Malik ibn Anas (93 AH – 179 AH) an haife shi kuma ya rasu a Madinah. Asalin kakanninsa yana Yaman. Bayan bayyanar Musulunci, kakanninsa da suka karɓi Musulunci sun yi hijira zuwa Madinah, suka zauna a can. Ya samu iliminsa a Madinah, wadda ita ce cibiyar ilimi mafi girma a cikin Daular Musulunci mai fadi, kuma tana ɗauke da yawancin Sahabbai masu daraja na Manzon Allah ﷺ. Ya yi karatu a wurin Abdur-Rahman ibn Hormuz, wanda ya ba Malik shawara cewa: "Ya kamata malami ya koyar da mutane su ce: 'Ban sani ba'." Imam Malik ya bi wannan shawara ya kuma riƙe ta a tsawon rayuwarsa. Wata rana wani mutum ya halarci majalisinsa (Halaqah) ya yi masa tambaya, sai Imam Malik ya amsa da cewa: "Ban sani ba. Babu wani da ya taɓa yin wannan tambaya... malaman da suka gabata ba su taɓa tattaunawa a kan irin wannan batu ba." Sannan Imam Malik ya gaya wa mutumin ya dawo washegari, zai duba ko zai iya samar da amsar. Lokacin da mutumin ya dawo washegari, Imam Malik ya sake gaya masa cewa ba shi da amsa. Sai mutumin ya ce masa ya ji cewa Imam Malik shi ne mutum mafi sani a duniya, don haka idan Imam Malik bai sani ba, to wa zai sani? Imam Malik ya ci gaba da riƙe amsarsa cewa ba ya sani.

Malik ibn Anas (93 AH- 179 AH) was born and passed away in Madinah. His ancestral place was Yemen. After the birth of Islam, his ancestors who had become Muslims migrated to and settled in Madinah. He received his education in Madinah, which was the highest place of learning in the vast Islamic State and housed most of the distinguished Sahabah (ra) of the Prophet (saw).He studied under Abdur-Rahman ibn Hormuz, who advised Malik that: “The „Alim (Scholar) should teach the people to say: “I do not know”. Imam Malik followed and adhered to this advice throughout his life. Once a man attended his Halaqah and asked him a question to which Imam Malik replied: “I do not know, no-one else ever asked this question.... the scholars from before never discussed such a topic.” Then Imam Malik told the man to come back the following day and he would see if he would be able to supply the answer. When the man returned the following day, Imam Malik again told him that he had no answer. The man then told him that he had heard that Imam Malik was the most knowledgeable man in the world, and so if Imam Malik did not know, then who else would know. Imam Malik kept with his answer that he did not know.

Imam Malik kuma ya yi karatu a wurin Ibn Shihaab Az-Zuhri, da Nafi‟, bawan da aka 'yanta na Abdullah bin Umar, da Yahya ibn Sa‟eed, da Rabi'ah ar-Ra‟ee, da Ja'afar As-Sadiq. Imam Malik ya koyi Ar-Ra‟ee daga wurin Rabi'ah da kuma daga wurin Yahya ibn Sa‟eed, kuma ya koyi Hadisi daga wurin Naafi‟ da kuma daga wurin Ibn Shihaab Az-Zuhri. Saboda haka, za mu iya cewa Imam Malik ya yi karatu daga makarantun Hadisi da na Ra‟ee duka biyu, tun da ana koyar da Ra‟ee a Al-Madinah ma.

Imam Malik also studied with Ibn Shihaab Az-Zuhri, Nafi‟ the ex-slave of Abdullah bin Umar, Yahya ibn Sa‟eed; Rabiah ar-Ra‟ee; and Jafar As-Sadiq. Imam Malik learned Ar-Ra‟ee from Rabiah and from Yahya ibn Sa‟eed, and he learned Hadith from Naafi‟ and from Ibn Shihaab Az-Zuhri. Therefore, we can say that Imam Malik had studied from both schools of Hadith and Ra‟ee, since Ra‟ee was also being taught in Al-Madinah.

Imam Malik an san shi da ƙwaƙwalwa mai kaifi da saurin tunani. Yakan yi tunani sosai da kyau kafin ya fitar da ra'ayinsa, kuma bai taɓa yin gaggawar bayar da fatawa ba. Wata rana wani mutum ya tambaye shi wata tambaya, sai wani mutum ya ce tambayar tana da sauƙi ƙwarai. Imam Malik ya amsa da cewa babu wani abu mai sauƙi ko na banza a cikin bayar da hukunci. Imam Malik kuma bai son dogayen muhawara. An taɓa tambayarsa cewa idan mutum yana da zurfin ilimi a cikin Hadisi da Sunna, shin ya kamata ya ci gaba da muhawara don tabbatar da ra'ayinsa? Imam Malik ya amsa da cewa irin wannan mutum ya kamata kawai ya bayyana ra'ayinsa da hujjarsa ba tare da yin tattaunawa ko jayayya mai yawa ba.

