Tūmār (6) The Broken Ladder (1): A Critique of the Book "Sirat al-Imām al-Bukhārī" by Abdul Salam Mubarakfuri

This article is a section of the book "The Bukhara Myth" and critiques the book " Sirat al-Imām al-Bukhārī " (The Chief of Jurists and Imam of Hadith) authored by Abdul Salam Mubarakfuri. Mubarakfuri's book is one of the sources cited in the book "Ṭu’ū'n wa Shubuhāt al-Shi'a al-Imāmiyya hawl Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī wa al-Radd 'alayhā" by ‘Ādil ‘Azāzī, which was recognized as the best doctoral research in Hadith sciences at Al-Azhar University in Egypt. Therefore, the critique of Mubarakfuri's book also serves as a critique of ‘Azāzī's research. This paper, after introducing Mubarakfuri's lineage, education, teachers, efforts, inclinations, publications, and academic standing, focuses on the book's title, its context and authorship, sources and references, approach, and its Arabic translation. The research concludes that Mubarakfuri was relatively unknown before the publication of this book and that his knowledge did not warrant the scholarly title of "’Allāmah." This title was conferred by the Arabic translator of the work, influenced by the critical climate against Bukhārī at the time of the book's publication, to enhance the book's credibility. Similarly, the book's title was distorted, with the term "al-Imam" added between the main title and the subtitle ("The Chief of Jurists and Imam of Hadith"). The subtitle of the book also attempts to challenge the view that Bukhārī lacked jurisprudence and ijtihad; the book's original Urdu title was "Sirat al- Bukhārī," which underwent significant changes in its Arabic and English translations.