Imam malik biography pdf in urdu

ImÉm MÉlik bin Anas: ImÉm of the Abode of Hijrah Tawfique Al-Mubarak ImÉm MÉlik’s full name is MÉlik ibn Anas ibn MÉlik ibn AbÊ ÑÓmir ibn ÑAmr ibn al-×Érith ibn GhaymÉn ibn Khuthayl ibn ÑAmr ibn al-×Érith al-×imyarÊ al-AÎbaÍÊ al-MadanÊ. His ancestors originated from AÎbaÍ in Yemen, and later settled in MadÊnah – the city of the Prophet (pbuh). ImÉm MÉlik was born in the year 93 after hijrah, the year of the demise of the great companion Anas bin MÉlik who dedicated his life at the service of the Prophet (pbuh). However, AbË IsÍÉq al-ShÊrÉzÊ (d.476 H) mentioned in his ÙabaqÉt al-FuqahÉ´ that ImÉm MÉlik was born in the 95th year of hijrah. ImÉm MÉlik was raised in a family widely known for their scholarly contributions. His grandfather MÉlik was a Successor (tÉbiÑÊ) who narrated ÍadÊth from the venerable Companions of the Prophet (pbuh) like that of the third Caliph ÑUthmÉn ibn ÑAffÉn (r.a.) among others. He also joined the group of people who transcribed the Qur´Én into the QurayshÊ style of recitation during the reign of ÑUthmÉn (r.a.). Al-DhahabÊ, in his Siyar AÑlÉm al-NubalÉ´ mentions that the great-grandfather of ImÉm MÉlik AbÊ ÑÓmir ibn ÑAmr was a Companion of the Prophet (pbuh) who participated in all major battles, except the battle of Badr. This signifies their position in the society, and their long relationship with Islam and its Ñilm (knowledge). Young MÉlik liked to play with pigeons, and loved to sing. His brother NaÌr became well known for his wisdom since childhood. Once his father asked them both a question, which NaÌr was able to reply but MÉlik failed. His father was unhappy with him and told him that his pigeons have kept him away from seeking knowledge. Young MÉlik also had tremendous interest in singing. He once told his mother – ÑÓliyah bint SharÊk – that he would like to take singing as a profession. His mother gave him an intelligent answer. Instead of refuting his interests, she told him that he would also need to be good looking to be a good singer. This crushed his interest, and provoked him deeply. These two incidents changed MÉlik’s aspiration and attitude. He then began studying with his sheikh Ibn Hurmuz. He used to be known as the brother of NaÌr at his class, until he excelled in his knowledge and NaÌr was to become known as ‘MÉlik’s brother.’ He was blessed to be born in the holy city of Madinah, which was the seat of learning during his time. Most of his teachers were great Successors (tÉbiÑËn) among whom the most prominent are Ibn Hurmuz, RabÊÑah al-Ra´y, Ibn ShihÉb al-ZuhrÊ, NÉfiÑ the freedman of ÑAbdullah ibn ÑUmar, AyyËb al-SakhtiyÉnÊ, SaÑÊd al-MaqburÊ, ÑÓmir ibn ÑAbdullah ibn Zubayr, Ibn al-Munkadir, ÑAbdullah ibn DÊnÉr, ImÉm JaÑfar al-ØÉdiq, AbË ×anÊfah, alAwzÉÑÊ, SufyÉn al-ThawrÊ, ShuÑbah, Zayd ibn Aslam, ÑAlqamah and his uncles Uwais, and RabÊÑ among others. Al-DhahabÊ mentioned ninety-five sheikhs from whom he narrated ÍadÊth in his MuwaÏÏa´. ImÉm YaÍyÉ Sharaf al-NawawÊ mentioned that among his nine hundred (900) teachers, three hundred were from the ranks of Successors (tÉbiÑËn), and six hundred were among the Successors of the Successors (tÉbiÑ al-tÉbiÑËn). A unique feature of ImÉm MÉlik is that he had never set his foot out of Madinah in search for knowledge, unlike the other great ImÉms of the Sunni Schools of fiqh. AÍmad and alTirmidhÊ reported a saying of the holy Prophet (pbuh), from AbË MËsÉ al-AshÑarÊ (r.a.): “People from the East and the West would spread out in search for knowledge, and they shall find no one more knowledgeable than the knowledgeable scholar of MadÊnah.” Ibn ÑUyaynah first considered the great Successor SaÑÊd ibn al-Musayyab as the knowledgeable scholar mentioned in the ÍadÊth, later he also thought of SulaimÉn ibn YasÉr and SÉlim ibn ÑAbdillah, 1 until he was certain that it is none other than MÉlik ibn Anas, and there was no other scholar equivalent to him during his time. This is also the opinion of the majority scholars, that the knowledgeable scholar mentioned in the ÍadÊth is ImÉm MÉlik ibn Anas. He began teaching from the age of seventeen. QÉÌÊ ÑIyÉÌ mentions in his TartÊb al-MadÉrik fÊ TaqrÊb al-MasÉlik from