Chapter: How the Divine Revelation started being revealed to Allah’s Messenger

باب كَيْفَ كَانَ بَدْءُ الْوَحْىِ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم

Imam Bukhari does not label this section as ‘kitab’ but rather as ‘bab’[1]. The difference between kitab, bab, and fasl is that Kitab is the jins (genus), bab is the naw’ (type) and fasl is the fard (singular). It can be thought of as a book, chapter, and section respectively. 

Therefore, a question arises as to whether this chapter on revelation is a prelude to the forthcoming Kitab al-Iman (Book of Iman) or whether it is a standalone section. This is a matter of discussion among the commentators of Bukhari. It is similar to the discussion, whether Surah Fatiha is within or outside the first juz. Most say it is a standalone section and not part of Kitab al-Iman as it has kitab separately written. Some have said that the reason it is not named as a kitab is because it does not have any bab under it. 

How should one read the word باب? it can be read in one of three ways:

  1. بابٌ – with dammatayn, used as a khabr
  2. بابْ – with jazm, so it will be used as a mabni with the purpose of listing something to come as according to Allm. Kirmani[2]
  3. بابُ – with damma, used a mudaf as according to Imam Nawawi

The definition of wahy is the words of Allah which are revealed to the Prophet ﷺ. 

Why did Imam Bukhari start his book with the chapter of wahy? Some say Imam Bukhari started his book with the chapter of wahy because this is the source of all goodness and through it the laws of religion are established. i.e. the deen is based on whatever was revealed and Allah inspired to Prophet ﷺ. Therefore, if one does not believe in this then they will not believe in hadith and the rulings derived therefrom. 

Shaykh Zakariya Khandelwi mentions that Imam Bukhari followed up the chapter of wahy with the chapter of Iman, then Ilm and then taharah. It is mentioned this is because wahy clarifies the rulings of religion and opens one to do amal (actions). To carry out the correct a’maal it is necessary to have ilm, and ilm is not considered except after having iman. Then he follows up with tahara as this is the condition for the best of amal i.e. salah.[3]

{وَقَوْلُ اللَّهِ جَلَّ ذِكْرُهُ: {إِنَّا أَوْحَيْنَا إِلَيْكَ كَمَا أَوْحَيْنَا إِلَى نُوحٍ وَالنَّبِيِّينَ مِنْ بَعْدِهِ}

4:163 – Surely, We have revealed to you as We have revealed to NūH and to the prophets after him

ًWahy can take different forms. Dreams can be a form of wahy, as can inspiration in the heart[4] as well as revelation through Jibrael. The first prophet to receive wahy was Nuh, and not Adam. 

Ibn Battal mentions that the meaning of this ayah is that Allah has given wahy to the Prophet ﷺ just as he gave wahyto all of the prophets before. This is the wahy of prophethood and not the wahy of ilham (divine inspiration?). 


[1] In some prints the word باب is omitted e.g., riwayah of Abu Dharr and Aseeli

[2] Fathul Bari vol.1 p.13

[3] Abwaab al-Taraajim, 

[4] Quran 28:7 – و اوحينا الي ام موسى

Scroll to Top