# Did Imam Malik reject the hadith he did not act on?

*Imam Malik's hadith relativism: transmitting a hadith without acting on it*

- URL: https://muftiabulayth.org/r/zkklciv1tk8/s/1/
- Date: 2023-04-19 · Kind: lesson · Transcript tier: machine · Recording: The Methodology Of Imam Malik | How To Treat Hadith | Mufti Abu Layth (0:01–6:49)
- Status: latest answer on its topic; general teaching
- Watch from the start of the segment: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zkklciv1TK8&t=1s
- Recording page: https://muftiabulayth.org/r/zkklciv1tk8/

**Topics:** Hadith in legal reasoning and hadith absolutism; The Muwatta and the Mudawwana; Imam Malik

**Summary (not a quotation; machine-made, unchecked):** No: Mufti Abu Layth says Imam Malik respected such hadith by recording them in the Muwatta while noting that Madinah did not act on them, a model of hadith relativism he recommends following.

**Checked position (checked by two independent reviews, not by the channel):** Mufti Abu Layth says, as his own thought, that someone choosing an imam to guide them in a broad methodology should look to legends like Imam Malik.

**Evidence, his words at 3:37:** “you're going to see these names come up again in a very problematic way look to Legends like Imam Malik they were in the time of the salaf” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zkklciv1TK8&t=217s)

## Longer summary

Mufti Abu Layth says that we do not reject hadith but treat them with relativism, as Imam Malik does in the Muwatta, which he says several hadith authorities, especially Maliki ones such as Qadi Iyad [?], call the most authentic book after the Quran, and whose golden chain al-Bukhari himself called the most authentic. Mufti says Imam Malik sometimes brings a hadith through that chain and then says that in Madinah it is not acted upon, which only someone of his standing could do. He relates that al-Bukhari, wanting to criticise a narrator, held back because Imam Malik had transmitted from him. Giving what he calls his own thoughts, Mufti advises anyone choosing an imam for a broad methodology to look to legends like Imam Malik, from the time of the salaf, rather than later scholars such as Ibn Taymiyya [?], whose names he says will come up problematically in the discussion of the Satanic Verses. He says Imam Malik respects the tradition by including such hadith in his book while teaching, by example, that many hadith outside it are likewise not acted upon.

## Sources and names cited

- Imam Malik
- al-Muwatta
- al-Bukhari
- Qadi Iyad [?]
- silsilat al-dhahab (the golden chain)
- Ibn Taymiyya [?]
- the Satanic Verses incident (gharaniq)
- hadith relativism

## Transcript (machine tier, 0:01–6:49)

[0:00] that it's not about saying we reject we it's not that we reject we don't reject Hadith we treat Hadith with relativism as Imam Malik does in the mouth so Imam Malik's book is the most authentic book of Hadith on Earth according to um at least several Dawns of Hadith by okay let's uh especially the malachia called the iyad you will see

[0:34] Imam Malik's book is the number one the book of Hadith okay um Imam is testimony that there is not a book on Earth after the Quran that is like the mutta now some people say that's because bukhari hadn't authored his book yet sure this is not a dis to bukhari but it's just to say that even Imam buhari said that the most authentic chain on Earth is Imam Malik's golden chain so Imam Malik brings several Hadith from his golden chain and then on certain occasions not always

[1:12] but on some occasions he will say here is this Hadith in Medina who is balad the city of the prophet he says in Madina we don't act according to this style only Imam Ali could have done that see anybody else tried to do it they would have called him a deviant they would have called him but Imam Malik that's that's ultimate boss level see nobody could touch him in Hadith

[1:50] you know there's a there's this Imam bukhari has a discussion on um what was his name Hussein narrator and his Imam buhari is not happy with him he says that you and he wants to criticize it and then he says

[2:20] Imam Ali he says if it wasn't for he says the fact that Imam Malik transmitted from this person I bow my head in awe and I'm unable to criticize this narrator despite wanting to but the fact that Imam Malik accepted him Legends yeah Legends in Islam true leadership see those are the you see we leadership we must admire leadership and

[2:58] everybody follows someone if you ought to choose an Imam you know these are my thoughts okay you don't need to accept this but if you are to choose an Imam who will guide you in a broad methodology don't look to people like ibnatemia or people like even okay they're Scholars of Islam came about 700 years ago but you will find yourself at times in great Peril and we'll see

[3:37] because of this discussion of Satanic Verses you're going to see these names come up again in a very problematic way look to Legends like Imam Malik they were in the time of the salaf they were they the the prophecy of the Prophet that they will be the Alim of Medina and Imam Ali teaches you Hadith relativism you see when he's rejecting not rejecting when he's bringing the Hadith he's not disrespecting see there's a big

[4:15] difference we don't disrespect anything we don't disrespect uh elements of this tradition of this Legacy they carry a an honor a sanctity Imam Malik is bringing what is called acai Hadith that exists the chain the most sahih chain that exists because what makes a Hadith the five conditions

[4:50] that's the poem yeah so that you see these five conditions that and it's all to do with the chain so okay and there is as well and this is something which anyway is for it's for another discussion because people then vary how they what is it is that talking about the chain or the mutton really it should be the mutton as well which many do accept in principle but so here Imam Malik is bringing this he's respecting it he's putting it in his book He's not disrespecting the tradition he's bringing putting it in his own book

[5:32] and with that is explaining his methodology is giving you an example but he's explaining indicatively a H he's bringing this Hadith and saying in our city in the city we don't act according to this Hadith by that he's teaching you that there will be several Hadith that come outside of this book as well

[6:10] his book is the most authentic book by testimony of especially these chains by testimony of uh Imam bukhari silsility saying his book has other chains as well by the way it doesn't mean that but he brings from this chain as well it says in ours in this city we don't act accordingly do we disrespect it no no no no need for disrespect just understand that whatever's gone wrong maybe somebody Imam Malik was with

[6:48] abusive and abusive try to question the other of the people of Medina because the adhan of the people of Madina just had Allahu Akbar twice not four times that's the other which is common today so the adhan of Madina and the malikia so in Morocco in these places they only do Allahu Akbar twice so the so Abu Yusuf another use of deed have a lot of tongue-in-cheek humor and sarcasm and so he says

## Cite

Mufti Abu Layth Archive, segment zkklciv1TK8/s/1. https://muftiabulayth.org/r/zkklciv1tk8/s/1/

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