WHO WAS IMĀM MALIK رحمه الله?
Imām Mālik ibn Anas was born in Madinah, though his exact birth year is debated among historians, with 90 AH, 93 AH, and 95 AH cited as possibilities. The year 93 AH remains the most widely accepted. Descriptions of his appearance highlight his striking stature: he was tall, broad-shouldered, and fair-skinned, with a commanding presence accentuated by a long nose, broad forehead, large eyes, and a thick beard. Known for his refined taste, he dressed in elegant garments and frequently adorned himself with perfume.
Imām Mālik’s intellectual journey began under the tutelage of Nāfiʿ ibn ʿAbd al-Raḥmān, the renowned Imām al-Qurrāʾ (Leader of Quran Reciters) in Madinah, from whom he obtained ijāzah (formal certification) in Quranic recitation. Despite early financial struggles—so severe that he reportedly sold wooden beams from his roof to fund his studies—he pursued knowledge relentlessly. Over his lifetime, he studied under over 900 scholars, including 300 Tābiʿūn (successors of the Prophet’s companions) and 600 Tābiʿ al-Tābiʿīn (successors of the Tābiʿūn), cementing his mastery of Hadith and jurisprudence.
After succeeding Imām Nāfiʿ as the head of ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿUmar’s (ﷺ) teaching circle in Madinah, Imām Mālik began issuing legal rulings (fatāwā) and teaching at the remarkably young age of 17. For 62 years, he dedicated himself to scholarship, cultivating a methodology steeped in reverence for sacred knowledge. His approach to narrating Hadith was ceremonial: he would perform ablution or bathe, dress immaculately, apply perfume, and sit with solemn dignity on a raised seat, refusing to narrate while standing, walking, or in casual settings.
A legendary incident underscores his devotion: during a lesson, a scorpion stung him ten times, yet he remained composed, continuing his teaching without interruption. Only afterward did he reveal the ordeal, explaining that his endurance stemmed not from personal fortitude but from respect for the sanctity of Hadith.
His gatherings radiated grandeur, described as surpassing even royal courts in solemnity. Students, scholars, nobles, and travelers flocked to his sessions, seated with reverence amid an atmosphere of awe. The sight of riders thronging outside his home left observers deeply moved.
Despite his prominence, Imām Mālik embodied humility. In his later years, even as age weakened him, he never rode a mount within Madinah, considering it disrespectful to traverse the sacred city—home to the Prophet’s (ﷺ) resting place—on horseback.

(Hadith aur Fahme Hadith)