MuÎÑab, that ImÉm MÉlik began teaching during the lifetime of his teacher NÉfiÑ, and that his classroom (Íalaqah) was larger than that of NÉfiÑs. It reflects the ImÉm’s credentials as a learned scholar from his youth. The ImÉm was appreciated for his endeavour in search of knowledge since his early life. His teacher Ibn Hurmuz permitted him a free access to his house for his curiosity and zeal to learn, which was restricted for others. He studied under Ibn Hurmuz continuously from morning to night for eight years. Ibn ShihÉb al-ZuhrÊ, one of his famous teachers, mentioned him that he is a perfect and the best vessel for knowledge. His students numbered more than thirteen hundred (1300) according to a report, while al×ÉfiÐ AbË Bakr al-KhaÏÊb al-BaghdÉdÊ reported about nine-hundred and ninety-three (993) of ImÉm’s pupils who narrated the MuwaÏÏÉ´ from him. The most prominent among his students were ImÉm al-ShÉfiÑÊ, ImÉm AbË YËsuf and ImÉm MuÍammad ibn al-×asan al-ShaybÉnÊ – the two famous pupils of ImÉm AbË ×anÊfah, ÑAbdullah ibn al-MubÉrak, SufiyÉn al-ThawrÊ, ÑAbd al-RaÍmÉn al-AwzÉÑÊ. He was very meticulous in collecting ÍadÊth, and would observe great caution for it from his outmost respect and love for the holy Prophet (pbuh). He would never narrate any ÍadÊth unless in his best of states. He would always be dressed in the best of clothes, wore the best of perfumes, and would burn incense (bukhËr) while delivering his lectures. His respect and love for the Prophet (pbuh) and his sayings were beyond description. ÑAbdullah ibn alMubÉrak describes an event about ImÉm MÉlik and his inexpressible love for the Prophet (pbuh). One day while the ImÉm was narrating ÍadÊth at his class, ÑAbdullah ibn al-MubÉrak noticed that the face of the ImÉm turned yellow and he was very uncomfortable. After everyone had left, ibn al-MubÉrak asked about the ImÉm that he saw something unusual in him. The ImÉm replied that he was stung sixteen times by a scorpion during the class. But he did not interrupt the discourse to show honour to the ÍadÊth of the Prophet (pbuh)! He was once asked why he does not accept ÍadÊth from ÑAmr ibn DÊnÉr? He replied that he once went to him, and found him narrating ÍadÊth while he was standing. ImÉm MÉlik considered the sayings of the holy Prophet (pbuh) to be too honourable and majestic that it should not be narrated in a standing position. MusÑab ibn ÑAbdullah mentioned about the ImÉm that whenever the Prophet (pbuh) was mentioned, his colour would change, and he would bow over. He also never rode on the roads of Madinah out of respect to the Prophet (pbuh), even at his old age and weak health. He was asked about it, and he replied: “I will not ride in a city in which is buried the body of the Prophet (pbuh).” Like all other ImÉms, he was also persecuted, flogged and imprisoned. The governor of MadÊnah – who was also the cousin of KhalÊfah AbË JaÑfar al-ManÎËr – once, imposed upon all the citizens to take an oath of allegiance to the KhalÊfah. The ImÉm stated that such an oath of allegiance under coercion is invalid and nullified. Upon this statement, the governor arrested the ImÉm, flogged him, and put him in prison. However, the KhalÊfah himself came to ImÉm MÉlik apologizing for his governor’s conduct, and punished the governor accordingly. 2 MuwaÏÏÉ´: ImÉm MÉlik’s greatest contribution to Islamic civilization is his MuwaÏÏÉ´. MuwaÏÏÉ´ is the first compilation of authentic aÍÉdÊth (traditions of the Prophet pbuh) categorized under different chapters and themes of fiqh. It is, as such, among the first few muÎannaf of ÍadÊth to be compiled. It is also the first book of its kind where the discourses on aÍÉdÊth have been explained from a fiqh perspective. It also carries a unique attribution of being the first complete work in the history of Islam after the Holy Qur´Én. ImÉm MÉlik chose less than a thousand authentic aÍÉdÊth for the MuwaÏÏÉ´ from close to a hundred thousand aÍÉdÊth he collected. MuwaÏÏÉ´ was compiled over a course of forty years. After compiling the MuwaÏÏÉ´ ImÉm MÉlik presented it to seventy great scholars of MadÊnah, all of whom approved of it (waÏÏa´ Ñalaihi), thus the name MuwaÏÏÉ´ has been