The teachers of Imam 

Malik

29 THURSDAYNOV 2012
POSTED BY ALVEENASALIM IN ISLAM
≈ 1 COMMENT
Tags
Imam Malik, Teachers Imam Malik
Rabiyahr Ra’i
Rabiyahr Ra’i was the first teacher of Imam Malik, from whom he learned extreme love
and respect for the Holy Prophet (saw). Once another teacher of Imam Malik asked
Rabiyahr Ra’i a question and Rabiyahr Ra’i gave the wrong answer.

That teacher then asked Imam Malik (who knew the correct answer) Imam Malik told
him “My teacher has given the answer”. Such was the respect and love that Imam Malik
held for his teachers that he never spoke ill of them to their face or behind their back.

Ibn Hurmaz
Ibn Hurmaz was the second teacher of Imam Malik. He was a non Arab, a freed slave
and also blind, yet held an extremely high statutes in Medina because of his knowledge.
Imam Malik studied with his teacher Ibn Hurmaz for seven consecutive years with no
break in his time table.

He used to do his housework, take him to the market and the mosque and used to study
daily with him from Fajr to Isha. Ibn Hurmaz was the teacher who Imam Malik was
referring to when he said “I learnt absolutely everything from”.

When Imam Malik was asked what was the most valuable thing he learnt from his
teacher, during seven consecutive years of studying. Imam Malik replied “the phrase ‘I
don’t know’ was the most valuable thing I learnt from my teacher”.

Once a man came to visit Imam Malik from Morocco just to ask him a question, after the
Moroccan had asked his question, Imam Malik informed him that he did not know the
answer to that question.

The Moroccan became worried and asked Imam Malik what he should tell his people
back home in Morroco, Imam Malik told him to inform his people that Imam Malik did
not know the answer to this particular question.
Such was the integrity of Imam Malik who (at that time) had seven consecutive years of
learning behind him. If he wasn’t 100% sure about something, he wouldn’t assume,
guess or hesitate from informing the questioner that he did not know the answer.

After studying for seven consecutive years with Ibn Hurmaz, Imam Malik spent the
following 30 years learning from him as well, but not consecutively.

Nafi’ Ibn Umar

Nafi’ Ibn Umar was the third teacher of Imam Malik. He was an African freed slave, from
Africa who spoke poor Arabic. He was the freed slave of Abdullah Ibn Umar, and
possessed the shortest chain of transmission to the Holy Prophet (saw).

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He was extremely knowledgeable; however his weakness was his short temper. He was
also a busy individual, which is why he could only hold one study circle in a day in the
mosque. In his study circle he would only allow grey haired people to ask questions, this
is because he believed that youngster should listen and learn and not talk.

This however did not deter Imam Malik who was 24 year old at that time and would try
to catch Nafi’ Ibn Umar in a good mood and ask a question whenever he could. Imam
Malik managed to ask three questions a week and compiled a book based on these
answers.

Ibn Shihab Zuhri

Ibn Shihab Zuhri was the fourth teacher of Imam Malik. He was well read and very
intelligent. His wife had said that if her husband had taken on three other wives it would
not have hurt her as much as the pain that she derives from his obsession with books.
Scholars have said that he passed away as a result of a large collection of books falling
on him.

Imam Malik used to tie a knot on his thread whenever he heard his teacher narrate a
hadith. Once his teacher taught 30 hadiths, however Imam Malik had only tied 29 knots
on his thread. He went to clarify this matter with his teacher who became angry and
pointed out that he had never forgotten a hadith once he had heard it.

He was very particular about such matter and pointed out that students should not have
such short memories. In another incident Imam Malik went to visit Ibn Shihab Zuhri
straight after his Eid prayer, he refused any offer of food and told his teacher that he
was here to study.

Ibn Shihab Zuhri taught him 40 hadiths including the chains of transmissions and told
him to go away and learn them. Imam Malik informed his teacher that he had learnt
them and narrated all the 40 hadiths including the chain of transmission from memory.
Ibn Shihab Zuhri praised his extraordinary knowledge and called him a “Container of
Knowledge”.

Jafar Al Sadiq
Jafar Al Sadiq was the fifth teacher of Imam Malik. He was the great grandson of Imam
Hussein and taught Imam Malik the spiritual dimensions of worship. Whenever Imam
Malik went to visit his teacher, he always found him either reciting the Qur’an, fasting or
offering prayer.

Muhammad Ibn Al Munkadir

Muhammad Ibn Al Munkadir was sixth teacher of Imam Malik, who also taught him
extreme love for the Holy Prophet (saw). Whenever the name of the Holy Prophet (saw)
was mentioned in the presence of Muhammad Ibn Al Munkadir, tears would begin to flow
in his eyes.

Abdur Rahmaan Ibn Al Qasim

Abdur Rahmaan Ibn Al Qasim was one of the students of Imam Malik. He spent most of
his life with Imam Malik and preserved the Fiqh of Imam Malik in writing for the coming
generations. His lifestyle greatly differed from Imam Malik’s.

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He was not well dressed, did not have good relations with the rulers, nor did he ever
accept a gift from them. However neither the teacher nor the student ever condemned
one another.Our mentality however is more narrow minded, we seem to be convinced
that we are right whilst those who do not do as we do are wrong.
Abdur Rahmaan Ibn Al Qasim has said “Don’t be free yet a slave”. He was referring to
emotional attachments with others which control our actions. When we are emotionally
attached to someone, technically we are not “free”, but slaves of our emotions.

Abdullah Ibn Wahab

Abdullah Ibn Wahab was another student of Imam Malik. He travelled from Egypt and
spread the Fiqh of Imam Malik. He spent 19 years learning Manners from Imam Malik
and spent only one year learning Fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence) from him.

He claimed that his only regret in life was that he had spent one year learning Fiqh which
he should have spent learning Manners. Knowledge is only part of Islam. Whereas Islam
IS good manner, it’s about incorporating the mannerism of our Holy Prophet (saw) into
our personas. Love and respect from others is not gained via knowledge. It is gained
through gentle dispositions, approachable characters, easy going natures, and
Loving/compassionate/patient and tolerant personalities.

Today however, there is more emphasis on knowledge and little or no emphasis on good
manners. One should also know that it’s easy to acquire knowledge yet incredibly
difficult to morally perfect our characters.

Prepared by Shaykh Muhammad Ramadhan al Qadri (Minhaj Youth Training Co-

ordinator).

Summarised by Alveena Salim

A Voracious Appetite for Learning

Childhood education was not compulsory in Malik’s
time like it is today. Only those children who had a
special aptitude – and the opportunity – attended
classes. They were as Allah said:

{And the believers should not all go forth together. Of

every group of them, a party should remain behind to
acquire sound knowledge in religion, that they may
admonish their folk when they return, so perchance they
may take heed.} (9:122)
Malik started studying when he was very young. He
spent the first seven or eight years of his
education devoted to a single teacher, Ibn
Hurmuz. Even at his young age, Malik treasured
the time he had with his teacher. Many years
later, he recalled how he managed to keep his
teacher to himself: “I used to keep some dates
hidden up my sleeve. I would give them to my
teacher’s children and tell them that if anyone
pays him a call, they should say that their father
is busy.”

Malik was so devoted to his teacher, that he would

wait at his door for a long time. He had a straw-
filled cushion that he would sit on while he waited,
quiet as a stone.

Sooner or later, Ibn Hurmuz would realize that

someone was at his door, maybe because of a
movement that Malik made. He would ask his
servant girl who was at the door. She would look
outside, come back and say: “It’s only that really
white person.”

Ibn Hurmuz would then tell her: “Let him in. His is
the scholar of the people.” In this way, Malik
would come for his lessons early in the morning
and not depart until nightfall.

Malik would later say: “It used to be that one man

would study with another for thirty years to learn
what he had.” People assumed that Malik was
referring to Ibn Hurmuz when he said this, since
Ibn Hurmuz had made Malik swear not to credit
anything to his name.

We can see Malik’s devotion to knowledge in his

conduct with another of his teachers, Nafi`, who
had been the ward of the famous Companion `Abd
Allah ibn `Umar. In his old age, Nafi` had weak
eyesight, and Malik used to guide from his home to
the mosque. All the while, Malik would ask him
questions and Nafi` would answer.

Nafi` lived near Madinah’s graveyard, and Malik

would look for any excuse to have a “chance”
meeting with him. Sometimes this meant that
Malik would have to stand out in the sun for a long
time. Then, when Nafi` came outside, Malik would
follow him until he found a suitable opportunity to
go up and ask him something. Malik would later
recall:

At about mid-morning, I would go out to Nafi`’s

part of town. There was not even a tree to provide
me with shade from the sun. I would wait for him
to come out of his house. When he did come out, I
would let him be for a while, so as not to make it
seem like I had been intending to meet him. Then
I would go up and greet him, but let him be until
he came to the central courtyard. Then I would
ask him:

“What was Ibn `Umar’s opinion on such-and-such?”

He would answer me, and then I would let him be,

since he was of a temperamental nature.

Malik never took a day off. He would study even on

the days of `Id. Indeed, he would wait for the `Id
because he knew that no one else would be
competing with him on that day for the attention
of one of Madinah’s scholars, particularly Ibn
Shihab Al-Zuhri. Malik would later recall one of
these `Id day lessons as follows:
I attended the `Id prayer. Afterwards, I said to
myself: “Ibn Shihab will be free today.” So I
immediately went from the prayer area to sit by
his door.

I heard him ask his servant girl: “Look to see who

is at the door.”

She told him: “It is that white-skinned associate

of yours, Malik.”

He said: “Let him in.” So I came inside, and then

he said to me: “It doesn’t seem like you even had a
chance to go to your house before coming here.” I
told him that he was right. He asked: “Have you
eaten.”

I said “No.”

He said: “Then eat something.”

I said: “That is not what I need.”

“Then what is it that you want?”, he asked.

“I want you to relate knowledge to me.”

“Come here then.”

I took out my copy boards and he related forty
hadith to me. I asked him to relate more, but he
said: “Forty is enough for you to relate, for you to
commit to memory.”

I said: “Indeed, I have already related them.”

He then took the copy boards from my hand and

said: “Relate them, then.”

I related them all to him. Then he returned the

copy boards to me and said: “Come with me, for
you are one of the vessels of knowledge.”

Malik used to spend all his time following the

lessons of Madinah’s jurists and Hadith scholars.
He was aided in this by his keen intelligence, the
availability of scholars in the city, and their
openness to students, even on the days of `Id.

The scholars of Madinah were special. Their

personalities were influenced by the fact that
they lived in the Prophet’s city, and they were the
direct successors of his own exquisite manners.

This was the legacy they inherited.