Muhammad ibn Ismail al-Bukhari (810-870) was a Moslem traditionist. He was the compiler of the "Sahih," one of the six canonical collections of traditions (hadiths) in Sunnite Islam that report the sayings and actions of the prophet Mohammed.

Al-Bukhari was born at Bukhara into a family of Persian origin. At the age of 10 he began to memorize traditions. His prodigious memory became evident early for he is reported to have corrected his teachers and the traditions written down by his companions. At 16 he made the pilgrimage to Mecca and then stayed there and in Medina in order to hear the famous scholars of tradition. During the following 16 years he visited the centers of learning in Egypt, Palestine, Syria, Iraq, and Persia, collecting as well as transmitting traditions.

Al-Bukhari claimed to have received traditions from over 1,000 traditionists, and his fame as a scholar grew rapidly. In Nishapur he attracted...