Muslims Asked to Concentrate on Righteous Deeds.
JEDDAH, 16 October 2004 — Sheikh Saleh Al-Taleb, one of the
imams of the Grand Mosque in Makkah,yesterday called upon
Muslims to outdo each other in righteous deeds to win
rewards during Ramadan.

Giving his Friday sermon to tens of thousands of faithful
who thronged the mosque, the imam denounced the Israeli
move to exterminate Palestinians in the occupied
territories and destroy their homes and properties.

Sheikh Ali ibn Abdul Rahman Al-Hudaify, one of the imams of
the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah, emphasized the
significance of fasting in Ramadan.

“All acts of worship in Islam are meant to cleanse Muslims
of sins and bring them closer to God,” he added.

Explaining Ramadan

Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic Lunar calendar
and the holiest of the four holy months. It begins with the
sighting of the new moon after which all physically mature
and healthy Muslims are obliged to abstain from all food,
drink, gum chewing, any kind of tobacco use, and any kind
of sexual contact between dawn and sunset. However, that is
merely the physical component of the fast; the spiritual
aspects of the fast include refraining from gossiping,
lying, slandering and all traits of bad character. All
obscene and irreligious sights and sounds are to be
avoided. Purity of thought and action is paramount.
Ordained in the Quran, the fast is an exacting act of
deeply personal worship in which Muslims seek a raised
level of God-consciousness. The act of fasting redirects
the hearts away from worldly activities, towards The
Divine.

The month of Ramadan is a time for spiritual reflection,
prayer, doing good deeds and spending time with family and
friends. The fasting is intended to help teach Muslims
self-discipline, self-restraint and generosity. It also
reminds them of the suffering of the poor, who may rarely
get to eat well. It is common to have one meal (known as
the Suhoor), just before sunrise and another (known as the
Iftar), directly after sunset. This meal will commonly
consist of dates, following the example of the Prophet
Muhammad, peace be upon Him. Because Ramadan is a time to
spend with friends and family, the fast will often be
broken by different Muslim families coming together to
share in an evening meal.

Ramadan derives from the Arabic root: ramida or ar-ramad,
meaning scorching heat or dryness. Since Muslims are
commanded to fast during the month of Ramadan, it is
believed that the month's name may refer to the heat of
thirst and hunger, or because fasting burns away one's past
sins. Muslims believe that God began revealing the Qur'an
to the Prophet Muhammad during Ramadan (in the year 610
C.E.). The Qur'an commands: "O ye who believe! Fasting is
prescribed to you as it was prescribed to those before you,
that ye may (learn) self-restraint...Ramadan is the (month)
in which was sent down the Qur'an, as a guide to mankind,
also clear (Signs) for guidance and judgment (between right
and wrong). So every one of you who is present (at his
home) during that month should spend it in fasting..."
(Chapter 2, verses 183 and 185). Fasting during Ramadan did
not become an obligation for Muslims until 624 C.E., at
which point it became the third of the Five Pillars of
Islam. The others are faith (Shahadah); prayer (Salah);
charitable giving (Zakah); and the pilgrimage to Makkah
(Hajj).

Another aspect of Ramadan is that it is believed that one
of the last few odd-numbered nights of the month is the
Laylat ul-Qadr, the "Night of Power" or "Night of Destiny."
It is the holiest night of the holiest month; it is
believed to be the night on which God first began revealing
the Qur'an to the Prophet Muhammad through the angel Jibril
(Gabriel). This is a time for especially fervent and
devoted prayer, and the rewards and blessings associated
with such are manifold. Muslims are told in the Qur'an that
praying throughout this one night is better than a thousand
months of prayer. No one knows exactly which night it is;
it is one of God's mysteries. Additionally, Muslims are
urged to read the entire Qur'an during the month of
Ramadan, and its 114 chapters have been divided into 30
equal parts for this purpose.

