Maliks Muwatta - Introduction

English Translation by Aisha Abdarahman at-Tarjumana and Yaqub Johnson.

Imam Maliks Muwatta is a collection of sayings and deeds of Prophet Muhammad (SAW... Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam), also known as the sunnah. The reports of the Prophet's sayings and deeds are called ahadith.

Imam Malik was a prominent scholar of Islam, and is the originator of the Maliki judicial school of thought. He is reputed to have had over one thousand students. During Imam Maliks lifetime, he steadily revised his Muwatta, so it reflects over forty years of his learning and knowledge. It contains a few thousand hadith.

Maliks Muwatta - Background

It is said that Imam Malik sought out over three hundred Sahaba (those who saw the Companions of the Holy Prophet). From them he acquired the knowledge of the Holy Prophet's sayings, Hadith, (plural ahadith) - and the Holy Prophet's Deeds, - Sunnah. Imam Malik studied Fiqh under the guidance of nearly one hundred learned Shaikhs who were residing in the city of the Prophet at the time. Among Imam Maliks writings is the great work entitled Kitab-al-Muwatta, which is the earliest surviving book(s) of Islamic law and Hadith.