Malik ibn Anas

Assalamou aleikoum wa Rahmatoullah wa barakatou,



Malik (full name Malik bin Anas bin Malik bin Abu Amir Al-Asbahi)

It is important to realize, however, that Malik's collection is not complete: there are other scholars who worked as Malik did and collected other reports.

Malik devoted himself to knowledge from an early age and sought it out from the people of knowledge in Madina. He confined himself to two areas of knowledge: hadith and fiqh.

Firstly he learned how to refute adherents of deviant sects and how to resolve people's disagreements and clarify their disputes in respect of fiqh and other matters. He studied that with Ibn Hurmuz, as he himself said. He took from him much knowledge which he did not spread publicly. But when there was an occasion where it was necessary to impart it, he did so.

It is reported in ad-Dibaj that "Malik used to come to mosque and attend the prayers, Jumu'a, and funerals, visit the sick, and sit in the mosque; and his Companions would join him there. Then he ceased to sit in the mosque. He did not attend funerals but would go to his companions and console them. Then he ceased doing even those things. He did not attend the prayers in the mosque or go to Jumu'a or go to console anyone. But he continued to see people until he died." Most people agree that he died in 179 AH, on the night of the 14th of Rabi' ath-Thani, at well over eighty years of age.


Sources : You can read Imam's Malik's Muwatta online at : http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/fundamentals/h...sunnah/muwatta/

and:

some exerts from Aisha Bewleys translation of : Imam Malik's biography by A. Zahra.