بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

13, Rajab, 1444 AH (Saturday, 5 February, 2023)

In the previous session, we discussed the methodology of Imām Mālik (may Allāh Ta’ālā have mercy on him).

In shā Allāh, we can now take a glance at the Asānīd (the chains of transmission) in the Muwaṭṭaʾ.

For this, we commence by looking at the amount of narrators at a few links of the chains in the Muwaṭṭaʾ.

One Link Above Imām Mālik

‘Allāmah Zurqānī (may Allāh Ta’ālā have mercy on him) quotes from ‘Allāmah Ghāfiqī the amount of teachers that Imām Mālik quotes from:

قال الغافقي: ‌عدة ‌شيوخه الذين ‌سماهم خمسة وتسعون رجلا، (شرح الزرقاني على الموطأ – 1 / 16)

The number of teachers he quotes is 95.

In Siyar A’lām an-Nubalā, ‘Allāmah Dhahabī lists the names of about 92 teachers whose names Imām Mālik emphatically mentioned. He also lists the amount of times Imām Mālik narrated from them next to their names. He writes:

وخلق سنذكرهم على المعجم، وإلى جانب كل واحد منهم ما روى عنه في (الموطأ) ، كم عدده.

وهم: إسحاق بن عبد الله بن أبي طلحة (18) ، أيوب بن أبي تميمة السختياني عالم البصرة (4) ، أيوب بن حبيب الجهني مولى سعد بن مالك (1) ، إبراهيم بن عقبة (1) ، إسماعيل بن أبي حكيم (1) ، إسماعيل بن محمد بن سعد (1) ، ثور بن زيد الديلي (3) ، جعفر بن محمد (7) ، حميد الطويل (6) ، حميد بن قيس الأعرج (2) ، خبيب بن عبد الرحمن (2) ، داود بن الحصين (4) ، داود أبو ليلى بن عبد الله في القسامة (1) ، ربيعة الرأي (5) ، زيد بن أسلم (26) ، زيد بن رباح (1) ، زياد بن سعد (1) زيد بن أبي أنيسة (1) ، سالم أبو النضر (13) ، سعيد بن أبي سعيد (4) ، سمي مولى أبي بكر (13) ، سلمة بن دينار أبو حازم (8) ، سهيل بن أبي صالح (11) ، سلمة بن صفوان الزرقي (1) ، سعد بن إسحاق (1) ، سعيد بن عمرو بن شرحبيل (1) ، شريك بن أبي نمر (1) ، صالح بن كيسان (2) ، صفوان بن سليم (2) ، صيفي مولى ابن أفلح (1) ، ضمرة بن سعيد (2) ، طلحة بن عبد الملك (1) ، عامر بن عبد الله بن الزبير (2) ، عبد الله بن الفضل (1) ، عبد الله بن عبد الله بن جابر بن عتيك (2) ، عبد الله بن أبي بكر بن حزم (18) ، عبد الله بن يزيد مولى الأسود (5) ، عبد الله بن دينار (31) ، أبو الزناد عبد الله بن ذكوان (64) ، عبد الرحمن بن القاسم (8) ، عبد الرحمن بن أبي صعصعة (3) ، عبد الله بن عبد الرحمن أبو طوالة (2) ، عبيد الله بن سليمان الأغر (1) ، عبيد الله بن عبد الرحمن (1) ، عبد الرحمن بن حرملة (1) ، عبد الرحمن بن أبي عمرة (1) ، عبد المجيد بن سهيل (1) ، عبد ربه بن سعيد (2) ، عبد الكريم الجزري (1) ، عطاء الخراساني (1) ، عمرو بن الحارث (1) ، عمرو بن أبي عمرو (1) ، عمرو بن يحيى بن عمار (3) ، علقمة بن أبي علقمة (2) ، العلاء بن عبد الرحمن (1) ، فضيل بن أبي عبد الله (1) ، قطن بن وهب (1) ، الزهري (18) ، ابن المنكدر (4) ، أبو الزبير (8) ، محمد بن عبد الرحمن يتيم عروة (4) ، محمد بن عمرو بن حلحلة (2) ، محمد بن عمارة (1) ، محمد بن أبي أمامة (1) ، محمد بن عبد الله بن أبي صعصعة (1) ، محمد بن أبي بكر الثقفي (1) ، محمد بن عمرو بن علقمة (1) ، محمد بن يحيى بن حبان (4) ، محمد بن أبي بكر بن حزم (1) ، أبو الرجال محمد (1) ، موسى بن عقبة (2) ، موسى بن ميسرة (2) ، موسى بن أبي تميم (1) ، مخرمة بن سليمان (1) ، مسلم بن أبي مريم (2) ، المسور بن رفاعة (1) ، نافع (85) ، أبو سهيل نافع بن مالك (1) ، نعيم المجمر (3) ، وهب بن كيسان (1) ، هاشم بن هاشم الوقاصي (1) ، هلال بن أبي ميمونة (1) ، هشام بن عروة (42) ، يحيى بن سعيد الأنصاري (40) ، يزيد بن خصيفة (3) ، يزيد بن أبي زياد المدني (1) ، يزيد بن عبد الله بن الهاد (3) ، يزيد بن رومان (1) ، يزيد بن عبد الله بن قسيط (1) ، يونس بن يوسف بن حماس (2) ، أبو بكر بن عمر العمري (1) ، أبو بكر بن نافع (2) )سير أعلام النبلاء – 8 / 49 – 51)