When the first crescent of the new moon has been officially
sighted by a reliable source, the month of Ramadan is
declared over, and the month of Shawwal begins. The end of
Ramadan is marked by a three-day period known as Eid
ul-Fitr, the "Festival of Fast-breaking." It is a joyous
time beginning with a special prayer, and accompanied by
celebration, socializing, festive meals and sometimes very
modest gift-giving, especially to children.

When Ramadan ends, Muslims give charity in a locally
prescribed amount Which is £3.00 per head in Scotland,
calculated to feed one poor person in that region for one
day.This is known as fitra,and is meant as another reminder
of the suffering endured by many. Many Muslims also take
this occasion to pay the annual alms which are due to the
poor and needy, known as Zakah (2.5% of assets).

At the beginning of Ramadan, it is appropriate to wish
Muslims "Ramadan Mubarak" which means "Blessed Ramadan." At
its conclusion, you may say "Eid Mubarak.

 Good Practices When Fasting.
1.Intention: Remind yourself again and again that you are
fasting in obedience to Allah. Be sincere in your
intention. You want Allah to accept your fasting. The
Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Whosoever
fasts in Ramadan with faith and seeking Allah’s reward, all
his past sins are forgiven.” (Al-Bukhari, Hadith no. 37)
2. Sunnah: Observe the Sunnah in fasting. Take the suhur
(pre-dawn meal -Heda) a little before dawn and end your
fast at sunset. As much as you can, try to fast as much
like the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him)
fasted. There was no prayer better than his prayer and no
fast better than his fast. Try to follow his way of
fasting. That is the most acceptable way of fasting to
Allah.
3. Wara` (Avoiding everything Haram or Makruh):Keep your
body and mind very clean. Fasting is not just avoiding food
and drink. Fasting is to learn how to avoid bad words and
bad deeds. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)
said: “Whosoever does not leave bad words and bad actions,
Allah does not care if he leaves his food and drink.”
(Al-Tirmidhi 641)
4. Qur’an: Fasting and revelation are inter-connected.
Prophet Musa fasted when he received the Torah. Prophet
`Isa fasted when he received the Gospel. Prophet Muhammad
fasted when he received the first message of the Qur’an.
Let us do the same thing. You must fast and spend more time
with the Qur’an. Read the Qur’an every day. Try to finish
at least one time the whole Qur’an during this month by
your own personal reading.
5. Prayer (Salah), Du`a' and Dhikr: Pray on time and
observe all the prayers.Do not ignore the Tarawih (night
prayers).Make more extra and voluntary prayers.Do as much
worship as you can. Do more dhikr (remembering Allah) and
du`a' (supplication) for yourself and for others. Repent
and seek forgiveness for yourself and for others as much as
you can. This is the best time for devotion and seeking
Allah’s forgiveness. Seek the Night of Qadr by special
devotion during the last ten nights of this month.
6. Zakah, Sadaqah and Generosity: Ramadan generates the
spirit of giving and sacrifice. When we deprive ourselves
of food and drink we understand and realize well what it
means to be hungry and thirsty. We realize the pain of
those who cannot find the basic necessities of life. Be
very charitable and generous. Give more to help the poor
and needy. Contribute generously to useful social and
community projects.
7. Family: Goodness must begin at home. Be very good to
your family, immediate family and the extended family.
Spend more time and quality time with your family members.
Try to have suhur (pre-dawn meal) together. Break your fast
together and pray together as much as you can. Do this more
at this time. Ramadan should bring you closer to each
other. Allah’s special mercy comes on the families that are
united, harmonious and peaceful.
8. Good Conduct: Fasting should transform you and should
make you a different person. Try to be extra kind and
courteous during this month. Forget your quarrels and
disputes. Reconcile and forgive. Do not get involved in
backbiting, lying, cheating and anything that is wrong. Be
very good to Muslims and to all human beings. Be good to
your friends and neighbors. Let your non-Muslim neighbors
and co-workers know that this is your blessed and sacred
time.
9. Tafakkur (reflection): Think, reflect and plan to
improve the moral and spiritual condition of your own self
and your family. Think about any wrong things and sins you
might be doing and decide to correct yourself. Think about
any deficiencies you have in your Islamic observances. Plan
to change yourself. Think what you can do for the Ummah and
for humanity to make this world a better place for
everyone. Think about the life after death and the Day of
Judgment.

