Shaykh Abdul Kareem bin Abdullah Al-Khudair mentioned a benefit on his website:
‘The Fitnah That Imam Al-Bukhari Was Tested With And What Occured Between Him And Imam Adh-Dhuhli’
A strong dispute, discord, and disagreement arose between Imām Al-Bukhārī (may Allah have mercy on him) and Imām Muḥammad ibn Yaḥyā Adh-Dhuhlī (may Allah have mercy on him)—who was one of the imams of the Muslims—regarding the issue of “the utterance” (al-lafẓ). This story was mentioned by Ibn Ḥajar (may Allah have mercy on him), who said: “He mentioned what occurred between him and Adh-Dhuhlī concerning the issue of al-lafẓ, and the tribulation that befell him because of it, and his exoneration from what was attributed to him regarding it…” [Hadī As-Sārī, Introduction to Fatḥ Al-Bārī (p. 490)].
Among what was mentioned was that when Imām Al-Bukhārī arrived in Naysābūr, people crowded around him until the house and rooftops were filled. On the second or third day of his arrival, a man stood up and asked him about the utterance of the Qur’an (i.e. if our utterance of the Qur’an was created or uncreated). He replied: “Our actions are created, and our utterances are from our actions.”
Consequently, a disagreement arose among the people, and this became a key to evil, all due to the person who posed this question. Some people today do similar things: if they see people flocking to an individual whom they wish to “bring down”—as they term it—they ask a provocative question, seeking to stir up discord. Then, tribulations ensue, fanaticism is incited, animosity and instigation arise, matters worsen, and students—especially the ignorant among them—spread, publicize, and interpret such statements, thereby widening the rift, even though the disagreement is very minor.
For Allah, the Most High, says: {And Allah has created you and what you do} [Aṣ-Ṣāffāt: 96]. Imām Al-Bukhārī also has a work on this topic titled “The Creation of the Servants’ Actions” (Khalq Af‘āl Al-‘Ibād). However, the term “utterance” (al-lafẓ) is general; therefore, neither Al-Bukhārī nor others used it in an absolute sense. Rather, they attributed to him what he did not say.
Adh-Dhahabī (may Allah have mercy on him) narrated the story in its entirety and then commented:
“I say: The issue was whether the utterance (al-lafẓ) is created. Al-Bukhārī was asked about it and he paused on the matter. When he paused and argued that ‘our actions are created,’ and provided evidence for that, Adh-Dhuhlī understood from him that he was affirming the issue of the utterance [being created]. So, he spoke against him, and he and others held him accountable for the necessary implication of his statement.” [Siyar A‘lām An-Nubalā’ 12/457, 458].
Thus, the matter became clear: the entire affair stemmed from envious individuals who misunderstood and attributed to Al-Bukhārī a necessary implication that he did not commit to. His statement (may Allah have mercy on him) was indeed true, for the actions of servants are created. However, envy and the desire to sow discord among scholars have existed in every era and every land. Some ill-intentioned individuals exploited this, seeking to divide the two imams. They found an opening and seized this opportunity, and what happened, happened.
(Translated by Mohammed bin Thajammul Hussain Manna)
Saheehus-Seerah 