Bukhari

Explanation:
This further clarifies that in the Prophetic era, the practice of writing down hadiths had already begun. Abu Hurairah (radi Allahu anhu) thought that Abdullah ibn Amr had narrated more hadiths than he did, but later research revealed that the narrations of Abu Hurairah (radi Allahu anhu) exceed five thousand hadiths (5,376 hadiths), whereas the narrations of Abdullah ibn Amr do not exceed seven hundred. Abu Hurairah (radi Allahu anhu) attained this scholarly rank by virtue of the supplication of the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam).

Hadith Commentary:
1.
The intention of Imam Bukhari rahimahullah is to show that the practice of writing down hadith had already begun in the Prophetic era, because the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, upon the request of Abdullah ibn Amr radi Allahu anhuma, granted him permission to write down hadith. Thus, it is mentioned in the hadith that Abdullah ibn Amr radi Allahu anhuma said:
“O Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam! We hear many of your hadith but are unable to remember them. Should we write them down?” He replied:
“Yes, certainly, write them down.”
(Musnad Ahmad: 215/1)
In another narration, he said:
“O Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam! Should I write down what you say in both your states of pleasure and anger?” He said:
“Yes.
I speak nothing but the truth and correctness in both states.”
(Musnad Ahmad: 207/2)
In another narration, it is mentioned that Abdullah ibn Amr used to write down everything the Prophet said. The Quraysh said to him:
“You write down everything you hear, while the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam is a human being; sometimes he is angry, sometimes pleased.” Abdullah ibn Amr reported this incident to the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, who pointed to his blessed mouth and said:
“By Him in Whose hand is my soul! Nothing comes out from this tongue except the truth, so continue writing.”
(Musnad Ahmad: 162/2)
2.
The collection of hadith that Abdullah ibn Amr ibn al-As radi Allahu anhuma compiled with the permission of the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam was named (al-Sahifah al-Sadiqah).
This is also supported by the following incident:
Some people asked Abdullah ibn Amr radi Allahu anhuma which city would be conquered first: Constantinople or Rome? He then called for an old chest, took out a book from it, glanced at it, and then said:
“One day we were sitting with the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, and whatever he was saying, we were writing it down.
During this, he was asked: Which city will be conquered first, Constantinople or Rome? He replied:
‘The city of Heraclius, that is, Constantinople, will be conquered first.’”
(Musnad Ahmad: 176/2)
This manuscript remained preserved for a long time with the family of Abdullah ibn Amr radi Allahu anhuma. Thus, his grandson Amr ibn Shu‘ayb used to hold this sahifah in his hand while narrating and teaching.
Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal rahimahullah incorporated this manuscript into his Musnad, thereby preserving it for us, and it can still be seen today.
This detail refutes the claim of the deniers of hadith that the compilation of hadith began two and a half centuries after the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, and therefore is not reliable.
This is a baseless notion of theirs.
3.
From this hadith, it is understood that Abu Hurairah radi Allahu anhu did not use to write down hadith, but rather preserved them in his memory. However, Hasan ibn Amr ibn Umayyah narrates that he mentioned a hadith to Abu Hurairah radi Allahu anhu, and he expressed some hesitation. So he took him by the hand to his house and showed him many books that he had compiled from hadith. After looking through the books, that hadith was found.
This shows that Abu Hurairah radi Allahu anhu did write down hadith.
It is possible that he began writing hadith after the passing of the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam.
It is also possible that he had someone else compile them for him.
(Fath al-Bari: 274/1)
4.
The narrator of this hadith from Abu Hurairah radi Allahu anhu is his distinguished student Hammam ibn Munabbih, who was also from the homeland of Abu Hurairah radi Allahu anhu, Yemen.
When he came to Madinah for education, he presented himself to his eminent compatriot Abu Hurairah radi Allahu anhu.
Abu Hurairah radi Allahu anhu selected about one and a half hundred hadith of the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam for this young compatriot, which were related to moral training.
He compiled these hadith and had his student Hammam write them down, and named it (al-Sahifah al-Sahihah).
We have previously mentioned that if Abu Hurairah radi Allahu anhu ever envied any companion for their knowledge of hadith, it was Abdullah ibn Amr ibn al-As radi Allahu anhuma, who had compiled a collection of hadith named (al-Sahifah al-Sadiqah).