10. Be cheerful and happy: Ramadan is not a time of
mourning or sadness. It is a time of thankfulness to Allah.
In a Hadith it is reported that the Prophet (peace and
blessings be upon him) said, “When you fast, anoint
yourself. Let not the signs of fast be seen on you.”
(Al-Bukahri, Al-Adab al-Mufrad) Do not feel tired and
miserable. Feel alert and relax. Take things easy. This
time is for your own good. Give the greetings of Ramadan to
each other and enjoy this beautiful time.

It is reported in a Hadith that the Prophet (peace and
blessings be upon him) gave a sermon about Ramadan to a
gathering that met towards the end of Sha`ban. He said:

"O People, a great and a blessed month is approaching you.
In this month there is a night that is better than one
thousand months. Allah has made fasting obligatory and
prayers at night commendable during this month. Whosoever
will do a voluntary good deed during this month, it is as
if he performed an obligatory good deed at another time and
whosoever will perform an obligatory good deed, it is as if
he performed seventy obligatory good deeds at another time.
This is the month of patience and the reward of patience is
Paradise. This is the month of kindness. In this month the
believer’s provision is increased. Whosoever will give food
to a fasting person in this month, it will bring
forgiveness for his sins, will save him from the hellfire
and he shall have his reward while the fasting person will
not lose any of his reward." (As-Suyuti, Ad-Durr
al-Manthur)"
suggestions for parents:-
The Muslim must make use of this blessed month to get his
children accustomed to the ethics and morals of fasting.
Sheikh Muhammed Saleh Al-Munajjid,a prominent Saudi Muslim
lecturer and author, states:
The Muslim must make the most of his time during this
month.He has an unavoidable duty towards his children, to
raise them well and bring them up properly,to urge them to
do all kinds of goodness and make them get used to that. A
child usually grows up in the manner to which the parents
make him or her accustomed.
During the blessed days of Ramadan, fathers and mothers
have a great role to play in seizing this good occasion for
their own benefit and for that of their children,and offer
the suggestions to parents :

1.Check on the children’s fasting and encourage those who
fall short in this regard.

2.Remind them about the real nature of fasting,and that it
is not just giving up food and drink,but it is a means of
attaining taqwa (piety),and that it is an opportunity for
sins to be forgiven and expiated.

It was reported by Abu Hurayrah that the Messenger of Allah
(peace and blessings be upon him)ascended the pulpit and
said: It was said to him, “O Messenger of Allah, why did
you do that?” He said, “Jibreel said to me, ‘May Allah
curse a person who let Ramadan elapse without having his
sins forgiven,’ and I (Prophet Muhammad) said, ‘Ameen.’
Then he said, ‘May Allah curse the one who lives to see his
parents grow old, one or both of them, but he does not
enter Paradise,’ and I said, ‘Ameen.’ Then he said, ‘May
Allah curse the one in whose presence you (the Prophet) are
mentioned and he does not send blessings upon you,’ and I
said, ‘Ameen.’” (Reported by Ibn Khuzaymah, At-Tirmidhi,
Ahmad and Ibn Hibban)

3.Teach them the manners and rulings of eating, such as
eating with the right hand from what is directly in front
of them,reminding them that extravagance is haram
(unlawful)and harmful to the body.

4.Don’t let them spend too long on eating iftar so that
they don’t miss performing Maghrib Prayer in congregation.

5.Remind them about the situation of the poor and destitute
who cannot find even a mouthful of food to satisfy their
hunger.Remind them of the situation of those who have
migrated or are fighting in jihad for the sake of Allah in
all places.

6.Use these gatherings to bring relatives together and
uphold the ties of kinship.This custom still exists in some
countries,and it is an opportunity to reconcile and mend
broken ties between relatives.

7.Work together as a family to prepare the food and to
clean up and put away the leftovers.

