Al-Muwaṭṭaʾ Part One

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

Alḥamdulillāh, it is only through the mercy of Allāh ﷻ that I had been afforded the opportunity to study the Muwaṭṭā' of Imām Mālīk رحمه الله under respected Muftī Ṣāḥib حفظه الله.

A different approach to online classes:
Muftī Ṣāḥib's method of teaching online, punctuality, strict adherence to being on time for dars, as well as his meticulous conduct in emulating Imām Mālik رحمه الله's durūs by burning bakhūr and donning one's best attire for each lesson really added ambience to the online durūs which in reality felt no different to being in a classroom, in fact, it was as if we were sitting in the same room as Respected Muftī Ṣāḥib.

I often felt that there was not a single student who attended Muftī Ṣāḥib's durūs online without conciously being aware of their conduct while on dars, this is something which Muftī Ṣāḥib always emphasised.

The Muwaṭṭā Durūs:
Allāh ﷻ has truly blessed Respected Muftī Ṣāḥib with immense knowledge which we have had the great fortune of being able to benefit from online.
Only those who have attended Muftī Ṣāḥib's durūs will truly be able to appreciate what a bounty it is to have access to learn from such an erudite scholar.
Muftī Ṣāḥib teaches the Muwaṭṭā' of Imām Mālik رحمه الله with compassion, explaining in detail the rulings derived from each ḥadīth with highlighting the lives of the Ruwāt in hope of emulating them, thus keeping each lesson intriguing and brimming with fawāid.

Respected Muftī Ṣāḥib's care and concern for his students:
Not only has Muftī Ṣāḥib been an excellent Ustādh, but Muftī Sāḥib has been a mentor to Muftī Ṣāḥib's students. Muftī Ṣāḥib has concern for the well-being of his students and is always accessible to offer sincere counsel to his students.

I would once again like to express my gratitude to Respected Muftī Ṣāḥib for affording me this golden opportunity to study under him.

May Allāh ﷻ accept Muftī Ṣāḥib's sacrifices and efforts in teaching the Aḥādīth of our Master Nabī Muḥammad صلى الله عليه وسلم.

Alhamdulillah glad that I came through this course and glad that Mufti ismail moosa sahab is my teacher .. the best honest teacher I could ever have

“Alhamdulillah the first year has been excellent. I think honestly, that studying under Mufti Saheb has completely opened my mind and definitely changed my life, made me realise how ignorant I am in Islamic knowledge despite completing the aalim course. One is academically but spiritually also. Also what I've benefited greatly from is how deficient I am with regards to my respect for my teachers, this is a point that I've really learnt this year. Insha Allah I'll definitely try to improve on this. Would definitely recommend it. When you sit with other Ulama and in different talks, you realise how much you've learnt in just one year.”

I am so blessed to be listening to the words of Nabi Sallallahu alaihi wasallam and being a student with such respected students of ilm and having an amazing teacher like Mufti Sahab he has taught us things which we didn't even give much thought to like the importance of time Mashallah I have never seen any other teacher so punctual about time other than Mufti Sahab and he wants that to be an important value in his students too! sitting in such blessed majalis of ilm , listen to the lessons and hadith being recited just being present in those sessions is a great blessing,I don't even consider my myself worthy of being a part of such gatherings but since it's a blessing from Allah SWT, He has given me this gift which I will not deny to accept it .
رَبِّ إِنِّي لِمَا أَنزَلْتَ إِلَيَّ مِنْ خَيْرٍ فَقِيرٌ.

The Muwatta of Imam Malik by Mufti Ismail Moosa completely exceeded my expectations. Mufti Sahb provided comprehensive outlines, making it easy to follow with various commentaries. The classes excelled in all aspects in engaging with effective teaching methods, very detailed & organized. I highly recommend it for anyone seeking to benefit from intricate and valuable insights of the content. I like the flexibility of the online class which worked well for me who have no opportunities to travel.
Infact I took a pause in my Ifta studies to study the Muwatta with various commentaries and learn the aqwal of Imams, Mufti Sahb made it very easy for us by explaining every word and terms of the Mubarak aHadith with intricate details. I look forward to have more opportunity to learn from Mufti Sahb with the future courses inshaAllah.

Studying the Muwatta online, as a female, provided inaccessible onsite learning. Despite the remote setting, spiritual benefits were gained and focused attention was maintained, especially since each hadith began with studying narrators' lives and ended with lessons and benefits from the hadith.

