Biography of Imam Malik Ibn Anas (93-179 of Hijra)

Imam Malik Ibn Anas (93-179 of Hijra)

He is Malik Ibn Anas Ibn Malik Al-Ashbahi Al-Himyari. He was born on year 93 Hijri in Medina. He grew on a surrounding immersed with knowledge, and he started learning since he was a teenager. Because of his intelligence, in the fresh age of 21, he was given permission to issue fatwas. He felt enough to learn from the scholars who came to Medina. He taught knowledges in Medina, thus he was known as “Imam Darul Hijra” (Imam of The Emigration Land), and during his lifetime, he never went out of Medina but to perform the major and minor pilgrimage.

Teachers and Students of Imam Malik

Among his teachers were Nafi’, Ayyub As-Sikhtiyani, Humaid Ath-Thawil, Salamah Ibn Dinar, Atha’ Al-Khurasani, Az-Zuhri, and many other scholars beside them. He particularly took many of his lessons in jurisprudence from Rabi’ah Ar Ra’yi. As for his students, among them were Abdullah bin Mubarak, Abdurrahman Ibn Mahdi, Abdullah Ibn Wahab, Ibn al Qasim, Al-Qa’nabi, Sa’id Ibn Manshur, Qutaibah, Yahya Ibn Bukair, and other scholars.

Praises for Imam Malik

He was a great scholar in Islam. Imam Ash Shafi’i said, “If the scholars are mentioned, then Malik is the star.” Yahya Ibn Qathan said, “None has more valid hadith than Malik, he was the leader in the matter of hadith.” Ibn Uyaina said, “Who are we compared to Malik? We’re just following his footsteps.” Abdurrahman Ibn Mahdi didn’t want to prioritize other scholars before Imam Malik.

He was famous as a strict, discipline, and cautious scholar in issuing fatwas. One day, someone came to him bringing forty questions, and he answered only five of them. Once he said, ” Shield of a scholar is the answer, ‘I don’t know’. If he forgot about it, then he is defeated in his battle.”

He ever beaten by the government of his time because of a misunderstanding of the Governor of Medina regarding his opinion. Thus, some people who envy him stood up and provoked the government against him. His arms were beaten so badly that he couldn’t raise his hands during his prayer.

He has several writings and many of them has reached us today, among them is the book “Al Muwatha’.

The Death of Imam Malik

He died on year 179 Hijri, in Medina, the city of the Prophet -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him-.

(Reference: “Tarikh Tasyri’ Al-Islami”, Master Text Book of Mediu, page 155–165)

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