8.Remind the children to perform Tarawih Prayer and to
prepare for it by not eating too much and to get ready in
time to perform the Prayer in the mosque,(if a mosque is
nearby.If you do not live close to a mosque,perform Tarawih
Prayer together as a family and try to take them to a
mosque for Tarawih Prayers at least over the weekends.)

9.Remind the children of the blessing of suhur (pre-dawn
meal)and that it gives a person the strength to fast.

10.Remind the children of the virtue of the time before
Fajr Prayer for those who have not prayed Witr to pray it
then and to make a lot of du`a’.

11.If you live close enough to a mosque,perform Fajr Prayer
in congregation in the mosque.If you live far,perform Fajr
at home after eating suhur,before sleeping again.Many
people wake up at the end of the night to eat,then they go
back to bed and neglect Fajr Prayer.

12.It was the practice of the Prophet (peace and blessings
be upon him) in the last ten days of Ramadan to stay up at
night and wake his family.This indicates that the family
should pay attention to making the most of this blessed
time in doing things that are pleasing to Allah.So the
husband should wake his wife and children to do what will
bring them closer to their Lord.

13. Encourage the young children in the house to observe
fasting;urge your little kids to get up for suhur,praise
them and reward them for the days they fast.

It was narrated that Ar-Rubayyi` bint Mu`awwidh said: On
the morning of `Ashura’ (10th of Muharram), the Prophet
(peace and blessings be upon him) sent word to the villages
of the Ansar saying, “Whoever started out not fasting, let
him not eat for the rest of the day, and whoever started
the day fasting, let him fast.” She said: We used to fast
and make our children fast, [and take them to the mosques]
and make toys for them out of wool, then if one of them
cried for food we would give him that toy until iftar.
(Reported by Al-Bukhari and Muslim; the words in brackets
were narrated by Muslim.)

An-Nawawi said: “This hadith shows that we should train
children to do acts of worship and get them used to that,
but they are not accountable. Al-Qadi said: It was narrated
from `Urwah that when they are able to fast it becomes
obligatory upon them. This is a mistake which is disproved
by the authentic hadith which reads, ‘The Pen is lifted
from three (i.e., their deeds are not recorded): a child
until he reaches puberty; an insane man until he comes to
his senses; and one who is asleep until he wakes up.’”
(Sharh Muslim, 8/14)

14.The husband should not overburden his wife by asking her
to prepare food and sweets.Many people go to extremes in
this month to prepare fancy foods and drinks. This detracts
from the sweetness of this month and goes against the
reason for fasting,which is to attain piety.

15. Read the Qur’an together as a family.Parents should
teach the children how to recite Qur’an and help them to
understand the meanings of the verses.

16. Encourage the children to spend on the needy and to
offer any assistance to the neighbors.

It was narrated that Ibn `Abbas said: The Messenger of
Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was the most
generous of people, and he was at his most generous during
Ramadan when Jibreel met him. He would meet him each night
and revise the Qur’an with him. The Messenger of Allah
(peace and blessings be upon him) was more generous than
the blowing wind. (Reported by Al-Bukhari and Muslim)

17.Prevent your children from staying up late at night and
wasting their time in things that are of no benefit,let
alone haram things.

18.Remember the family’s gathering in Allah’s Paradise in
the Hereafter, and the great joy of meeting there under the
shade of His throne.

19.If possible, the parents should take the family for
`Umrah in Ramadan,for that will benefit them all in the
Hereafter.`Umrah during Ramadan has the same reward as
Hajj.

Qur'anic Supplications(Du'aa):
The original text is given in Arabic, followed by its
transliterated forms, as well as by the English meaning of
each Du'a'.

1."Rabbana atina fid-dunya hasanatan wa fil 'akhirati
hasanatan waqina 'adhaban-nar."

"Our Lord! grant us good in this world and good in the
hereafter, and save us from the chastisement of the fire."
(2:201)

2."Rabbana afrigh 'alayna sabran wa thabbit aqdamana
wansurna 'alal-qawmil-kafirin."

