Irshad Al Asedi

IMAM MALIK (رضئ اللہ تعالی عنہ)

Imam Malik (رضئ اللہ تعالی عنہ) is one of 4 major Fiqh scholars and founder of Maliki school of thought in Islamic Jurisprudence. Maliki school of thought is popular in North Africa, Egypt and in some parts of Yemen, Syria, and other places. He is also one of the greatest scholars of prophetic traditions. His book titled 'Muatta' (الموطأ) is the pioneering work in Hadith collection.

BLESSED BIRTH

He was born in Madina in 93 AH (711 CE). His father was Anas bin Malik (not the Sahabi) and his mother's name was Aaliyah bint Shurayk al-Azdiyya. Imam Malik (رضئ اللہ تعالی عنہ) belonged to Al-Asbahi tribe of Yemen. His great grandfather Abu Amir relocated from Yemen to Madina after accepting Islam in 2nd Hijri (623 CE). His grandfather Malik bin Abi Amir was a student of Khalifa-e-Rashid, Amir al-Momineen Umar bin al-Khattab (رضئ اللہ تعالی عنہ). It is reported that he was part of the team under Hadhrat Uthman (رضئ اللہ تعالی عنہ), responsible for collecting the parchments upon which Quranic texts were originally written.

EDUCATION

Imam Malik (رضئ اللہ تعالی عنہ) memorized Quran in his youth. He learned recitation of Quran from Abu Suhail Nafi bin Abdur Rahman, from whom he also received Ijaza. It is reported that both Imam Abu Hanifa (رضئ اللہ تعالی عنہ) and Imam Malik (رضئ اللہ تعالی عنہ) were the students of Imam Jafar al-Sadiq (رضئ اللہ تعالی عنہ).

Imam Malik (رضئ اللہ تعالی عنہ) learned from many teachers. Some of his teachers are : (i) Nafi’ bin Abdur Rahman, (ii) Abuz Zanaad Adbullah bin Zakwan, (iii) Hisham bin Urwah bin Zubair, (iv) Yahya bin Sa’eed al-Ansari, (v) Abdullah bin Dinar, (vi) Zaid bin Aslam, (vii) Abdullah bin Abu Bakr bin Hazm, (viii) Sa’eed bin Abu Sa’eed al-Maqbari, (ix) Sumayy, (x) Ayyub Sakhtiyaani, (xi) Abdur Rahman bin al-Qasim bin Muhammad bin Abu Bakr, (xii) Thawr bin Zaid Dabli, (xiii) Ibrahim bin Abi Ablah al-Maqdisi, (xiv) Rabi’ah bin Abu Abdur Rahman, (xv) Humayd Taweel, etc.

Imam Malik’s (رضئ اللہ تعالی عنہ) memory was extraordinary. He said, ‘anything I would record in my memory would never be forgotten again’.

TEACHINGS

After extensive study during his 20s and 30s, the Imam became a famous teacher in Madina. He started teaching in the Prophet's (صلى الله عليه و آله وسلم) mosque. It is reported that he used to sit on the pulpit of the mosque with Quran in one hand and his collection of Ahadith in another hand and he used to give fiqh rulings based on these sources. He considered that after Quran and Sunnah, the practices of the people of Madina during the first century AH (his lifetime) should be seen as an important third source for Islamic fiqh.

Imam Malik's (رضئ اللہ تعالی عنہ) students were in thousands who related Ahadith from him. Ibn Kathir, Dhahabi and Qazi Iyadh mentioned that over 1,300 students narrated Ahadith from Imam Malik (رضئ اللہ تعالی عنہ). Dar Qutni, Abu Bakr Khateeb al-Baghdadi, and others mentioned that over 1000 students have narrated Ahadith from him.

The important personalities who considered him as their teacher, include, (i) Imam Muhammad, (ii) Imam Shaf'ii, (iii) Abdullah bin Mubarak (iv) Laith bin Sa'ad, (v) Shu'bah, (vi) Sufyan Ath-Thawri, (vii) Ibn Juraij, (viii) Ibn Uyainah, (ix) Yahya al-Qattan, (x) Ibn Mahdi, (xi) Abu Aasim al-nabeel, (xii) Abdur-Rahman Auwzaa'ee, (xiii) Zhuhri Abul-Aswad, (xiv) Ayyub Sakhtiyaani, (xv) Rabi'ah al-Ra'ii, (xvi) Yahya bin Sa'eed Ansari (xvii) Muhammad bin Abi Zi'ab, (xviii) Ibn Jareeh, (xix) A'amash, (xx) Abu Suhail, (xxi) Nafi' bin Malik, etc.

BOOKS WRITTEN BY IMAM MALIK (رضئ اللہ تعالی عنہ)

Imam Malik (رضئ اللہ تعالی عنہ) compiled a Hadith collection titled al-Muwatta (الموطأ). This was the first book in the category of 'Sahih'. Imam Malik (رضئ اللہ تعالی عنہ) stated that he showed his book to seventy scholars in Madinah, all of whom approved it. Thus, he gave it the name al-Muwatta, (الموطأ), meaning 'The Approved'. In addition, he has written ‘the Risala.

Another book titled Al-Mudawwana (المدونة) containing the rulings of Maliki Fiqh was compiled by Sahnun ibn Sa'id ibn Habib at-Tanukhi (776 – 854 CE), a Maliki Jurist, after the death of Malik ibn Anas. It is reported that Sahnun who lived in Qayrawan, Tunisia, traveled to Cairo to ask Imam Malik’s pupil Abdur Rahman ibn al-Qasim what Imam Malik’s views were on the topics which were covered in that book.

DEATH

Imam Malik (رضئ اللہ تعالی عنہ) fell ill when he was 86 years old. The illness continued for three weeks, at the end of which he died on 11 Rabia I, 179 AH (June 3, 795 AD). He was buried in Jannat-ul-Baqi.

SCHOLARLY VIEWS

(i) Imam Abu Hanifa (رضئ اللہ تعالی عنہ) said, 'I have never seen anyone more fast understanding, correct answering, and test-taking than Imam Malik'.

(ii) Imam Shaf'ii (رضئ اللہ تعالی عنہ) said, 'Knowledge is encircled by three men: Malik bin Anas, Sufyaan bin Uyainah, and Laith bin Sa'ad'.

(iii) Imam Ahmed bin Hanbal (رضئ اللہ تعالی عنہ) said, 'I was asked whose Hadith should be memorized by heart, if from anyone? I replied, Malik bin Anas'.

(iv) Imam Bukhari (رضئ اللہ تعالی عنہ) said, 'I was asked what the most authentic chain of narrators is. I replied from Malik from Nafi' from Ibn Umar (رضئ اللہ تعالی عنہم)'.

(v) Imam Nasai said, 'after the Tabi'een, the most understanding, reliable, trustworthy, person in Hadith is Imam Malik.’