Malik bin Anas (93 H - 179 H) dilahirkan dan meninggal dunia di Madinah. Tempat asal keturunannya ialah Yaman. Selepas kelahiran Islam, nenek moyangnya yang telah memeluk Islam berhijrah dan menetap di Madinah. Beliau menerima pendidikan di Madinah, yang merupakan pusat ilmu tertinggi dalam Negara Islam yang luas dan menempatkan kebanyakan Sahabah yang terkemuka (ra) bagi Nabi (saw). Beliau belajar di bawah Abdur-Rahman bin Hormuz, yang menasihati Malik bahawa: "Seorang 'Alim (Ulama) hendaklah mengajar orang ramai untuk berkata: 'Saya tidak tahu'." Imam Malik mengikuti dan berpegang kepada nasihat ini sepanjang hidupnya. Pernah seorang lelaki menghadiri Halaqah beliau dan bertanya satu soalan kepadanya, lalu Imam Malik menjawab: "Saya tidak tahu, tiada orang lain pernah bertanya soalan ini.... para ulama terdahulu tidak pernah membincangkan topik sedemikian." Kemudian Imam Malik menyuruh lelaki itu datang semula keesokan harinya dan beliau akan melihat sama ada dapat memberikan jawapannya. Apabila lelaki itu kembali keesokan harinya, Imam Malik sekali lagi memberitahunya bahawa beliau tidak mempunyai jawapan. Lelaki itu kemudian berkata kepadanya bahawa dia pernah mendengar bahawa Imam Malik ialah orang yang paling berilmu di dunia, maka jika Imam Malik tidak tahu, siapa lagi yang akan tahu. Imam Malik tetap dengan jawapannya bahawa beliau tidak tahu.

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 juga belajar dengan Ibn Shihaab Az-Zuhri, Nafi‟ bekas hamba Abdullah bin Umar, Yahya bin Sa‟eed; Rabi‟ah ar-Ra‟ee; dan Ja‟far As-Sadiq. Imam Malik mempelajari Ar-Ra‟ee daripada Rabi‟ah dan daripada Yahya bin Sa‟eed, dan beliau mempelajari Hadis daripada Naafi‟ dan daripada Ibn Shihaab Az-Zuhri. Oleh itu, kita boleh mengatakan bahawa Imam Malik telah belajar daripada kedua-dua aliran Hadis dan Ra‟ee, kerana Ra‟ee juga diajar di Al-Madinah.

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 terkenal dengan ingatannya yang sangat tajam dan kecepatan berfikirnya. Beliau biasa berfikir dengan sangat keras dan teliti untuk sampai kepada pendapatnya, dan tidak pernah tergesa-gesa dalam mengeluarkan fatwa. Pada suatu ketika, seseorang bertanya kepadanya tentang sesuatu masalah, lalu seorang lain berkata bahawa soalan itu sangat mudah. Imam Malik menjawab bahawa tidak ada perkara yang mudah atau remeh dalam hal memberikan hukum. Imam Malik juga tidak menyukai perbahasan yang panjang. Pernah beliau ditanya, jika seseorang sangat berilmu dalam Hadith dan Sunnah, adakah orang itu patut terus berhujah untuk mempertahankan pendapatnya. Imam Malik menjawab bahawa orang seperti itu hendaklah cukup dengan menyatakan pendapatnya beserta dalilnya, tanpa terlibat dalam perbincangan atau perdebatan yang berlarutan.

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.

Kelas-kelas Imam Malik dicirikan oleh ketenangan, disiplin dan rasa hormat yang tinggi yang ditunjukkan oleh murid-murid terhadap guru mereka yang berilmu. Pada suatu ketika, semasa lawatannya ke Madinah, Haroon ar Rashid ingin mendengar Muwatta (kumpulan hadis oleh Imam Malik). Haroon menghantar utusan untuk memanggil Imam, yang lalu menasihatinya dengan berkata, "Rashid, hadis ialah ilmu yang dahulunya dipelihara oleh nenek moyang kamu. Mereka sangat menghormatinya. Jika kamu sebagai Khalifah tidak menghormatinya, tiada orang lain yang akan menghormatinya. Lebih-lebih lagi, orang datang mencari ilmu, bukan ilmu yang mencari orang." Khalifah Haroon ar Rashid bersetuju untuk mendengar Muwatta bersama murid-muridnya.

