Bukhari

Relevance Between the Chapter and the Hadith
Sahih Bukhari Hadith Number: 4400, Chapter: «بَابُ حَجَّةُ الْوَدَاعِ:»
Admitting that establishing the relevance between the chapter heading and the hadith is extremely difficult,

Hafiz Ibn Hajar rahimahullah and Allamah Qastallani rahimahullah state:
«قد اشتكل دخول هذا الحديث فى باب حجة الوداع، لأن فيه التصريح بأن القصة كانت عام الفتح وعام الفتح كان سنة ثمان و حجة الوداع كانت سنة عشر»
“It is extremely difficult, in terms of relevance, to include this hadith in the chapter of Hajjat al-Wada‘, because the event of the Conquest of Makkah occurred in the 8th year of Hijrah, while the event of Hajjat al-Wada‘ took place in the 10th year of Hijrah. (Therefore, there is no direct connection between them).”
Hafiz Ibn Hajar rahimahullah has clearly acknowledged that establishing the relevance between the chapter heading and the hadith is very difficult.

Muhammad Dawood Raz rahimahullah, while giving a possible relevance between the chapter heading and the hadith, states:
“The relevance of this hadith to the chapter is not apparent; the Conquest of Makkah occurred in the 8th year of Hijrah, and Hajjat al-Wada‘ took place in the 10th year. Perhaps the only point being made is that Hajjat al-Wada‘ occurred after the Conquest of Makkah.”
Muhammad Dawood Raz rahimahullah has indicated that Imam Bukhari rahimahullah is establishing that Hajjat al-Wada‘ took place after the Conquest of Makkah.

As for the relevance, this humble and insignificant servant says that Imam Bukhari rahimahullah, through the chapter heading and the hadith, is also alluding to another subtle matter, which requires deep reflection.

The first relevance is that Imam Bukhari rahimahullah wishes to draw attention to the fact that on the day of the Conquest of Makkah, when the Noble Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam entered the House of Allah (Baytullah), his journey at that time was not specifically for the purpose of visiting the House of Allah, but rather, his journey on that occasion was for the intention of jihad and military expedition. However, when the Noble Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam entered the House of Allah for Hajj, on that day his journey and purpose were solely for the House of Allah.

The second relevance, which this weak and insignificant servant has understood by the grace of Allah, is that the Islamic conquests and the mass entry of people into Islam occurred only after the Conquest of Makkah, to which Allah has clearly alluded:
«إِذَا جَاءَ نَصْرُ اللَّـهِ وَالْفَتْحُ * وَرَأَيْتَ النَّاسَ يَدْخُلُونَ فِي دِينِ اللَّـهِ أَفْوَاجًا ٭ فَسَبِّحْ بِحَمْدِ رَبِّكَ وَاسْتَغْفِرْهُ إِنَّهُ كَانَ تَوَّابًا.» [110-النصر:3 - 1]
This blessed surah was revealed after the Conquest of Makkah, in which the mass entry of people into Islam was foretold. It should also be remembered that, in terms of revelation, this is the last surah, in which there is also an indication of the death of the Noble Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam. This surah is connected to the event of the Conquest of Makkah, and as for the event of the sermon of Hajjat al-Wada‘, at the beginning of this sermon, the Noble Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam also said:
«ايها الناس اسمعوا قولي، فاني لا أدري لا ألقاكم بعد عامي هذا .» [تاريخ ابن هشام: 603/2]
“O people! Listen to my words attentively, for I do not know whether I will meet you after this year or not.”
That is, in the sermon of Hajjat al-Wada‘, the Noble Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam informed the noble Companions radi Allahu anhum of his impending death. Now, reflect on the relevance between the chapter heading and the hadith: in the hadith presented under the chapter, which mentions the Conquest of Makkah, during that time, the Qur’an was revealed to the Noble Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, merely indicating his death. However, in Hajjat al-Wada‘, which is the chapter, the Noble Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam fully informed the noble Companions radi Allahu anhum of his impending death. Thus, this is also a subtle aspect of relevance. Now, if we reflect further, another relevance between the chapter heading and the hadith emerges: on the day of the Conquest of Makkah, Surah al-Nasr was revealed to the Noble Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, which is, in terms of revelation, the last surah; and when the Noble Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam completed the sermon of Hajjat al-Wada‘, the following verse from Surah al-Ma’idah was revealed to him:
«الْيَوْمَ أَكْمَلْتُ لَكُمْ دِينَكُمْ وَأَتْمَمْتُ عَلَيْكُمْ نِعْمَتِي وَرَضِيتُ لَكُمُ الْإِسْلَامَ دِينًا.» [5-المائدة:3]
In this verse, the glad tidings of the completion of the religion were given to the Noble Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam. Therefore, Surah al-Nasr, which was revealed on the day of the Conquest of Makkah, contained an indication of the death of the Noble Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, and in Surah al-Ma’idah, the command regarding the completion of the religion is present. Thus, here too, there is this relevance: the connection of the religion and its completion is linked to the noble person of the Noble Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam; after him, there will be neither any addition to the religion nor any deficiency...

