Maliks Muwatta – Special Attributes
Imam Malik was a Tabe’ Taabi’ee. hence, he acquired a great amount of knowledge from Taabi’een. The following is a list of his characteristics.
- He was very cautious in procuring fatawaa;
- He was very active within the conduct of Sunnah;
- He loathed innovations (bidaah);
- Matters of belief (aqaaid) were very religiously followed by way of Qur’an and sunnah;
- Although during his era there were many sects that arose, yet Imam Malik refrained from enjoining with these;
- When the Holy Prophet (SAW) was mentioned, the colour of his face would change;
- He never recited a hadith without ablution.
Caliph Harun Rashid requested that Imam Maliks book(s), the Muwatta, should be displayed in the Kaaba, and that all uslims be imposed to follow Imam Malik within all jurisprudential matters. He refused saying: “Refrain from this as the ompanions of the Prophet Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam themselves held opposing views within subsidiary masaail. The ommon folk already follow these differing views. All are upon the righteous path.”