"Our Lord! pour down upon us patience, and make our steps
firm and assist us against the unbelieving people." (2:250)

3."Rabbana la tu'akhizna in-nasina aw akh-ta'na. Rab-bana
wa la tahmil 'alayna isran kama hamaltahu 'ala-lladhina min
qablina, Rab-bana wa la tuhammilna ma la taqata lana bih,
wa-'fu 'anna wa 'ghfirlana warhamna anta Maulana fansurna
'alal-qawmil kafirin."

"Our Lord! do not punish us if we forget or make mistake;
Our Lord! do not lay on us a burden as Thou didst lay on
those before us; Our Lord! do not impose upon us that which
we have not the strength to bear; and pardon us and grant
us protection and have mercy on us, Thou art our Patron, so
help us against the unbelieving people." (2:286)

4."Rabbana innaka man tudkhilin-nara fa-qad akhzaytahu, wa
ma liz-zalimina min ansar."

"Rabbana innana sami'na munadiyan yunadi lil imani an aminu
bi-Rabbikum fa-amanna, Rabbana faghfir lana dhunubana wa
kaffir 'anna sayyiatina wa tawaffana ma'al-abrar. Rabbana
wa atina ma wa'adta-na 'ala russuli-ka wa la tikhzi-na
yauma-l-qiyamati innaka latukhlifu-l-mi'ad."

"Our Lord! surely whomsoever Thou makest enter fire, him
Thou hast indeed brought to disgrace, and there shall be no
helpers for the unjust."

"Our Lord! We have heard the call of one calling (us) to
faith, saying, Believe in your Lord; so we do believe; our
lord! forgive us our faults and cover our evil deeds and
make us die with the righteous; Our Lord! and grant us what
Thou hast promised us by Thy messengers and disgrace us not
on the day of reserrection; surely Thou dost not fail to
perform the promise." (3:192-194)

5."Rabbi 'j'alni muqima's-Salati wa min Thurriyati, Rabbana
wa taqqabal du'a', Rabbana'ghfirli wa li walidayya
walil-Mu'minina yawma yaqumul-Hisab."
"O my Lord! make me one who establishes regular Prayer, and
also (raise such) among my offspring. O our Lord! and
accept Thou my prayer."

"O our Lord! cover (us) with Thy Forgiveness - me, my
parents, and (all) Believers, on the Day that the Reckoning
will be established!" (14:40-41)

6."Rabbana atina min ladunka rahmatan wa hayyi' lana min
amrina rashada."

"Our Lord! give us mercy from Thy presence, and shape for
us right conduct in our plight." (18:10)

7."Rabbi-'shrah li sadri wa yassirli amri wa-hlul 'uqdatan
min lisani yafqahu qawli."

"O My Lord! expand my breast for me. And ease my task for
me; and loose a knot from my tongue, (That) they may
understand my saying. (20:25-2)

8."Rabbana Isrif 'anna 'adhaba Jahannama, 'inna 'adhabaha
kana gharama, innaha sa'at mustaqarran wa muqama."

"O Our Lord! turn away from us the chastisement of hell,
surely the chastisement thereof is a lasting evil. Surely
it is an evil abode and (an evil) place to stay in."
(25:65-66)

9."Rabbana hab lana min azwajina wa dhuriyyatina qurrata
A'yunin waj'alna lil-muttaqina imama."

"Our Lord! grant us in our mates and offspring the joy of
our eyes and make us patterns for those who guard against
evil." (25:74)

10."Rabbi awzi'ni an ashkura ni'mata-ka-llati an'amta
'alayaa wa 'ala walidayya wa an a'mala salihan tardahu wa
aslih li fi dhurriyyati, inni tubtu ilaika wa inni
minal-muslimeen."

"O My Lord! grant me that I should be gateful for Thy favor
which Thou hast bestowed on me and my parents, and that I
should do good such as Thou art pleased and do good to me
in respect of my offspring; surely I turn to Thee, and
truly I submit (to Thee) in Islam." (46:15)

11."Rabbanaghfir lana wa li-ikhwaninal ladhinal sabaquna
bil-Imami wa la taj'al fi qulubina ghillan lil ladhina
amana Rabbana innaka Ra'ufun Rahim."

