Al Maqra – Sahih Al Bukhari (part 1)
On the evening of Friday 29th of January, we began the first part of a series of readings to complete the text of Sahih Al Bukhari under the supervision of Moulana Ahmad Ali Diwan Lajpuri Surati who has the highest sanad (chain) to Imam Bukhari (ra) amongst the scholars of hadith.
After Isha, a group of students of more then fifty and a panel of five shayook, many of whom having sanad themselves in the text, began the reading.
The maqra’a started off with introductions by Shaykh Akram Nadwi and Shaykh Haithem Al Hadad about the blessed asaneed that connect our beloved Prophet (saw) to the great scholars of hadith and the text compiled by Imam Al Bukhari. Shaikh Akram also introduced Sheikh Ahmad Ali and discussed the ijaaza he had obtained in India through the Indian and Yemeni scholars.
Soon after, Sheikh Anas Ibn Aqil (who has obtained over 7 ijaazat in Bukhari and had come from Saudi Arabia especially for this event) began with the chapter of revelation (Kitaab Al Wahy) and we read for around two hours. We completed around 150 ahadith on Friday evening.
Due to the presence of so many scholars, in the time where the Bukhari text was not being read, other classic texts were also covered. Friday evening saw the completion of Usool At Thalatha (the 3 principals) by Imam Al Wahab (ra) supervised by Sheikh Anas.
After Fajr, Sheikh Akram began going through a text by Khateeb Al Bagdadi (ra), "Al-Jaami' li Akhlaaq al raawi wa aadaabis saami' " (The Compendium of Etiquettes of the Narrator and the Manners of the Listener of Hadeeth) - which discusses the manners of those who study and teach hadith. The sheikh also covered more of the book after Asr, when we had broken for a rest from the reading of Al Bukhari. It is his plan that we complete the whole book through the maqra’a series.
After breakfast on Saturday morning, we began the second session of the reading with Moulana Ahmad Ali supervising. As the reading went, it was a surprise to many students who have never attended a maqra’a before, the blessing that is present in such a gathering. Also, many of the hadith that were covered were read by some students for the first time, or as if it was their first time in hearing the hadith. We carried on the reading until dhur, where we took a break until Magrib.
After Magrib, we began the third session which continued until after Isha. However, as the evening got late, the sheikh became tired and a short time after Isha, we stopped the reading for the evening.
As we wrapped up the evening of reading Sahih Al Bukhari, Sheikh Anas began a reading of Umdahtul Ahkaam with a group of brothers. Very quickly, we found that we had completed half of the book with the intention of completing the book the following day. Soon after this, most students went to sleep ready for the next day of reading (We managed to complete the reading of Umdah on Sunday evening and the Sheikh gave Ijaaza to those students who had been present for the whole reading).
The final day began similarly to that of Saturday. Soon after breakfast, we began the reading again and completed most of Kitaab As Salah by Dhur time. This time Moulana Ahmad said that we should begin the reading after Asr and we soon found we had begun the Kitaab of Zakat, more than 1000 hadith having been covered. After Magrib, we finished Kitaab Az Zakat and stopped the reading at the time of Isha. Many students took part in the reading as well as the shuyookh. It was a blessing to have Sheikh Ahmad Ayoob do some of the reading and this was requested by many of the tulab who were present.
We ended with Sheikh Heitham making a dua for all those who attended, the students, shayook and all the mosque members who had worked effortlessly to make the stay of all those who were present as comfortable as possible.
Moulana Ahmad then made a dua for us all and for Imam Bukhari and those who had worked so hard to make sure that the words of the prophet (saw) remained with is. Not many an eye was left tearless after the sheikh had spoken – for it is a true Alim who can spend over 80 years of studying and teaching to still have such deep love for the deen of Allah (swt).
It was a sad moment knowing that the weekend had ended and that we would have to wait some time for the next part. However, there was a blessed moment when Sheikh Riyaad Ul Haq turned up at the end and it was very nice to see the shayook sit down and talk amongst themselves.
We now wait for the second part where. May Allah (swt) accept it from all of us
Some information about the teachers:
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Moulana Ahmed Ali Diwan Lajpuri Surati was born in Lajpur, India in 1919.
He studied in Jamia in Dhabel, India and after completion of his studies, taught there for approximately 5 years.
The Sheikh was able to read some of At Tirmidi’s hadith to Sheikh Moulana AbdurRahman Amrohi who was one of last Students of Sheikh Moulana Qasim Nanotwi (the founder of Darul Uloom Deoband.
He also completed the full Kutub a sita (The six major hadith books) with the great Scholar Sheikh Moulana Rashid Ahmed Gangohi.
His chain back to Bukhari goes through:
Hadhrat Moulana Fadhl Rahman Ganjmuradabadi who studied for short while and had an Ijazah directly from Shah AbdulAziz Muhaddith Dehlawi who narrates from his Father Musnad Diyar AlHindiyah Shah Waliyullah Muhaddith Dehlawi. This chain then leads back to Imam Al Bukhari
Shiekh Mohammad Akram Nadwi is from the Indian city of Jaunpur.
Shaykh Akram studied Shari'a at the prestigious Nadwatul 'Ulama (India). He is a Muhaddith who has specialised in 'Ilm ul Rijal (study of the narrators of Hadith). He has Ijaza (licenses) from numerous scholars. He has a doctorate in Arabic Language and has written over 25 books, in Arabic, in the fields of hadith, fiqh, Islamic biography, and Arabic grammar and syntax.
Shaykh Akram is currently a research fellow at the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies, Oxford.
Sheikh Haitham al-Haddad was born and raised in Saudi Arabia and is of Palestinian origin.
Shaykh Haitham sits on the board of advisors the Islamic Sharia Council and currently is the chair and for the Muslim Research and Development Foundation.
Shaykh Haitham holds a BSc Honours in Law and Sharia and also holds a Bsc in Computer Science. He is currently reading his PHD in Islamic Law.
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The event was also attended by Sheikh Ahmad Ayoob Surti, a teacher of Bukhari in Leicester who has a very short chain back to Imam Bukhari.
Sheikh Anas Ibn Aqil from Saudi Arabia who has multiple Ijaaza in Sahih Al Bukhari and other texts was present for the whole event.
