Imam Maalik

Grave of imam Malik & his teacher

Imam Maalik (alaihir rahmah) was born in 93 A.H. He was born in the period of the Ummayyad Dynasty. His full name is Maalik bin Anas.

EDUCATION:

Imam Maalik (radi Allahu anhu's) grandfather & uncle were great scholars of Hadith. Imam Maalik (alaihir rahmah) learnt Ahadith from his uncle, Sayyiduna Abu Suhail Nafi (alaihir rahmah). The Imam was a very keen scholar from his childhood days.

TEACHERS:

Imam Maalik (alaihir rahmah) had many illustrious teachers. Most of them were great Taabi'i scholars who learnt under the Sahaba. Some of his teachers used to teach in Masjidun Nabawi. He learnt how to read the Holy Quran from Sayyiduna Abu Radim Nafi Abdur Rahman (alaihir rahmah).He also learnt Hadith under Sayyiduna Nafi, Sayyiduna Jafer Saadiq, Sayyiduna Mohammed bin Yahya Ansaari, Sayyiduna Abu Haashim Salmah, Sayyiduna Yahya bin Said & Sayyiduna Hishaam bin Urwah (radi Allahu anhum-ul-ajma'in).

HIS PUPILS:

Imam Maalik (radi Allahu anhu's) fame spread far, wide & many great scholars sat in his company learning Ahadith & other Islamic legal issues. Some 1300 scholars sat at his feet. They copied the "MUWATTA" from him. The "Muwatta" is a collection of Ahadith by Imam Maalik (radi Allahu anhu). Many of his pupils copied the Muwatta, the famous among them being: Sayyiduna Yahya bin Yahya Al-Masmudi, Sayyiduna ibn Wahab Abu Mohammad Abdullah & Sayyiduna Abi Abdullah Abdur Rahman Abdur Rahman (radi Allahu anhum-ul-ajma'in).

AS A TEACHER:

Even Imam A'zam Abu Hanifa (alaihir rahmah), his teacher, held Imam Maalik (alaihir rahmah) in great regard, respect & should sit in his study circle. Imam Maalik (alaihir rahmah) liked his students to read aloud while he listened. He used to sit on a high chair with students all around taking notes..

AS A MUHADDITH & A JURIST:

He was a great "Muhaddith" (A Scholar of Hadith). He was very careful in selecting Hadith & after examining them thoroughly used to record it in his Muwatta.

As a Jurist, he was not afraid of giving a "Fatawa" (Legal Islamic Ruling) even if it was against the Caliph. He was once flogged for doing so.

PASSES AWAY:

He passed away on the 11th of Rabi-ul-Awwal in the year 179 A.H. He was 86 years old. Imam Maalik (alaihir rahmah) is buried in Janatul Baqi in Madina-tul-Munawwarah.

He never wore shoes whilst in Madina-tul-Munawwarah. He never sat on a horse or used the toilets in this blessed city. He always went out of the city to relieve himself. He used to kiss the old buildings & the remains of old foundations, saying that Sayyiduna Rasoolullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) may have walked by, touched it or saw it. Such was his adoration for Sayyiduna Rasoolullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam).