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Imaam Maalik (rahimahullah) (33)
The Respect of Imaam Maalik (rahimahullah) while Acquiring ‘Ilm from his Seniors
Written by user2Imaam Maalik (rahimahullah) once mentioned the following:
I would come to the home of Hazrat Naafi’ (rahimahullah), the freed slave of Hazrat ‘Abdullah bin ‘Umar (radhiyallahu ‘anhuma), at midday. The home of Hazrat Naafi’ (rahimahullah) was situated on the outskirts of Baqee’.
Consulting with One’s Seniors and not regarding Oneself to be Capable
Written by user2Khalaf bin ‘Umar (rahimahullah) narrates the following:
I once heard Imaam Maalik (rahimahullah) mention, “I did not commence issuing fatwas until I consulted those ‘Ulamaa who were more knowledgeable than myself and sought their opinion. I asked them, ‘Do you regard me capable and worthy of issuing fatwas?’ I asked the great Imaams, Imaam Rabee‘ah (rahimahullah) and Imaam Yahya bin Sa‘eed (rahimahullah), if they felt me to be worthy of issuing fatwas, and they instructed me to serve in this deeni position.”
I then asked Imaam Maalik (rahimahullah), “What would you have done had they prohibited you from issuing fatwas?” Imaam Maalik (rahimahullah) replied, “If they prohibited me from issuing fatwas, I would have certainly refrained. It is not correct for a person to consider himself worthy of any position and engage in it before he first seeks the approval of those who have more knowledge than him.”
(Siyar A’laam min Nubalaa 8/62)
Ja’far bin Sulaimaan, the ruler of Madinah Munawwarah, had mercilessly beaten Imaam Maalik (rahimahullah) on account of Imaam Maalik (rahimahullah) passing the fatwa that the divorce of a compelled man is invalid (as is the mazhab of Imaam Maalik (rahimahullah).
Later on, when the ruler, Mansoor, performed Haj (and came to Madinah Munawwarah), he offered to seek revenge for Imaam Maalik (rahimahullah) from Ja’far bin Sulaimaan. However, Imaam Maalik (rahimahullah) refused and said, “May Allah forbid! By Allah! Before the whip could lift from my body, I had already forgiven him, on account of him being related to Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam).”
When mention would be made, in the presence of Imaam Maalik (rahimahullah), of people who were responsible for fabricating and innovating things in Deen, Imaam Maalik (rahimahullah) would say the following, emphasizing the importance of holding onto the sunnah:
Hazrat ‘Umar bin ‘Abdul ‘Azeez (rahimahullah) said, “Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) and the righteous Khulafaa (Khulafaa-e-Raashideen and the Sahaabah (radhiyallahu ‘anhum)) after him showed us the mubaarak sunnah and the way of Deen. In order to follow the Qur’aan Majeed, it will be necessary for one to hold firmly to the mubaarak sunnah of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam). Practicing on the mubaarak sunnah is the only way to show complete obedience to Allah Ta‘ala and strengthen one’s Deen. After the mubaarak sunnah has been shown to us by Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam), the righteous Khulafaa and the Sahaabah (radhiyallahu ‘anhum), it is not permissible for any person to change the mubaarak sunnah practices or to think of introducing anything new in Deen that opposes these sunnah practices. The one who follows the mubaarak sunnah will be rightly guided, and the one who seeks the divine assistance of Allah Ta‘ala through following the mubaarak sunnah will receive the divine assistance of Allah Ta‘ala. The one who abandons the way of the mubaarak sunnah will be treading a path which is not the path of the believers. Allah Ta‘ala will leave him in the path he has chosen and enter him into Jahannum, and how evil an abode it is!”
When Imaam Maalik (rahimahullah) would quote this statement of Hazrat ‘Umar bin ‘Abdul ‘Azeez (rahimahullah), he would become extremely happy.
(Ad-Deebaaj-ul-Muzahhab 1/115-116)
Arguing Causes the Noor of ‘Ilm to be Lost from the Hearts
Written by user2Imaam Maalik (rahimahullah) would say, “Arguing and quarrelling in the knowledge of Deen causes the noor of knowledge to be lost from the hearts of the servants.”
Imaam Maalik (rahimahullah) was once asked, “If a person has been blessed with the knowledge of the Sunnah, should he argue in defense of the Sunnah when he sees people opposing it?” Imaam Maalik (rahimahullah) replied, “No! However, he should inform people of the Sunnah. If they accept what he says, then well and good, and if not, then he should remain silent (and refrain from arguing with them).”
(Ad-Deebaaj-ul-Muzahhab 1/115)
Hazrat Yahya (rahimahullah) reports:
We (the students of Imaam Maalik (rahimahullah)) would gather at the door of Imaam Maalik (rahimahullah). Once we had all gathered, a person would announce, “The people of Madinah Munawwarah should first enter.” After the people of Madinah Munawwarah would enter, this person would make an announcement for the other students to enter. Imaam Maalik (rahimahullah) would thereafter enter and make salaam, after which he would remain silent. We would also remain silent in the presence of Imaam Maalik (rahimahullah) for some moments (before the lesson would commence).
Respect for the Neighbors of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam)
Written by user2Imaam Maalik (rahimahullah) had a doorkeeper who would announce when people would arrive and seek permission for them to enter. When people would gather at the door of Imaam Maalik (rahimahullah) (to learn the mubaarak Ahaadith of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam)), Imaam Maalik (rahimahullah) would instruct the doorkeeper to call them in. Permission would first be granted to certain special students of Imaam Maalik (rahimahullah) to enter. Thereafter, permission would be given for other people to enter.
Ibn Abi Uwais (rahimahullah) mentions that he heard Imaam Maalik (rahimahullah) say, “This knowledge is (your) Deen. Therefore, be cautious regarding those from whom you take your Deen. I found seventy people narrating the Ahaadith of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) at these pillars of the musjid.” Saying this, Imaam Maalik (rahimahullah) gestured towards the pillars of Musjid Nabawi (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam). Imaam Maalik (rahimahullah) continued, “However, I did not narrate any Hadith from them, even though each of them was such that if he had to be entrusted with the Bayt-ul-Maal (public treasury), he would be completely honest and trustworthy. The reason that I did not narrate Hadith from them is that they were not sufficiently qualified in the field of Hadith.”
Imaam Maalik (rahimahullah) once mentioned, “People’s memory and retention has become weak (that they cannot remember the Ahaadith of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) and quote them accurately).
Believing in the Zaat and Sifaat of Allah Ta‘ala without Questioning
Written by user2Hazrat Ja’far bin ‘Abdillah (rahimahullah) narrates the following:
We were once with Imaam Maalik bin Anas (rahimahullah) when a man came to him and asked, “O Abu ‘Abdillah! The Qur’aan Majeed mentions:
اَلرَّحۡمٰنُ عَلَی الۡعَرۡشِ اسۡتَوٰی ﴿۵﴾
Rahmaan (Allah Ta‘ala) has positioned Himself on the throne
How did Allah Ta‘ala position Himself on the throne?”
Imaam Maalik (rahimahullah) was greatly affected by the question. Imaam Maalik (rahimahullah) looked at the ground and began to scratch at it with a stick in his hand, until his body was covered in perspiration (as this critical question related to the zaat of Allah Ta‘ala and one should be extremely cautious in wrongly attributing anything to Allah Ta‘ala).
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Haafiz ibn ‘Abdil Barr (rahimahullah) narrates the following:
‘Abdullah Al-‘Umuri (rahimahullah), who was renowned for exerting himself in ‘ibaadah, once wrote a letter to Imaam Maalik (rahimahullah) in which he exhorted Imaam Maalik (rahimahullah) to go into seclusion and exert himself in ‘ibaadah. Imaam Maalik (rahimahullah) wrote the following reply:
Allah has indeed divided and distributed A’maal (righteous deeds and actions of worship) just as He has divided and distributed sustenance. Hence, how many a person is blessed to perform abundant Salaah, yet is not blessed to fast abundantly? Another person may be blessed to give abundant charity, yet is not blessed to fast abundantly, and there may be another person who is blessed to strive in Jihaad. The propagation of ‘Ilm (Deeni knowledge) is among the most virtuous of righteous actions, and I am happy and content that Allah has chosen this ‘ibaadah for me. Furthermore, I do not regard the ‘ibaadah that I am involved in to be any less virtuous or important than the ‘ibaadah that you are involved in. Rather, I hope that we are both on the path of righteousness and piety.
(Siyar A’laam min Nubalaa’ 8/114)
Muhammad bin ‘Umar (Imaam Waaqidi) (rahimahullah) says that he heard Imaam Maalik (rahimahullah) mention the following:
When Al-Mansoor (the Muslim ruler) performed Haj, he summoned me. I thus answered his summons and went to him. After entering into his presence, we held a conversation during which he asked me questions and I answered him.
Al-Mansoor then said to me, “I have decided to instruct for copies to be made of your kitaabs (i.e. the kitaabs of Imaam Maalik (rahimahullah) that formed his compilation of Hadith known as Al-Muwatta) after which I will send one copy to each city of the Muslims. I will command them to practice on what is in your kitaab and abandon all other knowledge which has reached them. I wish to do this because I feel that the basis of knowledge is only the narrations and knowledge of the people of Madinah Munawwarah.”
Imaam Maalik (rahimahullah) was extremely cautious in passing Fatwa. He was once asked forty questions. Imaam Maalik (rahimahullah) answered four of the questions and remarked regarding the remaining thirty six questions, “I do not know.” (Mirqaat vol. 1 pg. 528)
Imaam Maalik (rahimahullah) once mentioned, “I did not commence passing Fatwa until seventy ulamaa testified that I was capable of passing Fatwa.” (Hilyatul Awliyaa vol. 6 pg. 345)
Imaam Shaafi‘ee (rahimahullah) narrates the following incident:
On one occasion, a person asked Imaam Maalik (rahimahullah) whether pictures of animate objects could be kept in one’s home. Imaam Maalik (rahimahullah) replied, “Pictures should not be kept in the home.”
Hearing this, a man from Iraq, who happened to be present, asked Imaam Maalik (rahimahullah), “Then how is it that there is a picture in your home?” Imaam Maalik (rahimahullah) was surprised to hear this and immediately said, “I have been living in this home for such-and-such a period and I never saw the picture! (perhaps the picture was in a place that was not clearly noticeable) ” Imaam Maalik (rahimahullah) then instructed the man saying, “Stand and erase the picture.” The man thus took a stick, wrapped a piece of cloth around it, and used it to rub the picture until it was completely erased.”
(Al-Deebaaj-ul-Muzahhab vol. 1 pg. 97)