In my initial days of joining this course, I assumed that it would be a simple, side course, because how much content can truly be covered in 45 minutes twice a week? However, before even finishing the preludes, I was blown away by the detailed Mutala'ah and tahqīq done for every lesson, and as the course progressed, my admiration grew. Every simple 45 lesson, can sometimes take thrice that amount of time to do takraar of, due to the amazing depth and research behind each one. Despite this, these were not mere academic lessons. The greatest benefit of this course for me being the blessing of witnessing and being able to have the Suhbah of a scholar who truly loves hadith beyond measure, and is an exemplar of akhlāq and ādāb. I began this study of the Muwaṭṭa barely knowing anything besides the fact that it is the book of Imām Mālik, but I'm ending this course of study with it being the kitāb that is almost always on my bedside table, and a deep love for it. May Allāh continue to allow the scholars of the world to benefit from Muftī ṣaḥibs ʿilm and barakaat. Aameen

Alhamdulilah Allah SWT has been so kind that I was referred to this course by my Madrassah admin right after I had graduated. After the daura years and listening to ' قال رسول اللہ صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم' day in and day out. Once it ended there was a void which this course filled beautifully. Two years later, now these sessions are a source of barakah, sakinah and comfort in my life. So much so that the thought of it ending makes me feel lost. May Allah grant us the taufeeq to be a taalib e ilm of Ahadith till our last breath. The words of our Beloved Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم have their own beautiful taseer. What added to this taseer and made it نور علی نور was the dedication, the humility and the ikhlaas of Ustadh jee and the entire team. The sessions are packed with such knowledge and noor Alhamdulilah. The tiny nuances, the details and the command on the subject Subhan Allah May Allah ta'la grant more Barakah in Ustaad jee's ilm Even the takrar with respected apas left me so inspired. Subhan Allah I feel blessed to share the class with such respected scholars. I personally had previous experience of learning ilm online. But even if someone who is a beginner the whole team is extremely helpful and supportive. And the system is user friendly. May Allah ta'la reward Ustaad jee and the whole team in Dunya o Akhirah according to His Shaan

During my Madrasah days, I always felt a connection to the Muwaṭṭā of Imām Mālik Raḥimahullāh whenever reference was made to it or it was spoken about. (Our Madrasah Syllabus did not cover it). Alhamdulillāh, it has been one of the best decisions I've ever made and the greatest blessing from Allāh, that Allāh Ta'ālā has blessed me with the opportunity to study the Muwaṭṭā under Mufti Ismāʿīl Mūsā ḥafiẓahu ạllāhu wa warʿāhu.

As it was the focus of Imām Mālik Raḥimahullāh before even studying, Muftī ṣāḥib stresses to us the importance of Adab and respect during online durūs as well and showed us how to create the ambiance of the Muwaṭṭā Sharīf in our homes. It reminds me of the incident of ʿAbdullāh bin al Mubārak Raḥimahullāh when he was asked, "don't you feel lonely?" (As he would spend a lot of time at home). He replied, "How can I feel lonely when I am with the Nabī of Allāh ﷺ and his Companions (Raḍī Allāhu ʿanhum)". With the grace and mercy of Allāh, this was made possible for us too.
Through the barakah of these lessons, so many homes became Madāris and homes wherein the words of قال الله and قال الرسول echoed throughout the world. What an opportunity Allāh Taʿālā gave us, to study such a Mubārak kitāb in our own homes, yet still benefiting from the heart to heart transmission of these online durūs.

Due to Muftī ṣāḥib's in depth knowledge, I was able to gain clarity on so many intricate Masāil, I learnt so much about the Ruwāt and ṣaḥābah (Raḍī Allāhu ʿanhum). Many practical changes have also come into my life through the discussions of these illustrious personalities.

Imām Shāfi'ī Raḥimahullāh would say that people are indebted to Imām Abū Hanīfāh Raḥimahullāh. Muftī ṣāḥib's students are indebted to Muftī ṣāḥib. Our Muftī ṣāḥib is a hidden gem and undercover walī of the time. May Allāh Ta'ālā preserve Muftī ṣāḥib with 'Āfiyah, accept Muftī ṣāḥib's efforts and continue to allow us to take benefit from Muftī ṣāḥib'.

Mā shā Allāh, the lessons were insightful, and enjoyable. Alhamdulillāh the lessons of Muwattā have been a means of bringing a revolution in our lives. May Allāh Ta'ālā bless Muftī sāhib حفظه الله تعالى for teaching us and all the scholars who have contributed towards making the lessons possible and easier for us. Āmīn.

I am grateful for the chance to attend Muwatta Shareef lessons with Muftī Ismail Moosa Hafiẓahullāh. The experience has been truly enriching, contributing to both my educational and spiritual development. Learning from a teacher with a profound passion for Hadith is a blessing, allowing me to feel a connection to Imam Malik and sense his love for Hadith and the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم. The atmosphere in the lessons mirrors the essence of Imam Malik, creating a captivating experience with the aroma and grandeur reminiscent of his teachings. Alhamdulillah for this opportunity.

I being a housewife and mother of 5 children…never had nor can I benefit from studying in Madrasa. Alhamdulillah what all I studied is through online. Alhamdulillah through online and especially through Mufti Ismail Saab classes I understand there are people who are serious regarding Aakhirah and working for betterment of this ummah and oneself and for aakhirah… unlike many people who just kill their time by just watching videos and entertaining themselves.
I was able to focus and prioritize deen and raise my children accordingly and spread the deen in my extended family. May Allah swt accept us..

