Life of Imam Malik ibn Anas
Early Life and Childhood:
Imam Malik was born in Madinah in the year 93 AH, which was the same year where the companion of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, Anas ibn Malik passed away.
Imam Malik arrived at a position of teaching at the age of eleven and by the age of twenty-one, he was in a position to issue Fatwah (Islamic Rulings).
Imam Malik’s father posed an Islamic quiz for him and his brother, where his brother got the answers right but Malik’s answers were wrong.
Imam Malik’s father then said to him: playing with birds has distracted you from the quest for knowledge.
Imam Malik’s Teachers and Chains of Knowledge:
Ibn Hurmuz – From the Tabi’un:
This upset Imam Malik and from that day on, he decided to dedicate himself to the companionship of Abdullah ibn Yazid (Ibn Hurmuz)
Ibn Hurmuz was a scholar from the Tabi’un, the second generation of Muslims.
For seven years, Imam Malik devoted all of his time to learning from Ibn Hurmuz.
Rabi’ah al-Ra’y – Student of Anas ibn Malik:
Imam Malik said: my mother used to tie a turban around my head (the turban was a sign of scholarship in Madinah). She said to me to go to Rabi’ah and learn from his manners before you learn from his knowledge.
Nafi’ – The Freed Slave of Abdullah ibn Umar:
Imam Malik also studied from Nafi’ who was the servant of Abdullah ibn Umar, and before this, learnt from the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.
The knowledge that Imam Malik transmitted from Nafi was later given the title of ‘The Golden Chain of Transmission.’
Muhammad ibn Shihab Az-Zuhri:
Another teacher that Imam Malik learnt from was Muhammad ibn Shihab Az-Zuhri.
Imam Malik said: we used to congregate at the door of ibn Shihab in such numbers that we would end up falling on top of one another.
Imam Malik once said: One day, on Eid day, I said to myself: this is a day where ibn Shihab will have a bit more free time, so after the prayer, I sat at his door. I heard him say to his servant: Go and see who is at the door. I heard the servant say: This is your fair head student (Imam Malik was almost blonde).
Ibn Shihab said to Malik: You haven’t gone home, it is Eid? Imam Malik replied: No.
Ibn Shihab asked him: Have you eaten? Imam Malik replied: I have no need for this.
Ibn Shihab then asked: why have you come? Imam Malik replied: so that you relate Hadith to me.
Dedication to Knowledge:
Ibn Shihab narrated seventeen narrations to Imam Malik and then asked him: what is the point of this knowledge if you don’t memorise it?
Imam Malik replied: I can repeat every single one of them if you wish.
In another narration, Imam Malik narrated forty Hadith to Ibn Shihab, who then told him: you are an excellent vessel for knowledge.
Imam Malik’s Students and Legacy:
Imam Al-Shaf’i:
One of Imam Malik’s students was Imam Al-Shafi’i, who memorised Imam Malik’s teachings from a book called Al-Muwatta.
This was a book of Hadith consisting of 1720 narrations from the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, the companions and the Tabi’un.
Imam Al-Shafi’i memorised all 1720 narrations by the age of seventeen.
Abdur-Rahman ibn Qasim:
One of Imam Malik’s students was Abdur-Rahman ibn Qasim.
Abdur-Rahman ibn Qasim, Asad ibn al-Furat and Sahnun all compiled a book called Al-Mudawana which became the core text in the Maliki school of thought.
Abdullah ibn Wahb:
Another of Imam Malik’s students was Abdullah ibn Wahb.
Abdullah ibn Wahb was once sitting in a public hearing of Hadith and he heard a narration about the horrors of the day of judgement and he fell unconscious.
Abdullah ibn Wahb was carried back home and remained ill until he passed away.
Imam Malik and the Seven Jurists of Madinah:
Imam Malik took knowledge from many teachers, including the seven famous jurists of Madinah (among the Tabi’un) who took their knowledge from the companions of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.
Humility in Issuing Fatwas:
Imam Malik said: I have not assumed the position of giving Fatwa, only after 70 scholars bore testimony that I am fit to do so.
Imam Malik also said: One must never consider himself qualified to do anything until he first receives approval from those who are senior to him.
Recognition by Students:
Imam Al-Shafi’i once said: If scholars have made mention of, then Malik is then the star of them all.
Abdur-Rahman ibn Qasim said: Malik’s quest and his spending of money for the purpose of knowledge, ended up needing Malik to sell the roof of his house for the price of its wood. Then, the world opened up for him. (He struggled at the beginning, but then the world opened up for him.
The Prophet’s Praise for the Scholar of Madinah:
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said: it shall soon be that people will be on camelbacks, seeking knowledge from all over the place, and they will not find anyone more knowledgeable than the scholar of Madinah. (Tirmidhi)
Piety and Worship:
Imam Malik would prolong his prostration during his voluntary prayers.
Once, his sister was asked: what did Malik do when he was at home? She replied: it was truly the book of Allah and recitation.
Fatimah, the daughter of Imam Malik said: my dad had a nightly portion of Salah. On the evening of Friday (Thursday night), he would spend the whole night in prayer.
Awe of Imam Malik:
It was said about Imam Malik: I have never in my life seen anyone who has greater awe than Imam Malik.
