Fath-ul-Bari - 15 Volume Set

Fath-ul-Bari (فتح الباري شرح صحيح البخاري) is Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani's commentary on Sahih al-Bukhari, and it is the one scholars turn to first. This Darussalam edition prints the full Arabic text in 15 hardcover volumes, 10,780 pages in all.

What the commentary does

Ibn Hajar goes through Sahih al-Bukhari hadith by hadith. For each one he looks at:

• the chain of narrators and how reliable each narrator is
• other wordings of the same report found in other collections
• the Arabic language of the text
• the legal rulings drawn from it, and where scholars disagree
• the historical setting
• why Imam al-Bukhari put it under that chapter heading

That last point matters more than it sounds. Bukhari's chapter titles carry his own legal views, and Fath-ul-Bari is where most students learn to read them. At least seventy full commentaries on Sahih al-Bukhari have been written, and this is the one later commentaries measure themselves against. When a later scholar was asked to write a new commentary on Bukhari, he is reported to have replied: "There is no hijrah after al-Fath."

About Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani

Ahmad ibn Ali ibn Hajar al-Asqalani was born in Cairo in 773 AH (1372 CE) and died there in 852 AH (1449 CE). He was a Shafi'i scholar, served several terms as chief judge of Egypt, and is one of the best-known hadith scholars in Islamic history. He worked on Fath-ul-Bari for more than 25 years.

This edition

How the set is arranged and how to use it

Fath-ul-Bari follows Sahih al-Bukhari in its own order: book (kitab) by book, and chapter (bab) by chapter within each book. Each chapter heading from Bukhari is given first, then the hadith under it, then Ibn Hajar's explanation. So the easiest way to find a hadith is to know which book and chapter of Bukhari it sits in, then go to that place in the set.

A few habits help readers who are new to the commentary:

• Read Ibn Hajar's notes on the chapter heading as well as the hadith. That is where he explains what Bukhari meant by placing it there.
• Expect cross-references. When a hadith appears in more than one chapter of Bukhari, Ibn Hajar often explains it in full in one place and points back to it elsewhere.
• Keep an Arabic dictionary nearby for the language notes on rare words.
• For a quick answer, read the rulings he lists at the end of his discussion first, then go back to the full explanation.

Ibn Hajar also wrote a separate introduction to Sahih al-Bukhari, called Hady al-Sari, which covers Bukhari's method, the narrators, and criticisms of the collection. Students often read the two together.

Who it is for

This is a reference set for readers of classical Arabic: Sharia and hadith students, imams, teachers, and families building a serious home library. Most people keep it on the shelf and look up the hadith they are studying. If your Arabic is not yet at that level, start with a translation and come back to Fath-ul-Bari later.

Related books

For the hadith text itself in English, see Summarized Sahih al-Bukhari. Urdu readers can use Hadaya tul Qari, a 10-volume Urdu commentary on Bukhari. For other collections, see Summarized Sahih Muslim, Riyad-us-Saliheen, and the full Hadith collection.

Frequently asked questions

What is Fath-ul-Bari?

Fath-ul-Bari (فتح الباري شرح صحيح البخاري) is the best-known commentary on Sahih al-Bukhari, written by Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani. It explains each hadith in Bukhari's collection: its chain of narrators, other wordings of the same report, the language, the legal rulings drawn from it, and the historical background.

Who was Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani?

A Shafi'i hadith scholar born in Cairo in 773 AH (1372 CE) who died there in 852 AH (1449 CE). He served several terms as chief judge of Egypt. Fath-ul-Bari is his most famous work, and he spent more than 25 years on it.

Is this set in Arabic or English?

Arabic only. It is a classical scholarly text, so it suits readers who are comfortable with academic Arabic. For the hadith of Bukhari in English, see Summarized Sahih al-Bukhari.

How many volumes and pages are in this edition?

15 hardcover volumes, 10,780 pages in total, each volume 17x24 cm. It is published by Darussalam.

Who is this set for?

Students of Sharia and hadith, imams, teachers, and anyone building a serious Islamic library. It is a reference work you consult hadith by hadith, not a book to read cover to cover.

Is there an Urdu commentary on Sahih al-Bukhari?

Yes. Hadaya tul Qari, a 10-volume Urdu commentary on Sahih al-Bukhari, is also available at Darussalam UAE.

How do I find a hadith in Fath-ul-Bari?

The commentary follows the order of Sahih al-Bukhari, book (kitab) by book and chapter (bab) by chapter. Find the book and chapter the hadith is in, then go to that place in the set, where Bukhari's chapter heading, the hadith, and Ibn Hajar's explanation appear together.

How is a 15-volume set delivered in the UAE?

It ships as one order from Sharjah. Standard delivery takes 2 to 4 working days, and delivery is free because the set costs more than AED 300. The full set weighs about 16.5 kg, so plan for a heavy parcel.