It is advisable to memorise the above names, since the Muwaṭṭā is the place where you commence memorizing. As ‘Allāma al-Kawtharī (may Allāh Ta’ālā have mercy on him) said:

وطالب الحديث إذا عني بادئ ذي بدء بمدارسة أحوال رجال الموطأ، فاحصا عن الأسانيد والمتون فيه، تدرج – عن دوق وخبرة – في مدارج معرفة الحديث والفقه في آن واحد بتوفيق الله سبحانه، فيصبح على نور من ربه في باقي بحوثه في الحديث، راقيا على مراقي الاعتلاء في العلم نافعا بعلمة منتفعا به، والله سبحانه ولي التسديد”. (التعليق الممجد على موطأ محمد – 1 / 31)

When the seeker of ḥadīth devotes himself from the very beginning in learning the narrators of the Muwaṭṭaʾ, and he scrutinizes the asānīd and texts in it, he will then gradually progress– with pleasure and experience –in knowing ḥadīth and fiqh at the same time, by the ability given by Allāh Subḥānah. He is then upon light from his Sustainer during his remaining study in ḥadīth. He rises on the stairs of ascension in knowledge while benefitting others from his knowledge, [and also] benefitting himself with it. And Allāh, the pure One, is the One who guides to the correct way.

Please note that since scholars differ on the amount of narrations in the Muwaṭṭa, other scholars claimed the Imām Mālik narrated from more teachers in the Muwaṭṭa. Some scholars mentioned that Imām Mālik narrated from as many as 110 teachers in the Muwaṭṭa. Shaykh Muṣtāfā Aẓmī counted the names on the list of other scholars and said:

وبمقارنة قائمة مشايخ مالك في الموطأ بقائمة الدارقطني وابن عبد البر والذهبي يتبين أن تعداد مشايخ مالك لا يتجاوز عن عشرة ومائة شخص (مقدمة موطأ مالك – 1 / 28)

By comparing Dar Qutni, Ibn ‘Ad al-Barr and Dhahabi’s lists of Imam Malik’s teachers in the Muwatta’, it appears that the amount does not exceed 110.

Thus, we can say that the amount of teachers that he narrated from in the Muwaṭṭa are in the range of 95 to 110.

These are the teachers that Imām Mālik quotes from in the Muwaṭṭa.

Amount of Teachers in General

Beyond the Muwaṭṭa, some scholars claim that Imām Mālik had close to a thousand teachers. Imām Nawawī quotes from Abūl Qāsim ad-Dawlaqī that he said:

‌أخذ ‌مالك ‌على ‌تسعمائة شيخ، منهم ثلاثمائة من التابعين، وستمائة من تابيعهم ممن اختاره، وارتضى دينه، وفقهه، وقيامه بحق الرواية وشروطها. (تهذيب الأسماء واللغات – 2 / 78)

Imam Malik took from 900 teachers. Of these, 300 were tabi’in, and 600 from those  whom he selected from those who followed them; he was pleased with their religion, jurisprudence and establishing the rights and conditions of narrating (ahadith).

If we consider this amount, it will mean that Imām Mālik narrated from +- 10.5 – 12 % of his teachers in the Muwaṭṭa.

