The second largest school of Islamic law, founded by Imam Malik ibn Anas (rahimahullah). Predominant in North Africa, West Africa, and parts of the Arabian Peninsula, emphasizing the practice of Medina.
The Maliki school (المذهب المالكي - al-madhhab al-Mālikī) is one of the four major schools of Islamic jurisprudence within Sunni Islam. Founded by the renowned scholar Imam Malik ibn Anas (711-795 CE) in Medina, this school is distinguished by its unique emphasis on the practice of the people of Medina (Amal ahl al-Medina) as a source of Islamic law.
Imam Malik believed that the continuous practice of the people of Medina carried special authority because the city was home to the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) and his Companions, who transmitted Islamic practices directly from the Prophet. This methodology gave the Maliki school a distinctive character, deeply rooted in the living tradition of the prophetic city.
Born in 711 CE in Medina, Imam Malik spent his entire life in the prophetic city. He was a descendant of a noble Arab family and dedicated himself to Islamic scholarship from a young age, studying under over 900 teachers including prominent Tabi'un.
His deep connection to Medina and access to authentic chains of transmission made him uniquely positioned to preserve and transmit the Prophet's teachings as practiced by the Companions and their successors.
Al-Muwatta (الموطأ - "The Well-Trodden Path") is Imam Malik's masterpiece and one of the earliest authenticated collections of hadith and Islamic jurisprudence. Compiled over 40 years, it represents the distilled knowledge of Medina's scholars and practitioners.
The book contains approximately 1,720 narrations including hadiths of the Prophet (ﷺ), statements of Companions, and legal opinions of the Tabi'un. What makes Al-Muwatta unique is its combination of hadith transmission with jurisprudence (fiqh), providing both source material and practical application.
Imam Shafi'i praised Al-Muwatta saying, "There is no book on earth after the Quran that is more authentic than Malik's Muwatta." Today, it remains a foundational text for Maliki scholars and students of Islamic jurisprudence worldwide.
Giving precedence to the continuous practice of the people of Medina as transmitted practice
Considering unrestricted public interest when deriving legal rulings
Preventing actions that may lead to forbidden outcomes, even if the action itself is permissible
Rigorous standards for accepting and acting upon prophetic traditions
The primary and supreme source of Islamic law, containing Allah's (SWT) direct guidance.
Authentic traditions of Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ), with special emphasis on well-transmitted hadiths.
The continuous practice of the people of Medina, considered a living transmission of prophetic practice.
The unanimous agreement of qualified scholars, particularly the consensus of the Companions.
Deriving rulings through analogy based on established principles.
Considering unrestricted public benefit when texts don't provide explicit guidance.
Raising hands only at the opening takbir; reciting Quran audibly in certain prayers
Emphasis on the practice of Medina in prayer methodology, with specific rulings on recitation and movements.
Intention must be made before ablution; specific order of washing required
Detailed requirements for valid ablution including the necessity of intention and proper sequence.
Requirement of a wali (guardian) for marriage; specific conditions for valid nikah
Comprehensive guidelines on marriage including the role of guardians and witnesses, based on Medinan practice.
The Maliki madhab spread extensively across North and West Africa, becoming the predominant school in countries including Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Mauritania, Mali, Senegal, and Nigeria. It is also followed in parts of Egypt, Sudan, and historically in Al-Andalus (Islamic Spain).
Major Islamic institutions following the Maliki school include the University of Al-Qarawiyyin in Morocco (the world's oldest continuously operating university), Al-Azhar in Egypt, and Zaytuna Mosque in Tunisia. These centers continue to preserve and develop Maliki jurisprudence for contemporary times.
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