Imam Malik was known for his very sharp memory and quick thinking. He used to think very hard and carefully to arrive at his opinions and never rushed to issue a Fatwa. Once someone asked him a question, and another person remarked that the question was very easy. Imam Malik replied that there is nothing easy or trivial with regard to giving a rule. Imam Malik also disliked lengthy arguments. He was once asked that if a person was very knowledgeable in the Hadith and Sunnah, should that person continue arguing his point. Imam Malik replied that such a person should just issue his opinion and his evidence without engaging in too much of a discussion or debate.

Darussan Imam Malik sun kasance da natsuwa, ladabi da babban girmamawa da ɗalibai ke nunawa ga malamin su mai ilimi. Wata rana, a lokacin ziyararsa zuwa Madinah, Haroon ar Rashid ya so ya saurari Muwatta (tarin hadisai na Imam Malik). Haroon ya aika a kira Imam, wanda ya ba shi shawara yana cewa, "Rashid, hadisi ilimi ne da kakanninka suke yi wa kwarin gwiwa. Suna matuƙar girmama shi. Idan ba ka girmama shi a matsayinka na Khalifa, babu wani da zai girmama shi. Bugu da ƙari, mutane suna zuwa neman ilimi, amma ilimi ba ya neman mutane." Khalifa Haroon ar Rashid ya amince ya saurari Muwatta tare da ɗalibansa.

Imam Malik‟s classes were characterised by their serenity, discipline and high sense of respect, exhibited by the students for their learned teacher. Once, during his visit to Madinah, Haroon ar Rashid wanted to hear the Muwatta (collection of traditions by Imam Malik). Haroon sent for the Imam who advised him saying, “Rashid, tradition is a learning that used to be patronised by your ancestors. They had utmost regard for it. If you do not respect it as a Khaleefah, no one else will. Furthermore, people come to seek knowledge but knowledge doesn‟t seek people.” Khaleefah Haroon ar Rashid agreed to listen to the Muwatta and his students.

Daga cikin waɗanda suka amfana da iliminn Imam Malik akwai Khulafa irin su Mansoor, Hadi, Haroon, da Mamun. Malamai irin su Abu Hanifah, Shafi'i, da Abu Yusuf, don a ambaci kaɗan, su ma sun amfana da koyarwar Imam Malik.

Among the persons who benefited from Imam Malik‟s learning were Khulafa such as Mansoor, Hadi, Haroon, and Mamun. Scholars like Abu Hanifah, Shafi‟i, and Abu Yusuf to name just a few, also benefited from the teachings of Imam Malik.

Imam Malik ya rayu a karkashin mulkin Umayyawa da Abbasiyawa. Bai yarda da mulkinsu gaba ɗaya ba, kuma bai shiga cikin masu tayar da kayar baya ba, sai dai ya yi kira da cewa mutane kada su yarda da munanan ayyukansu. Ba a kuɓuce masa daga matsaloli da masu mulki ba, musamman a zamanin Abu Ja'far al-Mansur. Imam Malik ya ruwaito wani Hadisi wanda a cikinsa Manzon Allah ﷺ ya ce:

Imam Malik lived under the rule of the Ummayyads and the Abbassids. He did not entirely agree with their rule, nor did he join the rebels, but rather he advised that the people should not tolerate their wrong doings. He was not exempt from problems with the rulers, especially during the era of Abu Jafar al-Mansoor. Imam Malik had reported a Hadith in which the Prophet (saw) said:

"Babu rantsuwa idan an yi ta ƙarƙashin matsin lamba." A wannan lokaci wasu daga cikin ‘yan Shi‟a, a ƙarƙashin jagorancin Muhammad Nafsul Zakiyyah, suna jagorantar tawaye a kan Khaleefah, suna amfani da wannan Hadisi a matsayin tushen tawayensu. Abu Jafar al-Mansoor ya aika da manzo zuwa wurin Imam Malik don tabbatar ko wannan Hadisi lallai an ruwaito shi kuma Imam Malik ya goyi bayansa. Imam Malik ya gaya wa manzon cewa lallai ya ruwaito wannan riwayar, don haka Khaleefah ya fahimci daga amsar cewa Imam Malik yana cikin tawayen ‘yan Shi‟a. An ɗaure shi a kurkuku kuma aka yi masa duka mai tsanani har hannayensa suka nakasu (bayan wannan, Imam Malik yana yin sallah yana riƙe hannayensa a gefensa). Daga baya, Abu Jafar ya yi ƙoƙarin sulhu da Imam Malik. Imam Malik ya taɓa cewa:

“There is no oath if given under duress.” At that time some of the Shi‟a, under the leadership of Muhammad Nafsul Zakiyyah were leading a revolt against the Khaleefah, using this Hadith as a basis for their revolt. Abu Jafar al-Mansoor sent a messenger to Imam Malik to ascertain if this Hadith had in fact been reported and supported by Imam Malik. Imam Malik told the Messenger that he had in fact reported that Riwayah, and so the Khaleefah understood from the reply that Imam Malik was a part of the Shi‟a‟s rebellion. He was imprisoned and was beaten very severely to the point that his hands became deformed (Imam Malik after this used to pray with his hands at his side). Afterwards, Abu Jafar tried to reconcile with Imam Malik. Imam Malik once said:

Sa'ad ɗin da na koma ganin Abu Ja'afar a lokacin aikin Hajji, sai ya ce mini: "Na rantse da Allah, ban umurci kowa da abin da ya same ka ba. Mutanen Haramain za su ci gaba da kasancewa cikin kyakkyawan yanayi muddin kana tare da su. Allah ya ɗaukaka wannan Al'umma muddin kana tare da su. Na umurci Wali mai kula da lamarin ya zo wurina, sai na jefa shi a kurkuku, na wulakanta shi, na zage shi, kuma na hukunta shi fiye da yadda aka hukunta ka."

“When I returned to meet Abu Jafar during the Hajj season, he told me: „I swear by Allah, I did not instruct anyone with what happened to you. The people of Al-Haramayn will remain in a good condition as long as you are with them. Allah lifted up this Ummah as long as you are with them. I ordered the Wali who was responsible to come to me and I have put him in jail, humiliated, insulted and punished him with more than what you were punished”.

Imam Malik ya ci gaba da cewa, "Allah ya ba ku lafiya mai kyau da kuma makoma mai kyau a ranar Alkiyama. Na yafe wa wannan Wali tun da yake dangin Annabi ﷺ ne."

Imam Malik continued, “May Allah give you good health and a good destination on the day of Judgment. I have forgiven that Wali since he is a relative of the Prophet (saw).”

Littafinsa Al-Muwatta na ɗaya daga cikin tsoffin tarin Ahadisai. Imam Malik na ɗaya daga cikin manyan malamai a fannin Hadisi. Haka kuma yana cikin ƙananan malaman da suka rubuta sakamakon Isnadinsu (sarƙar masu ruwaitawa) a cikin tarin Hadisansu, don amfanin al'ummomi masu zuwa.

His book Al-Muwatta is one of the earliest collections of Ahadith. Imam Malik was one of the greatest scholars in the field of Hadith. He was also one of the few who wrote down the results of his Isnad (chain of reporters) in his collection of Hadith for the benefit of later generations.

Ya fara rubuta shi a zamanin Al Mansoor, ya kuma kammala shi a zamanin Al Mahdi. Haroon Ar-Rashid ya so ya karɓe shi a matsayin tushen doka na dokokin Daular Musulunci, amma Imam Malik ya ƙi, ya kuma yi adawa da ra'ayin rataye kwafin littafin a cikin Ka'aba. Haka kuma ana danganta littafin Al Mudawan Al Kubrah gare shi.

He began writing it during the era of Al Mansoor and finished it during the era of Al Mahdi. Haroon Ar-Rashid wanted to adopt it as a legislative source of Islamic State‟s canons but Imam Malik refused, and was also against the idea of hanging a copy in the Ka‟aba. The book of Al Mudawan Al Kubrah is also attributed to him.

Sanannun malaman Malikiyya sun haɗa da:

Well-recognised Maliki scholars include:

Abdur-Rahman ibn Qasim.

 Abdur-Rahman ibn Qasim.

Abdul Wahab Ali al Baghdadi.

 Abdul Wahab Ali al Baghdadi.

Ali ibn Hazm.

 Ali ibn Hazm.

Qadi Iyad.

 Qadi Iyad.

Abu Bakr Muhammad al Baqillani.

 Abu Bakr Muhammad al Baqillani.

Ibn Rushd, wanda ya rubuta Bidayatul Mujtahid.

 Ibn Rushd who wrote Bidayatul Mujtahid.