Is it possible for Sahih al-Bukhari to contain inauthentic hadiths, given the time gap between al-Bukhari and the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, and questions about the accuracy of transmitting hadiths orally for a long period before their codification?
The transmission of prophetic hadiths with precision throughout time is not impossible if they are transmitted through trustworthy and accurate narrators. The acceptance of a report becomes obligatory if its chain of narration (isnad) is known and connected, transmitted by a just and accurate narrator from someone similar, in addition to being free from anomaly (shudhudh) and defect (illah), and considering the strong memory of the Arabs. The recording of hadith began early, and the science of hadith emerged before the era of Imam al-Bukhari. They did not inquire about the isnad until the tribulation occurred, at which point they requested the naming of men to examine and accept the hadith of the People of the Sunnah, and to reject the hadith of the people of innovation, because "These hadiths are religion, so look from whom you take them." The search for chains of narration and the examination of the status of narrators is the essence of the science of Hadith terminology.
Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026
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