Two Editions of Sahih al-Buhari
Sahīh al-Bukhārī is among the most renowned hadīth sources that have received scholarly attention throughout the Islamic history. Among numerous works completed on the Sahīh al-Bukhārī some are related to its versions which enabled later generations to access the book. The most reliable versions of Sahīh al-Bukhārī have survived today due to the editorial work of al-Saghānī and al-Yūnīnī in the VII./XIII. century. Taking different editions of the book into consideration particularly al-Saghānī version, the Indian hadīth scholar Ahmed Ali al-Sahāranpūrī published the first complete text of Sahīh al-Bukhārī in 1851-1853. This edition, published in the form of handwriting and in two big volumes, includes gloss and scholarly notes by al-Sahāranpūrī and has been one of the fundemantal texts in the madrasas of Indian Subcontinent. The edition which was prepared by the scholars of al-Azhar between 1893 and 1895, depends on al-Yūnīnī's work, reveals the textual variations, and is the most authoritative and scholarly edition of Sahīh al-Bukhārī. The Ottoman Sultan Abdul Hamid II has covered the costs for the edition of this version from his personal treasury, and has distributed its copies free of charge. al-Sahāranpūrī's text is valuable due to the fact that it relies on al-Saghānī's edition, whereas the edition of Abdul Hamid II is distinguished by its inclusion of al-Yūnīnī's detailed and valuable textual variations. Accomplished in the second half of the 19th century, both editions contributed in various ways to the spread of hadīth in the Muslim world. Following these two editions, the publication of hadīth books has accelerated in Muslim countries. The editions of al-Sahāranpūrī and Abdul Hamid II still preserve their textual qualities that complete each other, and continue to inspire new editions and publications.
MEHMET ÖZŞENEL
