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Imam Bukhari was born in 810 CE in Bukhara, a region in modern-day Uzbekistan.

He was born into a family of scholars, but tragedy struck early when his father passed away, leaving him in the care of his devout mother.

His struggles continued as Imam Bukhari lost his eyesight at the age of three.

His mother, extraordinarily pious and devoted to worship, refused to give up hope.

She prayed every night, asking Allah to restore her son’s sight.

After years of prayer, she dreamed that Prophet Ibrahim (AS) appeared, giving her the glad tidings that her son's sight would be restored.

The following day, Imam Bukhari woke up and could see again. Not only was he given his eyesight, but his sight was better than before.

From an early age, the Imam showed a remarkable ability to remember and recite detailed information.

When he was only 11 years old, he corrected his teacher, who had inadvertently mixed up two narrators of a hadith.

The confused teacher then went home to retrieve his books and confirmed his claim.

He predicted then that Bukhari would be one of the most outstanding scholars of their time.

One of the most famous stories about Imam Bukhari shows his uncompromising integrity.

On a journey by ship, he carried a significant sum—10,000 dinars, worth around 350,000 dollars today.

During the voyage, a fellow passenger, who learned about the money, plotted to steal it.

He falsely accused someone of stealing that exact sum, and the ship's crew decided to search for the missing money.

To avoid any potential scandal or tarnish to his reputation, Imam Bukhari threw everything into the sea.

Choosing to lose his wealth rather than risk his integrity even being questioned for fear of his work being compromised.

Throughout his life, Imam Bukhari had dreams that hinted at his divine purpose.

In one such dream, he saw himself standing before the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, warding off flies from him.

He was told it symbolized his future role in protecting the Prophet’s ﷺ teachings from falsehoods.

As his reputation grew, so did skepticism among older scholars.

During a visit to Baghdad, a group of scholars secretly decided to test Imam Bukhari's knowledge.

While teaching a group of students, they presented them with 100 Hadiths, each with its chain of narrators deliberately mixed up.

One by one, Imam Bukhari corrected each Hadith, not only identifying the correct chain but also reciting the fabricated one they taught from memory.

This display of knowledge silenced his critics and solidified his standing as a master of Hadith.

His teacher’s idea of compiling only Sahih (authentic) Hadiths inspired him to embark on this monumental task.

It took him 16 years to complete, during which he meticulously sifted through 600,000 Hadiths to include only the most authentic ones.

His verification method was so rigorous that only about 7,275 Hadiths were included in his Sahih al-Bukhari, a collection that remains a cornerstone of Islamic scholarship.

In his later years, Imam Bukhari faced many challenges, including slander and exile from his hometown due to jealousy and politics.

Despite the adversity, he remained steadfast, refusing to compromise his principles.

His final years were spent in seclusion, where he continued teaching and writing.

When Imam Bukhari passed away, his death was mourned by many, and his funeral was one of the largest in Islamic history.

Even after his death, it is reported that a fragrant musk scent emanated from his grave.

The greatest miracle and proof of his authenticity, though, is that his work lives on and is read daily by scholars worldwide, even 1200 years later.