Malik's Muwattah

W-Salam,

Muwatta is one of the earliest AUTHENTIC compilations of Hadeeth & Athar (sayings of Sahaba) by the Imam of Darul-Hijrah (Imam Malik Ibn Anas (RA)), compiled over 40 years.

As far as its Authenticity is concerned the great Imam Shaf’i (RA) said, “There is not on the face of the earth a book – after the Book of Allah – which is more authentic than the book of Malik."

One of the hallmarks of “Muwatta of Imam Malik” is some of its chains of narrations which are known in Arabic as “SilSilatuz-Zuhub (The Golden chain) and it is as follows:

1)    (Imam) Malik Ibn Anas (RA) narrates from
2)    Nafi (RA) [Nafi' ibn Sarjis Abu 'Abdullah ad-Daylami] who narrates from
3)    Abdullah Ibn Umar (RA) who narrates from
4)    Rasul-ullah (Sallao Alaihe Wassalam)

Notice the small number of links between (Imam) Malik Ibn Anas (RA) & Rasul-ullah (Sallao Alaihe Wassalam).

http://bewley.virtualave.net/muwcont.html

Imam Malik (RA) is the Imam of one of the four Madhabs of Ahlus-Sunnah Wal-Jamaah i.e. Maliki Madhab. Imam Malik (RA) lived in Madina all his life and famously said, “If Hajj wasn’t obligated I would have never left Madina”, therefore he is famously known as Imam Darul-Hijrah (Imam of Madina).

He didn’t start giving Fatwa UNTIL 70 of the top Scholars of Madina (of his time) endorsed his knowledge and Authenticity.

Imam Malik (RA) had great respect for Imam Al-Adham Abu Haneefa (RA) and when the later visited Madina he used to walk behind him and put his steps where the steps of Imam Al-Adham Abu Haneefa (RA) had touched the ground . This is the account of their meeting:

After the two Imams left the meeting, Al-Layth Ibn-Sa’ad, an Egyptian Imam whose juristic school of thought was just as superior as the other four Imams but had no students to spread it, was keen on knowing the impression of both sides.

He went to Imam Malik and asked him.  Malik wiped his sweat and said, “By Allah, Abu-Hanifa made me sweat.  By Allah, he is a true jurist. I’ve never seen a man debating like that.  By Allah, if he told you that this iron rod is made out of gold, he would convince you.”

Al-Layth went to Imam Abu-Hanifa who said, “I debated hundreds of men, but have never seen a man accept the truth as fast as him.”

These two Great Imams i.e. Imam Al-Adham Abu Haneefa (RA) & Imam Malik (RA) are referred to as the Seniors while Imam Muhammad (RA), student of Imam Al-Adham Abu Haneefa (RA) taught Imam Shaf’ae (RA) who in turn taught Imam Ahmed Ibn Hanbal (RA).

Imam Abu Haneefa (RA)’s famous student Imam Muhammad (RA) also studied from Imam Malik (RA) his Muwatta and narrates it and it is known as “Muwatta Imam Muhammad” and is one of the classic books of Hanafi Madhab where after the Hadeeth & Athar the opinion of Hanafi Madhab is narrated. “Muwatta Imam Muhammad” has been translated into English and updated and this new book is excellent and here it is to buy:

http://www.whitethreadpress.com/other_publishers/muwatta_muhammad.htm
 

May Allah (SWT) have Mercy on all of them & give us the ability to follow in their foot-steps (Ameen)