"Our Lord! forgive us and those of our brethren who had
precedence over us in faith, and do not allow any spite to
remain in our hearts towards those who believe, Our Lord!
surely Thou art Kind, Merciful." (59:10)

12."Rabbana 'alaika tawakkalna wa ilaika anabna wa
ilaikal-masir. Rabbana la taj'alna fitnatan li-lladhina
kafaru waghfir lana Rabbana innaka Antal 'Azizul-Hakim."

"Our Lord! on Thee do we rely, and to Thee do we turn, and
to Thee is the eventual coming. Our Lord! do not make us a
trial for those, who disbelieve, and forgive us, Our Lord!
surely Thou are the Mighty, the Wise." (60:4-5)

13."Rabbana la tuzighqulubana ba'da idh hadaitana wa hab
lana min ladun-ka rahmah, innaka antal Wahhab.

"Our Lord! do not make our hearts deviate after Thou hast
guided us aright and grant us from Thy mercy; surely Thou
art te most liberal Giver." (3:8)

14."Rabbana zalamna anfusana, wa in lam taghfir lana wa
tarhamna la-nakunanna minal-khaasirin."

"Our Lord! we have been unjust to ourselves, and if Thou
forgive us not, and have (not) mercy on us, we shall
certainly be of the losers." (7:23)

15." ... Anta waliyyuna faghfir lana warhamna wa Anta
Khayrul-ghafirin. Waktub lana fi hadhid-dunya hasanatan wa
fil-akhirati inna hudna ilay-ka."

" ... Thou art our Guardian. Therefore, forgive us and have
mercy on us, and Thou art the Best of the forgivers. And
ordain for us good in this world's life and in the
hereafter, for surely we turn to Thee." (7:155-156)

16."Rabbana la taj'alna fitnatan lil-qamidh-dhalimin. Wa
najjina birahmati-ka minal qawmil-kaafirin.

"Our Lord! make us not a trial for the unjust people. And
do Thou deliver us by Thy mercy from the unbelieving
people." (10:85-86)

RAMADAN READING MATERIAL:-
Imam Malik ibn Anas
(93/712 - 179/795)
Founder of the maliki School of Jurisprudence,widely
followed in West Africa,North Africa and some areas of the
Middle East.
(A few selections is taken from Imam Malik: His Life and
Teaching by Muhammad Abu Zahra

(This is now available from Dar at-Taqwa:The Four Imams
-Their lives,works and their schools of Thought.Priced
£30.00)and so is it copyrighted and not to be re-published.
It's here to give you a taste.)

