Fayd al-Bari ala Sahih al-Bukhari

Fayd al-Bari ala Sahih al-Bukhari (فیض الباری علی صحیح البخاری) is a four-volume Arabic commentary on Sahih al-Bukhari compiled by Badre Alam Merathi, based on the lectures and teachings of his teacher, Anwar Shah Kashmiri. It offers detailed explanations, interpretations, and discussions of the Hadiths found in Sahih al-Bukhari. This commentary covers various aspects, including the biography of Muhammad al-Bukhari, the methodology and conditions of compiling Sahih al-Bukhari, the narrators of the Hadiths, the connections between chapter headings and the Hadiths within them, discussions on beliefs (aqaid), and attempts to derive legal rulings (fiqh) from the Hadiths. Additionally, the work includes a lengthy introduction by Yusuf Banuri, which provides insights into the biography of Anwar Shah Kashmiri.

Background
Badr-e-Alam Mirati was born in Bidayu, South India, in 1898. In 1947, he migrated to Pakistan and later relocated to Medina, Saudi Arabia, where he passed away in 1965. At the age of 14, he commenced his studies at Mazahir Uloom, Saharanpur, India. In 1918, he achieved the status of an Islamic scholar (alim) and taught in Saharanpur for two years. Subsequently, he enrolled at Darul Uloom Deoband to specialize in Hadith, where he studied under the guidance of Anwar Shah Kashmiri for four years. When Anwar Shah Kashmiri relocated from Deoband to Jamia Islamia Talimuddin, Dhabel in 1927, Badr-e-Alam Mirati also moved there and dedicated five years to teaching. During his time as a student and teacher, Mirati undertook the task of transcribing Anwar Shah Kashmiri's commentary on Sahih al-Bukhari. Later, he requested Anwar Shah Kashmiri to review and revise the manuscript. The manuscript, titled Fayd al-Bari ala Sahih al-Bukhari, was eventually published by Maba'ah al-Hijazi in Cairo under the auspices of Majlis-i-'Ilmi, with funding from Jam'iyat Ulama Transvaal in Fordsburg, South Africa.

Features
The commentary provides detailed information about the narrators (isnad) mentioned in Sahih al-Bukhari. It offers biographical sketches of the narrators, discussing their background, reliability, and scholarly contributions. This helps readers understand the context and authenticity of the hadiths. Moreover, it goes beyond the text of Sahih al-Bukhari by extensively covering the chapter headings. It explains the relationship between the headings and the hadiths within, providing additional insights into the organization and thematic coherence of the book.

The commentary delves into discussions on beliefs (aqaid), highlighting the importance of sound Islamic theology. It addresses theological concepts and clarifies any potential misunderstandings or misconceptions, ensuring that readers gain a proper understanding of Islamic faith. Additionally, it sometimes compares the hadiths in Sahih al-Bukhari with other relevant sources of Islamic jurisprudence (fiqh). This allows the commentary to extract fiqh rulings from the hadith, providing practical guidance and insights into the application of Islamic law.

Reception
According to Syrian scholar Abd al-Fattah Abu Ghudda, it was stated that this book is replete with abundant knowledge that cannot be found in the previous commentaries of Sahih al-Bukhari.