Al-Bukhārī: The Life, Theology and Legal Thought of Islam’s Foremost Traditionist (Edinburgh Studies in Islamic Scripture and Theology)

Muhammad ibn Isma?il al-Bukhari (d. 256/870) stands as one of the most distinguished figures in Islamic intellectual history.His magnum opus, the ?a?i?, is revered as the most authoritative collection of Prophetic traditions in Sunni Islam and is the most cited book in Islamic history.Beyond its juridical and theological significance, the ?a?i? was venerated in pre-modern societies as a source of spiritual blessings, recited to invoke divine favour, seek salvation, and even bring rain.Al-Bukhari’s legacy endures, shaping Islamic scholarship and devotion to this day. This pioneering critical study offers the first comprehensive examination of al-Bukhari’s life, intellectual trajectory and the socio-political landscape that influenced his scholarship.It meticulously analyses his methods of hadith criticism and explores his engagement with the theological and legal discourse of his time.Through an extensive study of the theological debates he engaged with and the masa?il (legal cases) in