A must for a women who wants to further her Studies after madrassah even though she is busy and has commitments. As the lessons are easy to undestand, notes are available and the knowledge unparalleled.
(Husna yahya)
As a couple studying together this course has helped increase our commitment to hadith 100 fold.

I've set in many duroos and studied for 10 years. But the information and way of teaching in this course has been very beneficial and extremely highly recommended to attend. (Yusuf)

Alhamdulillaah, learning the Muwatta' with Mufti Ismail saahib was an amazing experience! From the very first lesson, it not only changed the way I looked at the Ahaadeeth of Nabiy صلى الله عليه وسلم but the way I viewed 'ilm. It also impacted my aadaab towards seeking 'ilm, especially the 'ilm of Ahaadeeth. SubhaanAllaah there was so much beautiful explanation on the matn of the Ahaadeeth! It was beyond my expectations. However, my favourite part was the lives of the narrators. The pieces of advice Mufti saahib gave were gems alhamdulillaah and very beneficial for our practical lives. I could not have had this experience if Ulum al-Hadith had not offered this beautiful course online. May Allaah bless everyone involved and accept all of their khidmaat.

I was very skeptical about studying online too, yet I would listen to bayaans live etc. The previous Ramadhan, a contact messaged to ask if I'm joining the class on imam Malik's muwatta, and initially I wasn't interested, as I thought that I am busy during the day with teaching, doing my dhor and should rather spend the time in tilawat. However, I signed up, and decided to check it out. The first two days alhamdulilah it went well, I could follow along easily. However the third day I was quite lost, it was not was I was used to. We hadn't studied in such depth. Allah made it such that I wasn't comfortable with just dropping out, hence I joined the fourth lesson. And alhamdulilah that was the lesson I fell in love with the muwatta, and desired to become a full time student. It was challenging, to transition from the easy mode we learnt in to the detailed analysis method of studying, but I derived so much of benefit from studying the muwatta online and I enjoy it so much, I would make sure not to miss a dars or a takrar to the best of my ability. Joining the muwatta Dars had changed my view completely about studying online, there is definitely a "heart to heart" connection, alhamdulilah.

I was actually one of these skeptics when it came to online studies, I would even feel skeptical when I would hear of some of my cousins joining online Ālimiyyah programmes, given my own experience with only studying in Dārul ʿUlūm, I knew only my own experience, but as a female with many home responsibilities, and being 7 years out of ʿĀlimiyyah, and having with no words to express how much I missed being in the gatherings of ʿIlm, especially after having experienced Dawrah Ḥadīth, the longing for these gatherings will never leave, when news reached me of the online sessions of Muwatta during Ramaḍān, بحمد الله و نعمته I decided to give it a try, I was extremely surprised to find that sitting in the live class felt exactly the same as sitting in The Dawrah Ḥadīth class again ( especially since there was a pardah between Ustādh and the Apas anyway), I was overjoyed! And because I did not have to leave the home, I was able to still take care of my responsibilities as well, which assured my parents permission for me to continue, It's important to mention that Respected Mufti Saheb is very accessible to his students for questions and making sure we understand and explains intricate topics in a manner that is easy to understand. Now, Alḥamdulillāh thumma Alḥamdulillāh, there is no going back, I cannot fault online learning in the least, I've taken a 180°! And I can't thank Allāh enough for the blessing of being able to study from my home, when I thought the doors of continuing my studies were closed on me forever. May Allāh continue to bless and increase ʿUlūm al Ḥadīth and all online institutes who make ʿIlm accessible and reachable to those who cannot leave their homes, but still long for knowledge, Āmīn ya Rabb.

The Muwatta lessons have been very beneficial. Mufti sb is an amazing teacher. He does a great job with explaining difficult concepts in easy terms that makes it easy for even a beginner to understand. Mufti sb starts each narration by speaking about the narrators of the Hadith, which has helped me learn and appreciate the chain of transmission and narrators so much more. He also goes into sharing pertinent details about each narrators and what made them successful, which helps build a connection with the narrators, and also provide practical lessons for us to implement.

The notes are provided before each lesson which include relevant Arabic quotations from multiple books, which makes it very easy to follow along the text during the lesson ,and gives access to content from so many Arabic books which are not available for students in general.

Mufti sb goes on to explain each narration in a lot of detail and gives references from many books of ahadith and commentaries. Mufti sb gives references from original source for the statements that he quotes, this is something which is rarely seen these days. He also explains the fiqihi rulings from all 4 madhaib when it is relevant to the narration. At the end, usually he summaries the lessons learnt from each Hadith, and advises ways in which we can practically bring these lessons into our lives. Mufti sb shares his own personal experiences aswell and what he has learnt from his teachers, which provides a good role model to see how these actions are being implemented in the current day for day life, and makes it easy to relate.

Mufti sb is always punctual, always available to answer any questions. Class recordings and detailed notes are also available after class which makes it easy to focus on just the lesson during the class, and can go back to the notes or recordings for the detailed explanation when needed.

I would highly recommend this course to everyone. Whether it be a beginner student, or an advanced student, everyone will benefit from these lessons a lot.