Al-Adab al-Mufrad الْأَدَب الْمُفْرَد
In review — pending scholar verification
A separate work by Imam al-Bukhari (d. 256 AH) compiled exclusively on the topic of moral character and etiquette; approximately 1,322 hadith on dealings with parents, neighbours, kin, speech, and conduct.
Overview
Al-Adab al-Mufrad (Arabic: الْأَدَب الْمُفْرَد; "Singular [book of] Etiquette") is the second major work of Imam al-Bukhārī after his Ṣaḥīḥ. It is dedicated entirely to moral character, etiquette, and social conduct — drawn from the same vast hadith pool but with focus on akhlāq rather than fiqh or theology.
The collection contains approximately 1,322 hadith in 644 chapters, treating subjects such as filial piety, treatment of neighbours, kindness to parents, gentleness in speech, the rights of relatives, smiling, hospitality, anger, modesty, and dozens of categories of social and ethical conduct.
Distinctive features
- Unlike his Ṣaḥīḥ, al-Bukhārī did not require every hadith in Adab al-Mufrad to meet the strictest ṣaḥīḥ conditions — he included some weaker material that was still suitable for ethical exhortation. al-Albānī later distinguished the authentic and weak portions in Ṣaḥīḥ al-Adab al-Mufrad and Ḍaʿīf al-Adab al-Mufrad.
- Many of its narrations are not in the Ṣaḥīḥ, making it a vital supplementary collection.
Famous hadith
Abu Hurayra reported the Prophet ﷺ said: "I was sent only to perfect noble character." — al-Adab al-Mufrad 273 (graded Sahih by al-Albani)
Significance
Together with Riyāḍ aṣ-Ṣāliḥīn, al-Adab al-Mufrad is the foremost classical guide to Islamic akhlāq (character) at the level of authentic primary sources. Modern English translations include those of Yusuf Talal DeLorenzo and Adil Salahi.
See also
References
- al-Bukhārī, al-Adab al-Mufrad, ed. Sumayr Aḥmad az-Zuhayrī (Maktabat al-Maʿārif).
- al-Albānī, Ṣaḥīḥ al-Adab al-Mufrad and Ḍaʿīf al-Adab al-Mufrad.
- Trans. Adil Salahi, al-Adab al-Mufrad: Prophetic Morals and Manners (Kube Publishing).