Imam Al-Shafi’i said: I have never felt greater awe towards anyone as the awe that I felt for Malik when I first saw him.
It was also stated: I have never seen a gathering that was of greater awe than the gathering of Malik. It was as if birds were sitting on their heads (because there was no movement).
Imam Malik’s Patience in Conveying Hadith:
Abdullah ibn Mubarak said: I was once with Malik when he was conveying to us Hadith. A scorpion stung Imam Malik sixteen times. Malik’s colour began to change but he was forcing himself to remain patient as he did not want to interrupt the Hadith of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.
Abdullah ibn Mubarak continued: I saw something in you that baffled me, why did you behave in this way?
Imam Malik replied: I have shown the patience which you saw, in order to honour the Hadith of the Messenger of Allah.
Deep Connection to the Hadith:
Musab ibn Abdullah said: Whenever Imam Malik made mention of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, his colour would begin to change and he would lean forward (as if he was in pain).
Imam Malik was asked about this and he replied: If you had seen what I had seen, you wouldn’t be surprised by my behaviour. I saw Muhammad ibn Munkadir and whenever he would mention a Hadith, he would cry until we would pity him.
Imam Malik said about Sawfan ibn Salim: Whenever he would make mention of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, he would cry profusely until people would get up and leave him sitting by himself weeping.
Humility and Reference for Knowledge:
Abdullah Wahb said: If I wish, I could fill my entire scrolls in documenting the sheer number of times Imam Malik said: I don’t know.
A man asked Imam Malik 48 questions and in 32 of them, Malik did not know the answer and replied: I don’t know.
Once Imam Malik answered another question by saying: I don’t know. The questioner continued to try to press him for an answer and claimed that it was a light matter.
This angered Imam Malik and he replied: No aspect of Islamic knowledge is light. Have you not read what Allah says in the Quran? ‘Indeed we will cast upon you a heavy word.’ (Quran, 73:5), How can you say it’s a light matter?
The Reward of Teaching Knowledge:
Imam Malik received a letter from Abdullah ibn Abdul Aziz, who encouraged him to distance himself from public gatherings of knowledge and freeing himself for more worship.
Imam Malik responded to this by saying: My brother, Allah has distributed the actions of good deeds of people. The same way he has distributed rizq. There may be a person whose heart is open by Allah towards prayer but not towards fasting. There may be another person who Allah has opened his heart towards sadaqah but not so much towards fasting. And there may be another person who Allah has opened their heart towards Jihad, but not prayer.
Imam Malik continued: The teaching of knowledge is one of the most rewarding of good deeds. And I am satisfied with what Allah has provided for me. I don’t believe what I am doing is anything less than what you are doing. My hope is that both of us are upon goodness and it is incumbent that both of us be satisfied with what Allah has blessed us with.
The Virtue of Private Good Deeds:
Imam Malik would say: Whoever wants an opening to be made in his heart, and he wants to be saved from the intoxication of death and the horrors of the Day of Judgement, let him ensure that most of his good deeds are in private as opposed to the public.
Imam Malik on Knowledge, Manners and Guidance:
Imam Malik said: Any statement from any human being can be accepted or rejected, with the exception of the one who lives in this grave.
Here, he was pointing at the grave of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.
Imam Malik also said: Knowledge is essentially light where Allah places wherever he wishes.
Imam Malik once said to a young man from the Quraysh: Young man, learn manners before you learn knowledge.
Imam Malik and His Family:
Imam Malik had four children and most of them showed very little interest in their father’s knowledge.
He would say about this: what brings me solace and comfort is that I remind myself that knowledge cannot be passed down like inheritance.
Imam Malik’s Daughter:
Imam Malik’s daughter, Fatima bint Malik ibn Anas had memorised Imam Malik’s Al-Muwatta (1700 narrations).
She would stand on the other side of the door whilst her father would teach the gathering of men.
When Imam Malik would make a mistake, his daughter would knock on the door and he would realise the mistake and correct it.
Imam Malik’s Trial Under the Caliph Abu Ja’far Al-Mansur:
Imam Malik endured a trial at the hands of the Caliph at the time, Abu Ja’far al-Mansur.
A question was asked to Imam Malik: if a man divorced his wife out of force to do so, does the divorce count?
Imam Malik answered: the divorce of the coerced person does not take effect.
A spy then came into the gathering and asked him the same question, and he responded with the same answer.
The governor of Madinah, who was the cousin of Abu Ja’far al-Mansur, then lashed him until his arms were dislocated.
Eventually, Imam Malik lost consciousness, his hair was shaved off and he was put on the back of a camel and was taken on a humiliating ride around the city of Madinah.
Imam Malik continued to repeat: the divorce of the coerced person is null and void.
When news reached the caliph, Abu Ja’far al-Mansur, he decided to free Imam Malik.
Imam Malik’s Later Life and Passing:
Imam Malik spent his entire life in Madinah and he only left the city once for Hajj, where he met Abu Hanifah.
Imam Malik did not want to leave the city of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.
In the year 179 AH, at the age of 85 years old, Imam Malik passed away and was buried in the Al-Baqi cemetery, next to the son of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, Ibrahim.