Objection

Shaykh Muṣṭafā ‘Azmī doubts the accuracy of this and says:

وهذا كلام لا يمت إلى العلم بصلة، لم يسافر الإمام مالك رحمه الله خارج المدينة إلا إلى مكة في موسم الحج، وإذا جمعنا مشاهير العلماء في ذلك الوقت في هذين البلدين لا يصل الرقم إلى هذا العدد، وعلينا أن لا نغفل شروط الإمام مالك، وتحريه في الرواية عن الأشخاص. (مقدمة موطأ مالك – 1 / 26)

He lists the names of the teachers of Imām Mālik and then says that the maximum amount of teachers of the Muwaṭṭa are 110:

وبمقارنة قائمة مشايخ مالك في الموطأ بقائمة الدارقطني وابن عبد البر والذهبي يتبين أن تعداد مشايخ مالك لا يتجاوز عن عشرة ومائة شخص، إلا أن هؤلاء يذكرون مشايخ مالك في الموطأ فقط (مقدمة موطأ مالك – 1 / 28)

By comparing Dar Qutni, Ibn ‘Ad al-Barr and Dhahabi’s lists of Imam Malik’s teachers in the Muwatta’, it appears that the amount does not exceed 110, except that these people only mention Imam Malik’s teachers in the Muwatta.

He admits that Imām Mālik did not quote from all his teachers in the Muwaṭṭa, but he argues that Imām Mālik remained in Madīnah, and only went for Ḥajj. The number of scholars in Makkah and Madīnah do not come close to 900. Add to that the fact that Imām Mālik was very specific and selective on who he narrated from; it becomes really farfetched that he would narrate from so many people.

ومما لا ريب فيه، أن هذه القائمة لا تستوعب كافة مشايخ مالك، لأن مالكا رحمه الله تحمل علما كثيرا، وقد روى منه شيئا يسيرا. فمن تركهم من مشايخه ولم يرو عنهم لا نعرف عنهم شيئا، على كل يستبعد أن من تركهم من مشايخه من المدينة يصل عددهم تسعة أضعاف. (مقدمة موطأ مالك – 1 / 28)

Response

What Shaykh Muṣṭafā Azmī forgot to consider is that scholars from other lands would all come to Madīnah to visit the Prophet (ṣallAllāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam). Likewise, during Ḥajj he would meet numerous scholars from all parts of the world. Thus, it is not far-fetched to believe that he had above 900 teachers.

The Next Link

The link above the teacher of Imām Mālik is generally a Tābi’ī. Regarding them, ‘Allāmah Ghāfiqī says:

ومن التابعين ثمانية وأربعون رجلا (شرح الزرقاني على الموطأ – 1 / 16)

He explains that whilst many of them were from Madīnah, there were a few exceptions:

كلهم مدنيون إلا ستة: أبو الزبير المكي، وحميد وأيوب البصريان، وعطاء الخراساني، وعبد الكريم الجزري، وإبراهيم بن أبي عيلة الشامي. (شرح الزرقاني على الموطأ – 1 / 16)

The Link of the Companions

As for link of the companions, ‘Allāmah Ghāfiqī says:

وعدة صحابته خمسة وثمانون رجلا، ومن نسائهم ثلاث وعشرون امرأة . (شرح الزرقاني على الموطأ – 1 / 16)

Companions Out of Madīnah

Imām Mālik (may Allāh Ta’ālā have mercy on him) narrated very few narrations from companions who migrated from Madīnah, like ‘Alī ibn Abī Ṭālib and ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Abbās (may Allāh Ta’ālā be pleased with them both). When Hārūn ar-Rashīd asked him the reason, he responded:

لم يكونا ببلدي ولم ألق رجالهما (تسهيل دراية الموطأ – ص: 35)

“The two of them were not from my city, and I did not meet them.” (Tashīl Dirāyah al-Muwaṭṭa – 35)

Despite that, he still narrated a few narrations from them.

Overview on the chains of the Muwaṭṭa

Shāh Walīullah ad-Dehlawī (may Allāh Ta’ālā have mercy on him) noticed that most of the chains in the Muwaṭṭa are repeated. Thus, a person needs to memorize these chains once, and he will automatically know the Asānīd of many narrations of the Muwaṭṭā. His findings are presented hereunder:

Oft-repeated Chains of Marfū’ Narrations

Imām Mālik continuously transmits Marfū’ narrations with the following chains, based on the Ṣaḥābī:

1. Ibn ‘Umar (may Allāh Ta’ālā be pleased with him)

Most often Imām Mālik (may Allāh Ta’ālā have mercy on him) narrates via Nāfi’ from Ibn ‘Umar, or via ‘Abdullāh ibn Dīnār from Ibn ‘Umar. At times the chain continues with Ibn ‘Umar narrating from ‘Umar (may Allāh Ta’ālā have mercy on him both).

