenticity, Compilation, Classification and Criticism of Hadithā by Mohammad Hashim Kamali - https://www.mohammedamin.com/Reviews/A -Textbook-of-Hadith-Studies.html
Review of āAuthentication of Hadith - Redefining the Criteriaā by Israr Ahmad Khan - https://www.mohammedamin.com/Reviews /Authentication-of-Hadith-Redefining-the-Criteria .html
Hadith of 73 sects Analyzed by Shaykh Salah al-Din bin Ahmad al-Idlibi - https://primaquran.com/2024/01/12/hadith-of-73 -sects-analyzed-by-shaykh-salah-al-din-bin-ahmad-al -idlibi/
Shaykh Muhammad bin Yahya al-Husayni al-Ninowy: āHadith on 73 sects is fabricated.ā - https://primaquran.com/2024/01/12/shaykh -muhammad-bin-yahya-al-husayni-al-ninowy-view-on-the-hadith-on-73-sects/
The Nature and Role of Hadith: An Analysis of a Re-evaluation - https://www.irfi.org/articles/articles_301_350 /nature_and_role_of_hadith.htm
āHow can we be sure that we have the actual uttering of the Prophet?ā Dr. Jonathan Brown respondsā¦ āYou canāt!ā - https://web.archive.org/web/20220627234848 /https://primaquran.com/2018/08/08/how-can-we -be-sure-that-we-have-the-actual-uttering-of-the -prophet-dr-jonathan-brown-responds-you-cant/
My position on the hadith - https://primaquran.com/my-position-on-the-hadith/
Does the Qurāan instruct us to disregard all hadith ? - https://primaquran.com/2022/10/05/does-the -quran-instruct-us-to-disregard-all-hadith/
Salafi Shaykh Nasiruddin al-Albani admits: Bukhari has weak hadith and mistakes! - https://primaquran.com/2022/10/05/salafi-shaykh -al-abani-admits-of-course-bukhari-has-weak-hadith -and-mistakes/
Sunni intellectual giant: Ibn Hajar Al Asqlani questions hadith about 90 foot tall Adam. - https://primaquran.com/2022/10/04/ibn-hajar-al -asqalani-questions-hadith-about-90-foot-tall-adam/
Textual Manipulation of Hadith To Advocate Prayer Positions. - https://primaquran.com/2022/10/04/textual -manipulation-of-hadith-to-advocate-prayer-positions/
Did Imam Al Bukhari reject 99% of the hadith he came into contact with? - https://primaquran.com/2022/10/04/did-imam -bukhari-reject-99-percent-of-the-hadith-that-he -came-into-contact-with/
Al-Daraqutni: The Sunni Imam who questioned Bukhariās collection https://web.archive.org/web/20210727062106 /https://primaquran.com/2017/11/08/al-daraqutni -the-sunni-imam-who-questioned-bukharis-collection/
Attacks upon Sahih hadith by Sufi Leaning Ashari Theologians - https://primaquran.com/2022/10/04/attacks-upon -sahih-hadith-by-ashari-theologians/
Hadith Narrators and Infallible Memories? - https://web.archive.org/web/20201031075402 /https://primaquran.com/2020/07/24/hadith -narrators-and-infallible-memories/
The man who could steal with easeā¦according to this hadith! - https://web.archive.org/web/20220628205457 /https://primaquran.com/2019/12/07/the-man-who -could-steal-with-ease-according-to-this-hadith/
The hadith of the 73 sects in light of the Qurāan. - https://primaquran.com/2024/01/12/hadith-of-the -73-sects-in-light-of-the-quran/
Shaykh Hamza Yusuf āWe only have 500 hadith that are of the status of the Qurāan!ā - https://web.archive.org/web/20220628213931 /https://primaquran.com/2016/12/29/shaykh -hamza-yusuf-we-only-have-500-hadith-that-are-of -the-status-of-the-quran/
Complete Salah (Prayer) based only on Sahih hadith impossible! - https://primaquran.com/2022/10/04/complete -salah-prayer-based-only-on-sahih-hadith-impossible/
A manuscript of the Musnad of Imam Rabeā bin Habeeb that was found. - https://primaquran.com/2022/10/04/a-manuscript-of-the-musnad-of-imam-rabe-bin-habeeb-that-was -found/
https://quranandbibleblog.com/new-page-hadith -database-problematic-ahadith-and-their-explanation/