Malik was born and lived his whole life in Madina and saw
the traces of the Companions and Followers and the grave of
the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and
all the great places there. He felt an enormous esteem for
Madina and all it contained which marked his life from his
earliest childhood. He knew it to be the cradle of
knowledge, the fountain of light and the spring of gnosis.
He maintained this deep-rooted respect until his death and
it had a profound impact on his thought, his fiqh and his
life in general. He never rode in Madina and he gave great
importance to the practice of its people in his ijtihad.
Indeed, the principle of the 'Practice of the People of
Madina' was one of the foundations of his legal method, as
we will show.
Malik grew up in a household which was engaged in the
science of Traditions and hadith. His family was interested
in the knowledge of the reports and traditions of the
Companions and their fatwas. His grandfather, Malik ibn Abi
'Amir, was one of the great men of knowledge of the
Tabi'un. He related from many Companions. It is clear,
however, that Anas ibn Malik, MalikÕs father, was not
greatly concerned with hadith since it is not known that
Malik related anything from him, although Malik's
grandfather and uncles were. His family was well-known for
their devotion to knowledge. Malik was originally known as
'the brother of an-Nadr', a brother of his who was esteemed
for his knowledge. Then his own desire to seek knowledge
grew to such an extent that people began to say, 'an-Nadr,
the brother of Malik.'
After memorising the Qur'an he devoted himself to
memorising hadith, which was much encouraged in the
environment of Madina. Malik went to the assemblies of
scholars to write down what they taught and study it. He
told his mother that he wanted to go and study, and she
dressed him in his best clothes and turban and then said,
"Go and write now." She said, "Go to Rabi'a and learn his
knowledge before learning his adab."
Malik devoted himself to knowledge from an early age and
sought it out from the people of knowledge in Madina. He
confined himself to two areas of knowledge: hadith and
fiqh. He did not like to argue about the reports of the
various sects regarding matters about which people become
confused and disagree. That was not due to any ignorance of
their positions but was based on knowledge and clear
evidence because he saw that delving into such things had
no benefit.
We mentioned these anecdotes about Malik's quest for
hadiths and what has been said about his shaykhs in order
to bring out three points. Firstly, at that time knowledge
was taken by learning directly from the mouths of men and
not from books in which knowledge was recorded. This is why
the memory of students was so sharp: they were entirely
dependent on it and were eager not to lose anything they
heard. Malik kept track of the number of hadiths he learned
by tying knots in a length of thread. If he forgot a
hadith, he would return to hear it again. No reproach or
rebuke would stop him, but even so he would only miss the
odd one.
The second thing we learn is that scholars had begun to
record their knowledge in writing, even if they did not
rely on what was written. Ibn Shihab encouraged his
students to write down what they heard, out of fear that
they might forget it. Malik went to him with slates in hand
on which he wrote down what he heard. That did not prevent
him from memorising what he wrote. So when Ibn Shihab took
away the slates he could repeat what was on them.
Thirdly, we gather from these extracts that Malik was
tirelessly devoted to seeking knowledge and applied himself
to it with an earnestness, energy and patience rarely
emulated in the history of Islam. Undeterred by intense
heat, he would leave his home and wait for the time when
scholars left their houses for the mosque, and not even the
irascibility of some of them prevented him from learning
from them. He endured criticism for that at times but he
kept at it until he managed to achieve his aim.
We should at this point elaborate on the different branches
of knowledge that Malik studied in his pursuit of learning.
He sought knowledge in four areas which are part and parcel
of the formation of the complete scholar and faqih who
knows the sources properly, who is able to derive rulings
from them correctly, who is in touch with the spirit of his
time and has true understanding of what is happening around
him, and has the ability to disseminate among people the
knowledges which he thinks are beneficial for them.
Firstly he learned how to refute adherents of deviant sects
and how to resolve people's disagreements and clarify their
disputes in respect of fiqh and other matters. He studied
that with Ibn Hurmuz, as he himself said. He took from him
much knowledge which he did not spread publicly. But when
there was an occasion where it was necessary to impart it,
he did so.

It seems that Malik divided knowledge into two kinds:
knowledge to be taught to people in general, which was not
to be confined to anyone since there was no harm in it for
anyone and all intellects could accept it and listen to it
and benefit from it; and another kind of knowledge which
should be reserved for the elite. He did not teach that
kind to ordinary people because it would harm some people
more than help them. This was the case with the refutation
of the adherents of sects, which can be difficult for
people and even cause some people to deviate themselves.

Secondly he learned the fatwas of the Companions from the
Tabi'un and the Tabi'i't-Tabi'in. He learned 'Umar's fatwas
and those of Ibn Umar, 'A'isha and other Companions. He
learned the fatwas of Ibn al-Musayyab and other great
Tabi'un. Their fatwas are the source of much of Maliki
fiqh.

Thirdly he learned fiqh ar-ra'y (understanding by mental
perception) from Rabi'a ibn 'Abdi'r-Rahman who was known as
Rabi'a ar-Ra'y. It is evident that the method he learned
from Rabi'a was not the same as analogy. Its basis was
harmonisation of different texts with the best interests of
people and how they could best be benefited. That is why,
according to al-Madarik, "Malik was asked whether they used
to use analogy in the assembly of Rabi'a and discuss a lot
with one another. He said, 'No, by Allah.'" From this we
can see that Malik did not understand fiqh ar-ra'y as
meaning opinion in which there is a lot of analogy and
analysis because that might have led to involvement in the
kind of hypothetical fiqh which was so common in Iraq and
which resulted from the excessive use of analogy. Rabi'a's
basic principle was the best interests of the people.