It is possible that Abu Hurairah radi Allahu anhu, following his example, named his own compilation (al-Sahifah al-Sahihah).
In any case, Hammam ibn Munabbih did not let the collection of hadith he received from his teacher Abu Hurairah radi Allahu anhu be lost or restricted to himself, but continued to narrate and teach it until his old age.
Fortunately, he found a student with refined taste, Ma‘mar ibn Rashid al-Yamani, who transmitted this treatise to his students. Then he too found a student, Abd al-Razzaq ibn Hammam al-Himyari, who compiled a voluminous book called al-Musannaf.
He continued the chain of transmission.
He had two students who became ongoing sources of reward for him:
One was Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal rahimahullah, and the other was Abu al-Hasan Ahmad ibn Yusuf al-Sulami.
Both of them rendered great service to the Sahifah of Hammam.
Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal rahimahullah included this sahifah in his great book "al-Musnad."
As long as the Musnad of Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal rahimahullah remains in the world, this sahifah will also remain.
This sahifah was not available for some time, but eventually it was found, and Dr. Hamidullah (may Allah have mercy on him) worked diligently to publish it.
Now, those who accuse the noble hadith scholars of forgery should reflect on the contents of this sahifah; perhaps they will be granted the ability to repent.
Imam Bukhari rahimahullah, at the end of the hadith, has referenced another chain of transmission.
In reality, he has pointed from a grain to a mountain.
Much can be written on this, but due to brevity, we suffice with this.
6.
Another compilation of Abu Hurairah radi Allahu anhu is also traced in the books of hadith.
His student Nahik ibn Bashir states: Whatever I heard from Abu Hurairah radi Allahu anhu, I would write it down.
When I completed my studies and wished to take leave, I brought my book to him, read it out to him, and said:
“This is what I have heard from you.” He affirmed it.
(Sunan al-Darimi, Hadith: 498, and its narrators are trustworthy)
7.
The thoughts that Abu Hurairah radi Allahu anhu expressed regarding hadith were due to Abdullah ibn Amr radi Allahu anhuma’s writing of hadith, because the one who writes the teacher’s statements generally accumulates a greater collection of statements. But when the noble hadith scholars investigated, the matter turned out to be quite the opposite.
The narrations of Abu Hurairah radi Allahu anhu are far more than those of Abdullah ibn Amr radi Allahu anhuma.
Imam Bukhari rahimahullah states that about eight hundred students benefited from Abu Hurairah radi Allahu anhu, and this scholarly distinction was not attained by any other companion.
The hadith scholars have mentioned various reasons for this, summarized as follows:
(1)
Abu Hurairah radi Allahu anhu devoted himself to learning and teaching in the center of knowledge and enlightenment, Madinah Munawwarah, whereas Abdullah ibn Amr radi Allahu anhuma went to Egypt, which did not have such scholarly centrality. Therefore, very few narrations are transmitted from Abdullah radi Allahu anhu.
(2)
Abdullah ibn Amr radi Allahu anhuma was naturally inclined towards abundant worship.
He engaged more in worship and very little in teaching and learning, whereas Abu Hurairah radi Allahu anhu was inclined towards teaching and learning.
Even during his days of study, this was his condition.
For this reason, the narrations of Abu Hurairah radi Allahu anhu are very numerous.
(3)
In Syria, Abdullah ibn Amr radi Allahu anhuma came across a collection of the books of the People of the Book. He was occupied with their study and narrated from them as well.
For this reason, many of the Tabi‘in rahimahullah stopped taking narrations from him.
(4)
Abu Hurairah radi Allahu anhu was blessed with the supplication of the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, due to which his knowledge and narrations spread the most, and this honor was not attained by Abdullah ibn Amr radi Allahu anhuma.
(Fath al-Bari: 274/1)
In summary, Abu Hurairah radi Allahu anhu devoted more time to acquiring and spreading knowledge and chose a central location for his residence, whereas Abdullah ibn Amr radi Allahu anhuma was not as inclined towards teaching and learning, nor did he choose a central location for residence.
For this reason, the narrations of Abu Hurairah radi Allahu anhu are more numerous, exceeding 5,000 in number.
Whereas the narrations of Abdullah ibn Amr radi Allahu anhuma did not reach this level in quantity.
(His narrations do not exceed 700.)
And Allah knows best.