Reflect on the words of the hadith regarding the Conquest of Makkah: when the Noble Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam entered the House of Allah, the door of the House of Allah was closed, which is a subtle indication that the process of the revelation of religious rulings and the descent of revelation is soon to be closed. Thus, this is exactly what happened: only two years later, this process was closed forever.

Hadith Commentary:
The relevance of this hadith to the chapter is not apparent.
The conquest of Makkah occurred in 8 AH, and the Farewell Pilgrimage (Hajjat al-Wada') took place in 10 AH.
Perhaps the intended point is to indicate this very difference: that the Farewell Pilgrimage occurred after the conquest of Makkah.

Hadith Commentary:
➊
This incident pertains to the Conquest of Makkah, which occurred in the eighth year of Hijrah, whereas the heading is about the Farewell Pilgrimage (Hajjat al-Wada‘), which took place in the tenth year of Hijrah.
Hafiz Ibn Hajar rahimahullah has raised an objection as to why Imam Bukhari rahimahullah has mentioned this hadith under the chapter of Hajjat al-Wada‘, when it is not clear. (Fath al-Bari: 8/132)

➋
In reality, there is no problem here; rather, Imam Bukhari rahimahullah intends to draw attention to a disputed issue.
There is a difference of opinion as to whether the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam entered the House of Allah (Baytullah) during the Farewell Pilgrimage or not. Imam Bukhari rahimahullah has proven from this hadith that the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam did enter the House of Allah during the Farewell Pilgrimage, because it is certain that he entered the House of Allah at the time of the Conquest of Makkah.
Although the purpose of that journey was solely to wage jihad and suppress disbelief, and visiting the House of Allah was not the objective, then all the more so is entry proven during the Farewell Pilgrimage, since that journey was solely for the purpose of visiting the House of Allah. In fact, it is also established from an explicit hadith that the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam entered the House of Allah during the Farewell Pilgrimage.
Aishah radi Allahu anha narrates that the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam once came to me with a face showing sadness and grief, whereas when he had left me earlier, his face had been radiant with happiness and delight.
Aishah radi Allahu anha says:
I asked the reason, and he replied that he had entered the House of Allah and, by entering it, had placed his ummah in difficulty.
If I had realized beforehand what I now know, I would never have entered the House of Allah.
(Sunan Abi Dawud, Kitab al-Manasik, Hadith: 2029)

➌
Although this hadith does not explicitly mention the Farewell Pilgrimage,
it is established that Aishah radi Allahu anha was not present at the time of the Conquest of Makkah, but she was with him during the Farewell Pilgrimage. And it is agreed upon that before the Conquest of Makkah, he did not enter the House of Allah.
It is possible that at the time of the Conquest of Makkah, he entered inside to break the idols, and during the Farewell Pilgrimage, he entered to perform prayer.
In this case, the words (ʿĀMA FAT-ḥI MAKKAH)
would be based on a narrator’s error.
It is also possible that it is not a narrator’s error, but rather the first part of the narration refers generally to the Conquest of Makkah, and the second part, where the closing of the door of the House of Allah is mentioned, refers to the Farewell Pilgrimage.
And Allah knows best.