Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim are considered, after the Quran, the two most reliable sources of the prophetic tradition. Together, they are often called the Sahihayn ("the two authentics").
Who compiled them?
Imam al-Bukhari (194-256 AH, roughly 810-870 CE) spent years travelling across the Muslim world of his time to collect hadith directly from their narrators, before selecting those he judged authentic according to rigorous criteria. Imam Muslim ibn al-Hajjaj (206-261 AH, roughly 821-875 CE), one of his students, carried out similar work, resulting in his own collection.
How many hadith does each contain?
Sahih al-Bukhari contains around 7,563 hadith (with repetitions, as the same hadith can be cited in several different chapters), or around 2,602 without repetition. Sahih Muslim contains around 12,000 with repetitions (counts vary by edition), or around 4,000 without repetition.
What distinguishes their method
Both collections apply very similar standards of rigor, but with a subtle methodological difference regarding the chain of transmission: al-Bukhari required proof that two successive narrators had actually met, while Muslim was satisfied with the possibility that they had been contemporaries, without requiring proof of an actual meeting. This subtle difference is why some scholars consider Sahih al-Bukhari slightly stricter. Structurally, al-Bukhari spreads different versions of the same hadith across several thematic chapters, while Muslim groups them together in one place — a choice that makes comparing versions of the same report easier.
Frequently asked questions
Who compiled Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim?
Imam al-Bukhari (194-256 AH) and Imam Muslim ibn al-Hajjaj (206-261 AH), one of his students.
How many hadith does each collection contain?
Around 7,563 for Sahih al-Bukhari (2,602 without repetition) and around 12,000 for Sahih Muslim (4,000 without repetition).
Why are these two collections called the Sahihayn?
"Sahihayn" means "the two authentics" — both collections are considered the most rigorously verified after the Quran.
What's the main methodological difference between the two?
Al-Bukhari required proof that two successive narrators had actually met, while Muslim was satisfied with their possible contemporaneity.
