Imam malik’s full name was Abu Abdullah malik bin Anas. He was born at madina in the year 93 A.H./713 A.D. He spent most of his life at madina. He studied at fiqh with the celebrated Rabi’a bin farrukh (d. 133 A.H.) and a large number of other scholars and divines. It is said that he studied under about 900 teachers out of him5thrp;osfda 300 people were tabi’un, the succesors of the sahaba, the companions of the prophet Al-suyuti has given a list of 95 shuyukh (the learned scholar) from whom he transmitted traditions.
Within a short period of time, his reputation as an eminent fiqh (theologian) spread for an wide. In 145 A.H. he gave a fatawa (religious decision) that homage paid to the ‘ Abbasid caliph Al-mansur was not binding because it was given under compulsion. He was a fearless man like Abu-Hanifa and gave any religious decision without any fear or favour.
Inspite of all this, he was held in such a high esteem by the caliphs that Al-Muhdi sough his advice when he wanted to make structural alterations in the ka’ba sanctuary in 179 A.H the famous caliph harun al-Rashid visited him on the occasion of his pilgrimage.
Imam Malik died in the year 179 A.H at medina after a short illness at the age of 85. He was buried Al-baqi and his funeral prayers were led by Abd-Allah bin Zainab, the governor there.
Imam Malik was a great theologian and his system of jurisprudence and law is based entirely on the Ahdith (Traditions) he was scrupulously careful in giving judgment.
Whenever he had the least doubt as to the correctness of his decision he would say: “ I do not know” Imam Malik Great work is the Kitab al muwatta which is the earliest surviving law book. Its object is to give a survey of law and justice, ritual and practice of religious of Islam according to the Ijmat Consensus of opion of the learned men in religious of that time.
That Malik School of Islamic law was founded by imam malik bin Anas. It prevails over most of Muslim Africa, with the exception of Lower Egypt, the horn of Africa and the East Africa coast. “It is the law book of this school with their numerous commentaries which are still studied and taught in Bamako, jenne, Timbuktu, Bondouko, Sokoto, Katsina, Bida and Ibada, and a host of other centres of Islamic learning in west Africa” There are About 45 million followers of the Malik School of figh in the word.