Fourthly he learned the hadiths of the Messenger, may Allah
bless him and grant him peace; he sought out all who
transmitted the Messenger's words and selected the most
reliable among them. He was given great insight into men's
understanding and the power of their intellects. It is
reported that he said, "This knowledge is vital to the
Deen, so look to the one from whom you take it. I have met
seventy people who said, 'The Messenger of Allah, may Allah
bless him and grant him peace, said' within these pillars,"
and he pointed to the mosque, "and I did not take anything
from them. Had any of them been entrusted with a treasure,
they would have proved trustworthy, but they were not
worthy to undertake this business."
After Malik completed his studies he took a place in the
mosque of the Prophet to teach and give fatwas. There is no
doubt that he used to sit in the place of those Tabi'un and
their followers to whom people came from east and west.
This must mean that he had both great knowledge and also
the respect and esteem of the people and that made him the
focus of students of fiqh and those who sought fatwas on
many different subjects. This is why he said to clarify his
position when he set up to teach and give fatwa: "No one
who desires to sit in the mosque to teach hadith and fatwa
can do so until he has consulted people of soundness and
excellence and the people in charge of the mosque. Only
when they consider him worthy of it may he sit there. I did
not sit until seventy shaykhs of the people of knowledge
had testified that I was ready to do so."
Malik lived surrounded by the traces of the Tabi'un and
Companions, and he learned the fatwas of the Companions
from the Tabi'un and singled out those whose opinions were
best. He investigated the reports of 'Umar and Ibn Mas'ud
and other fuqaha' of the Companions, studying their cases
and rulings. He was eager to learn precedents in order to
follow what had gone before and not to innovate. He thought
that the actions, weights, measures, waqfs and reports of
the people of Madina were sufficient to illuminate any
faqih who followed their guidance and borrowed from their
light.
It is reported in ad-Dibaj that "Malik used to come to
mosque and attend the prayers, Jumu'a, and funerals, visit
the sick, and sit in the mosque; and his Companions would
join him there. Then he ceased to sit in the mosque. He did
not attend funerals but would go to his companions and
console them. Then he ceased doing even those things. He
did not attend the prayers in the mosque or go to Jumu'a or
go to console anyone. But he continued to see people until
he died." Most people agree that he died in 179 AH, on the
night of the 14th of Rabi' ath-Thani, at well over eighty
years of age.
NOW YOU HAVE AN INSIGHT INTO THE LIFE OF THE MAN,IT IS ONLY
RIGHT AND PROPER THAT YOU READ ONE OF HIS MOST RESPECTED
BOOK ON HADITH-MALIK'S AL-MUWATTA:-
http://www.islammuslims.com

   Introduction
Translation of Imam Malik's Muwatta
The Times of Prayer
Purity
Prayer
Forgetfulness in Prayer
Jumu'a
Prayer in Ramadan
Tahajjud
Prayer in Congregation
Shortening the Prayer
The Two 'Ids
The Fear Prayer
The Eclipse Prayer
Asking for Rain
The Qibla
The Qur'an
Burials
Zakat
Fasting
I'tikaf in Ramadan
Hajj
Jihad
Vows and Oaths
Sacrificial Animals
Slaughtering Animals
Game
The 'Aqiqa
Fara'id
Marriage
Divorce
Suckling
Business Transactions
Qirad
Sharecropping
Renting Land
Pre-emption in Property
Judgements
Wills and Testaments
Setting Free and Wala'
The Mukatab
Hudud
The Mudabbar
Drinks
Blood-Money
The Oath of Qasama
Madina
The Decree
Good Character
Dress
The Description of the Prophet, may Allah Bless Him and
Grant Him Peace
The Evil Eye
Hair
Visions
Greetings
General Subjects
The Oath of Allegiance
Speech
Jahannam
Sadaqa
Knowledge
The Supplication of the Unjustly Wronged
The Names of the Prophet,may Allah Bless Him and Grant Him
Peace.

















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