The Canonization of al-Bukhārī and Muslim - Paperback

by Jonathan Brown (Author)

Drawing on canon studies, this book investigates the origins, development and functions of the core of the Sunni ḥadīth canon, the 'Authentic' ḥadīth collections of al-Bukhārī and Muslim, from the time of their authors to the modern period.

Back Jacket

The two 'Authentic' ad th collections of al-Bukh r and Muslim are the most famous books in Islam after the Qur' n a reality left unstudied until now. This book charts the origins, development and functions of these two texts through the lens of canonicity. It examines how the books went from controversial to indispensable as they became the common language for discussing the Prophet s legacy among the various Sunni schools of law. The book also studies the role of the ad th canon in ritual and narrative. Finally, it investigates the canonical culture built around the texts as well as the trend in Sunni scholarship that rejected it, exploring this tension in contemporary debates between Salafi movements and the traditional schools of law.

Author Biography

Jonathan Brown (PhD 2006) is a professor of Islamic Studies in the School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University in Washington DC. His other publications included Hadith: Muhammad's Legacy in the Medieval and Modern World (Oneworld, 2009) and Muhammad: A Very Short Introduction (Oxford, 2011).