The Canonization of al-Bukhārī and Muslim: The Formation and Function of the Sunnī Ḥadīth Canon

by Jonathan Brown

The two 'Authentic' adth collections of al-Bukhr and Muslim are the most famous books in Islam after the Qur'n a reality left unstudied until now. This book charts the origins, development and functions of these two texts through the lens of canonicity. It examines how the books went from controversial to indispensable as they became the common language for discussing the Prophets legacy among the various Sunni schools of law. The book also studies the role of the adth canon in ritual and narrative. Finally, it investigates the canonical culture built around the texts as well as the trend in Sunni scholarship that rejected it, exploring this tension in contemporary debates between Salaf movements and the traditional schools of law.

Genres: Islam

454 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2007

Reviews

[Imran Mustafa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a study of the canonization of the sahih of Al-Bukhari and Muslim, and their later impact in the Muslim world. The organization of this work is excellent, and most of the information given in the table of contents pretty much sums up each section of the book. The main ideas of the book is given in the Thesis section of the Introduction, with the rest of the books explicating the details as set forth in this section. The concept of canon and canonization is discussed in chapter 2, setting the stage for a historical analysis of the concept of canonization as applied to both Sahihs.

Broadly, this book is organized into two main sections: the first being a historical description and analysis of the process of canonization, and the second the impact of the process in Islamic scholarship and the Muslim ummah in general. The author's study shows without a doubt that the elevation of the status of Al-Bukhari and Muslims is historically driven, initially by Shaf'ie's and Hanafis but then taken up by the remaining two schools. The analysis provides several crucial characters, with the most important being al-Hakim al-Naysaburi as a pivotal figure in the canonization process (although it is clear that the process began earlier on within networks of scholars in Central Asia). The second section details the use of the canon in Islamic scholarship as well as the how the principle of charity is employed in reconciling some of the more problematic hadiths in both collections. It also looks at the iconoclastic movements (i.e. movements rejecting the canonical culture) from early in the process up to the present day. The book concludes with 6 questions pertaining to the process of canonization itself.

As a non-specialist (I am trained in the natural sciences rather than the humanities), I find the work highly accessible. Any concept which are introduced are explained in relative detail. The work is also chronological and therefore making the entire work flow really well. Make no mistake - this is a scholarly work, and therefore is not by any means an 'easy' read. But it is well written and highly coherent, making it accessible to the general public. The subject matter is also of relevance to many Muslims nowadays, and have personally informed me of how to think about some of the issues pertinent today.

All in all, highly recommended for both professionals and interested amateurs.