# Why do Salafis ignore Imam Malik's Muwatta?

*Why Salafis disregard al-Muwatta: Imam Malik's use and rejection of hadith*

- URL: https://muftiabulayth.org/r/foizott_sog/s/1/
- Date: 2020-08-23 · Kind: question · Transcript tier: machine · Recording: Why do the salafis struggle with the Muwatta? | Mufti Abu Layth (0:00–1:25)
- Status: general teaching
- Watch from the start of the segment: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=foIzotT_sog&t=0s
- Recording page: https://muftiabulayth.org/r/foizott_sog/

**Topics:** The Muwatta and the Mudawwana; Salafism and Wahhabism; Hadith in legal reasoning and hadith absolutism

**Question as asked:** Mufti, why is al-Muwatta disregarded by Salafis?

**Summary (not a quotation; machine-made, unchecked):** Mufti Abu Layth feels Salafis struggle with Imam Malik because he is a master of hadith who also rejects hadith that go against established practice. In the Muwatta he narrates a hadith and then says it is not acted upon.

**Checked position (checked by two independent reviews, not by the channel):** Mufti Abu Layth says he feels that deep down Salafis struggle with Imam Malik, who is an unquestionable authority in hadith yet rejects hadith that go against certain practices.

**Evidence, his words at 0:01:** “i feel that the selfies because they i think deep down the salafi struggle with imam malik” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=foIzotT_sog&t=1s)

## Longer summary

Mufti Abu Layth reads a chat question asking why al-Muwatta is disregarded by Salafis and calls it a very good question. He says he feels that deep down Salafis struggle with Imam Malik, because on one hand he is an absolute authority in hadith who cannot be questioned there, and on the other he equally rejects hadith when they go against certain practices. He says that in the Muwatta Imam Malik brings a hadith and then says it will not be acted upon. The clip ends with a light remark to the audience.

## Sources and names cited

- al-Muwatta
- Imam Malik
- Salafi

## Transcript (machine tier, 0:00–1:25)

[0:01] right foes motabi uh asks mufti why is al muatta disregarded by salafis you know that's a very good question um i feel that the selfies because they i think deep down the salafi struggle with imam malik because imam malik you see on one hand he is an absolute dawn of hadith you cannot question imam malik when it comes to hadith but on the other hand he's somebody who equally rejects hadith when it goes against certain practices

[0:40] so they struggle with this because imam malik and his mata he says you know hadith we won't act upon this he brings the hadith and then says we won't act on it [Laughter]

[1:15] you guys have forgotten or you don't haven't had the good fortune of keeping company with mir that's what it's like

## Cite

Mufti Abu Layth Archive, segment foIzotT_sog/s/1. https://muftiabulayth.org/r/foizott_sog/s/1/

Not a fatwa: these answers were given to specific people at specific times. Ask a qualified scholar about your own situation.