Muwatta Malik, written in the 8th-century, is the earliest collection of hadith texts comprising the subjects of Islamic law, compiled by the Imam Malik ibn Anas. It was the first legal work to incorporate and combine hadith and fiqh.
The Muwaṭṭaʾ or Muwatta Imam Malik of Imam Malik written in the 8th-century, is the earliest collection of hadith texts comprising the subjects of Islamic law, compiled by the Imam, Malik ibn Anas. Malik's best-known work, Al-Muwatta was the first legal work to incorporate and combine hadith and fiqh (except possibly for Zayd ibn Ali's Musnad).
Abu Abdullah, Malik Bin Anas Bin Malik Bin Amer Al-Asbahi was born in Madina in the year 93 AH (714 CE). His ancestral home was in Yemen, but his grandfather settled in Madina after embracing Islam. Malik became the Imam of Madina, and one of the most renowned Imams of Islam. He received his education in Medina, which was the most important seat of Islamic learning, and where the immediate descendants of the Companions of the Prophet lived. Imam Malik was highly attracted to the study of law, and devoted his entire interest to the study of Fiqh. As He was born in the era of Taabi'een, Malik acquired great knowledge from many famous Taabi'een, jurists and also muhadditheen.
He received his education in what was the most important seat of Islamic learning, Madina, and where lived the immediate descendants and followers of the Companions of the Prophet (Peace be upon him). He acquired Qur'anic teachings from Naafe' and Abdur Rahmaan other than Naafe'; He sought knowledge from others too. Namely, Abdur Rahmaan Ibn Hurmuz, Safwaan Ibn Sulaym, Ibn Shihaab Zuhri etc.
Malik died at the age of 83 or 84 in Medina in 795 CE, and is buried in the cemetery of Al-Baqi', across from the Mosque of the Prophet. Although there was a small shrine constructed around his grave during the late medieval period, with many Muslims visiting it to pay their respects, the construction was razed to the ground by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia during their campaign of demolishing many of the traditional Islamic heritage sites after the kingdom's establishment in 1932. Malik's last words were related by one Isma'il ibn Abi Uways who said, "Malik became sick, so I asked some of our people about what he said at the time of his death. They said, "He recited the testification of faith and then he recited: "To Allah belongs the command [i.e., decree] before and after."
Current Location: Islamabad, Pakistan