The Muwatta of Imam Muhammad

Description

“The unqualified truth is that all of the Muwatta is sahih without any exception!”  Hafiz Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani

This quote from one of the greatest authorities on hadith of all time is sufficient recommendation. The version of the Muwatta narrated by Imam Muhammad ibn al-Hasan al-Shaybani, one of the two leading pupils of Imam Abu Hanifah, directly from his three years of study with Imam Malik will be of particular interest not only to students of Hanafi fiqh, but also to students of hadith in general.

The Muwatta’

Imam Malik composed the Muwatta over a period of forty years to represent the “well-trodden path” of the people of Madina. Its name also means that it is the book that is “many times agreed upon” about whose contents the people of Madinah were unanimously agreed and that is made easy and facilitated. Its high standing is such that people of every school of fiqh and all of the imams of hadith scholarship agree upon its authenticity. Imam Shafii said, “There is not on the face of the earth & after the Book of Allah, a book & which is more sahih than the book of Malik. Shah Wali Allah Dihlawi (1114-1176 AH) said, “My breast expanded and I became certain that the Muwatta is the most sahih book to be found on the earth after the Book of Allah.”

Imam Malik

Imam Malik is the imam of the imams, the leader of the people of knowledge of Madinah, Malik ibn Anas ibn Malik ibn Abi Amir al-Asbahi al-Madani, born in 94 AH, 95 AH or even 99 AH. He was called the Man of Knowledge of madinah. People of knowledge understood that it was him the Prophet saw indicated in the hadith from Abu Hurayra, “People will soon beat the livers of their camels [in travelling in search of knowledge] but they will not find a man of knowledge more knowledgeable than the man of knowledge of Madinah.”

Imam Muhammad al-Shaybani

He is Abu Abdullah Muhammad ibn al-Hasan ibn Farqad al-Shaybani. Muhammad was born in Wasit in 132 AH, and grew up in Kufa. He was a pupil of Abu Hanifah. Imam Shafi’i said, “I have not seen anyone more eloquent than him. I used to think when I saw him reciting the Qur’an that it was as if the Qur’an had been revealed in his language.” He also said, “I have not seen anyone more intelligent than Muhammad ibn al-Hasan.”

Cover: Paperback

Author: Imam Muhammad al-Shaybani

Translator: Mohammed Abdurrahman & Abdassamad Clarke

Pages: 624

Size: 24 x 16.5cm

Weight: 1005g