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.

Di antara mereka yang mendapat manfaat daripada ilmu Imam Malik ialah para Khulafa seperti Mansur, Hadi, Harun dan Makmun. Para ulama seperti Abu Hanifah, Syafi‘i dan Abu Yusuf, sekadar menyebut beberapa nama, juga mendapat manfaat daripada pengajaran 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 hidup di bawah pemerintahan Bani Umayyah dan Bani Abbasiyah. Beliau tidak sepenuhnya bersetuju dengan pemerintahan mereka, dan tidak pula menyertai para pemberontak, sebaliknya beliau menasihatkan supaya rakyat tidak membiarkan kezaliman mereka. Beliau juga tidak terlepas daripada masalah dengan para pemerintah, terutamanya pada zaman Abu Ja'far al-Mansur. Imam Malik pernah meriwayatkan sebuah hadith di mana Nabi Muhammad ﷺ bersabda:

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:

"Tiada sumpah jika diberikan di bawah paksaan." Pada ketika itu, sebahagian golongan Syi'ah, di bawah kepimpinan Muhammad Nafsul Zakiyyah, sedang memimpin pemberontakan terhadap Khalifah, dengan menjadikan hadith ini sebagai asas pemberontakan mereka. Abu Ja'far al-Mansur menghantar seorang utusan kepada Imam Malik untuk memastikan sama ada hadith ini benar-benar telah diriwayatkan dan disokong oleh Imam Malik. Imam Malik memberitahu utusan itu bahawa beliau memang telah meriwayatkan riwayat tersebut, lalu Khalifah memahami daripada jawapan itu bahawa Imam Malik turut berada dalam pemberontakan Syi'ah. Beliau dipenjarakan dan dipukul dengan sangat teruk sehingga kedua-dua tangannya menjadi cacat (selepas itu, Imam Malik biasa menunaikan solat dengan tangannya di sisi). Kemudian, Abu Ja'far cuba berdamai dengan Imam Malik. Imam Malik pernah berkata:

“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:

“Apabila saya kembali untuk menemui Abu Jafar pada musim Haji, beliau berkata kepada saya: „Demi Allah, saya tidak pernah memerintahkan sesiapa dengan apa yang berlaku kepada kamu. Penduduk Al-Haramayn akan kekal dalam keadaan baik selagi kamu bersama mereka. Allah mengangkat Ummah ini selagi kamu bersama mereka. Saya telah memerintahkan Wali yang bertanggungjawab supaya datang menemui saya, dan saya telah memenjarakannya, menghinanya, mencacinya dan menghukumnya dengan lebih berat daripada apa yang kamu telah dihukum”.”

“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 meneruskan, "Semoga Allah memberi kamu kesihatan yang baik dan tempat kembali yang baik pada hari Kiamat. Aku telah memaafkan Wali itu kerana dia adalah kerabat Nabi ﷺ."

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).”

Kitab beliau, Al-Muwatta, merupakan salah satu himpunan Hadith yang paling awal. Imam Malik adalah antara ulama terbesar dalam bidang Hadith. Beliau juga antara segelintir ulama yang mencatatkan hasil Isnad (rantaian perawi) dalam himpunan Hadithnya demi manfaat generasi kemudian.

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.

Beliau mula menulisnya pada zaman Al Mansoor dan menyelesaikannya pada zaman Al Mahdi. Harun Ar-Rasyid ingin menjadikannya sebagai sumber perundangan bagi kanun Negara Islam, tetapi Imam Malik menolak, dan beliau juga menentang cadangan untuk menggantungkan salinan kitab itu di Ka‟bah. Kitab Al Mudawwanah Al Kubra juga dinisbahkan kepada beliau.

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.

Ulama Maliki yang terkenal termasuk:

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, yang menulis Bidayatul Mujtahid.

 Ibn Rushd who wrote Bidayatul Mujtahid.