adopted. The word MuwaÏÏÉ´ also means ‘something made easy’ – as the book was compiled to make the teachings of Islam easy for the laymen. ImÉm al-ShÉfiÑÊ’s testimony for MuwaÏÏÉ´ is that it is the most authentic book on the face of the earth after the Qur´Én. ×ÉfiÐ ibn ×ajar al-ÑAsqalÉnÊ in his commentary of the ØaÍÊÍ alBukhÉrÊ confirms that the latter was compiled after the demise of ImÉm al-ShÉfiÑÊ; hence his testimony is true for his time. The narrators of MuwaÏÏÉ´ are quite numerous. ImÉm al-SuyËÏÊ mentioned about fourteen narrations in his TanwÊr al-×awÉlik. However, there are other reports which confirm of more than sixty authentic narrations. Among them the narrations of YaÍyÉ ibn YaÍyÉ ibn KathÊr ibn WaslÉs al-LaithÊ al-AndalusÊ (d.234H) is the most well known and accepted. He later went to Andalus and spread the MÉlikÊ madhhab there. However, he missed out three chapters of the Book of IÑtikÉf in his version, as he came to MadÊnah in the year 179 H. during the last stage of the ImÉm’s life. The narrations of ImÉm MuÍammad ibn al-×asan alShaybÉnÊ is also well known, and often differentiated as ‘The MuwaÏÏÉ´ of ImÉm MuÍammad.’ It also contains ImÉm MuÍammad’s own commentaries beside the texts of the MuwaÏÏÉ´. MuwaÏÏÉ´ is the connecting bridge to the world of authentic aÍÉdÊth, as the later compilations of the authentic aÍÉdÊth were all founded upon the MuwaÏÏÉ´. The KhalÊfah once approached the ImÉm to adopt the MuwaÏÏÉ´ as the official guide of practice in the Abbasid Empire, but the ImÉm refused it saying that the Companions had differed among themselves and tolerated disagreement, and this practice should continue. ImÉm MÉlik’s Contributions to ÕÎËl al-Fiqh: ImÉm MÉlik is well known as the ImÉm ahl al-ÍadÊth for his outstanding contribution in the field of ×adÊth. However, among the most well known doctrines of uÎËl al-fiqh propounded by the ImÉm – Ñaml ahl al-MadÊnah (common practices of the people of MadÊnah), istiÎlÉÍ (public interest) and sadd al-dharÉ´iÑ (blocking of the means) – are mostly based on personal reasoning (ra´y). It is, therefore, not surprising to find ImÉm AbË Zahrah’s assessment of ImÉm MÉlik that he was not only the leading figure of ahl al-ÍadÊth, but also of ahl al-ra´y. ÑAml ahl al-MadÊnah: ImÉm MÉlik viewed that the people of Madinah have witnessed the practices of the Prophet (pbuh) and the Companions. The later generations have also been taught those practices which are common among the people of Madinah. Therefore, such undisputed practices which do not contradict the Qur´Én or Sunnah should be accepted as a valid source of fiqh. 3 IstiÎlÉÍ: istiÎlÉÍ literally means ‘in search of benefit or welfare.’ As the doctrine indicates, it is often aimed at securing benefit for the people or protecting them from harm, which is in fact the purpose of the SharÊÑah. ImÉm MÉlik, for instance, validated levying certain additional taxes on the wealthy whenever the public treasury runs out of funds, in order to protect the lives and properties of the people in general. Sadd al-dharÉ´iÑ: this doctrine of blocking the means implies that a means towards a ÍarÉm is also ÍarÉm; similarly a means towards a wÉjib is equally wÉjib. Therefore, the means to a ÍarÉm should be blocked in order not to indulge in the ÍarÉm itself. Based on this, the MÉlikÊ fiqh rules out the sale of grapes unlawful to a wine-maker, and similarly the sale of arms is also unlawful during the time of conflict and chaos. ImÉm MÉlik for his marvelous contributions to the civilization of Islam will never be forgotten. Being a resident of Madinah throughout his life, he is thus rightly declared as the ImÉm of the abode of emigration (hijrah). Although he did not migrate himself, but people migrated to him in search of knowledge. Further reading: MuwaÏÏÉ´ al-ImÉm MÉlik (riwÉyatan: YaÍyÉ ibn YaÍyÉ al-LaithÊ), DÉr al-NafÉ´is, Beirut, 2001. Muhammad ibn al-Hasan al-Shaybani, The Muwatta of Imam Muhammad, Turath Publishing, London, 2004 Dr. G.F. Haddad, “Imam Malik,” available online at: Hesham Al-Awadi, “The Four Great Imams,” audio lectures, available online at: Mohammad Hashim Kamali, Shari’ah Law: An Introduction, Oneworld, Oxford, 2008. 4