2. ‘Āishah (may Allāh Ta’ālā be pleased with her)

Most often Imām Mālik (may Allāh Ta’ālā have mercy on him) narrates via Ibn Shihāb, who narrates either from ‘Urwah or from Qāsim, and they narrate from ‘Ā’ishah.

He also narrates from her via the following chains:

• Hishām ibn ‘Urwah → ‘Urwah → ‘Āishah

• ‘Abdur Raḥmān ibn Qāsim → Qāsim → ‘Āishah

• Yaḥyā ibn Sa’īd → ‘Amrah → ‘Āishah

• Abī ar-Rijāl → ‘Amrah → ‘Āishah

3. Abū Hurayrah (may Allāh Ta’ālā be pleased with him)

Most often Imām Mālik (may Allāh Ta’ālā have mercy on him) narrates from Abū Hurayrah (may Allāh Ta’ālā be pleased with him) via Abū az-Zinād, who narrates from A’raj, who narrates from Abū Hurayrah.

He also narrates via ‘Alā ibn ‘Abdir Raḥmān, who narrates from his father, who narrates from Abū Hurayrah.

Imām Mālik (may Allāh Ta’ālā have mercy on him) also narrates via him with the following chains:

• Ibn Shihāb → Sa’īd ibn al-Musayyab → Abū Hurayrah

• Ibn Shihāb → Abū Salamah → Abū Hurayrah

• Ibn Shihāb → Abū Bakr ibn ‘Abd ar-Raḥmān → Abū Hurayrah

• Yaḥyā ibn Sa’īd → Sa’īd ibn al-Musayyab → Abū Hurayrah

• Suhayl ibn Abī Ṣāliḥ → Abū Ṣāliḥ → Abū Hurayrah

• Sumay (Mawlā Ai Bakr) → Abī Ṣāliḥ→ Abū Hurayrah

• Sa’īd ibn Abī Sa’īd → Abū Sa’īd → Abū Hurayrah

4. Anas (may Allāh Ta’ālā be pleased with him)

Most often Imām Mālik (may Allāh Ta’ālā have mercy on him) narrates from him via one of five teachers:

• Ibn Shihāb,

• or Rabi’ah ibn ‘Abd ar-Raḥmān,

• or Ishāq ibn ‘Abdillāh ibn Abī Ṭalḥah,

• or Ḥumayd,

• or ‘Abdullāh ibn Abī Bakr.

5. Jābir (may Allāh Ta’ālā be pleased with him)

Most often Imām Mālik (may Allāh Ta’ālā have mercy on him) narrates from three teachers who narrate directly from Jābir:

• Abī ‘z-Zubayr

• Wahb ibn Kaysān

• Muḥammad ibn al-Munkadir

Imām Mālik (may Allāh Ta’ālā have mercy on him) also narrates via Ja’far ibn Muḥammad who narrates from his father, who narrates from Jābir.

6. Abū Sa’īd al-Khudrī (may Allāh Ta’ālā have mercy on him)

Most often Imām Mālik (may Allāh Ta’ālā have mercy on him) narrates from him via:

• ‘Umar ibn Yaḥyā al-Māzinī → from his father → from Abū  Sa’īd,

• Muḥammad ibn Yaḥyā ibn Ḥibbān → Abū Sa’īd.

7. Sahl ibn Sa’d (may Allāh Ta’ālā have mercy on him)

Most often Imām Mālik (may Allāh Ta’ālā have mercy on him) narrates from him via Abū Ḥāzim, who narrates from Sahl ibn Sa’ḍ.

After mentioning the chains of these seven Sahabah, Shāh Waliyy Allāh concludes by saying:

أخرج مالك بهذه الأسانيد قريبا من خمسمأة حديث ، وتلك الأحاديث أصح الأحاديث وأقواها في مشارق الأرض ومغاربها (تسهيل دراية الموطأ – ص: 34)

“Mālik extracted with these chains approximately five hundred narrations, and these narrations are the most authentic of narrations and the strongest in the west as well as the east.” (Tashīl Dirāyah al-Muwaṭṭa- 34)

Popular Chains that are Mursal

Shāh Waliullāh mentions that most of the Mursal chains that are Marfū’ are transmitted via Ibn Shihāb az-Zuhrī; who in turn narrates from the seven Fuqahā. The seven Fuqahā are:

1. Sa’īd ibn al-Musayyab

2. ‘Urwah ibn az-Zubayr

3. Qāsim ibn Muḥammad ibn Abī Bakr aṣ-Ṣiddīq

4. Khārijah ibn Zayd ibn Thābit

5. ‘Ubaydullāh ibn Abdullāh ibn ‘Utbah ibn Mas’ūd

6. Sulaymān ibn Yasār

7. Either Abū Bakr ibn Ḥārith, or Sālim ibn ‘Abdullāh or Abū Salamah ibn ‘Abdir Raḥmān ibn ‘Awf.

He writes:

وأما الأحاديث المرفوعة المرسلة فشيوخ مالك فيها كثيرة وأجلهم ابن شهاب عن الفقهاء السبعة عن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم (تسهيل دراية الموطأ – ص: 35)

“As for the Marfūʾ Mursal narrations, then the Shuyūkh of Mālik are many in this regard. The most lofty of them is Ibn Shihāb via the Seven Fuqahā on that authority of the Prophet ﷺ.” (Tashīl Dirāyah al-Muwaṭṭa – 35)

Common Chains for the Statements of Ṣaḥābah

STATEMENTS OF ‘UMAR

Imām Mālik commonly narrates the statements and verdicts of ‘Umar (may Allāh Ta’ālā have mercy on him) with the following chains:

Mālik → Nāfi’ → Ibn ‘Umar → ‘Umar

Mālik → Zayd ibn Aslam → His father, Aslam → ‘Umar

Mālik → Zayd ibn Aslam → ‘Umar

Mālik → Nāfi’ → Aslam → ‘Umar

Mālik → Yaḥyā ibn Sa’īd → Sa’īd ibn al-Musayyab → ‘Umar

Mālik → Yaḥyā ibn Sa’īd → ‘Umar

Mālik → Ishāq ibn ‘Abdillāh → Anas → ‘Umar

STATEMENTS OF IBN ‘UMAR

Imām Mālik (may Allāh Ta’ālā have mercy on him) commonly narrates the statements and verdicts of Ibn ‘Umar (may Allāh Ta’ālā have mercy on him) with the following chains:

Mālik → Nāfi’ → Ibn ‘Umar

Mālik → ‘Abdullāh ibn Dīnar → Ibn ‘Umar.

STATEMENTS OF ‘ĀISHAH

The statements and verdicts of ‘Āishah (may Allāh Ta’ālā have mercy on her) are often quoted with the following chains:

Mālik → Hishām → ‘Urwah → ‘Āishah

Mālik → Yaḥyā ibn Sa’īd → ‘Amrah → ‘Āishah

Common Chains for the Statements of Tābi’īn

The following are some popular chains which Imām Mālik uses to narrate the statements of the Tābi’īn:

Mālik → Ibn Shihāb → Sa’īd ibn al-Musayyab

Mālik → Yaḥyā ibn Sa’īd → Sa’īd ibn al-Musayyab

Mālik → Ibn Shihāb → Sālim

Mālik → Ibn Shihāb → Abū Bakr

Mālik → Zayd ibn Aslam → ‘Aṭā ibn Yasār

Mālik → ‘Abdur Raḥmān ibn al-Qāsim → Qāsim

Mālik → Yaḥyā ibn Sa’īd → Abī Salamah

Other Narrations

Shāh Walīullāh (may Allāh Ta’ālā have mercy on him) writes:

وللإمام مالك شيوخ غير هؤلاء الذين ذكرناهم لكنهم قليلوا الرواية وجل رواياتهم ليست إلا حكاية بضعة أو بضعة عشرة قولا من التابعين أو مثل ذلك من روايات التابعين (تسهيل دراية الموطأ – ص: 36)

“Imām Mālik also has other Shuyūkh besides these whom we have mentioned, but they are few in narration and most of their narrations are a few sayings of the Tābiʿūn, or similar to the narrations of the Tābiʿūn.” (Tashīl Dirāyat al-Muwaṭṭa – 36)

Narrations with Aṣaḥḥ al-Asānīd

Shaykh Muḥammad ibn ‘Alawī al-Mālikī counted the amount of narrations in the Muwaṭṭa that have been described by previous scholars as Aṣaḥḥ al-Asānīd. He listed the following chains with the amount of times that they appear in the Muwaṭṭa:

Mālik → Nāfi’ → Ibn ‘Umar = 65 chains like these in the Muwaṭṭa

Mālik → Abi az-Zīnād → A’raj → Abī Hurayrah = 55 chains like these in the Muwaṭṭa

Mālik → Zuhrī → Sālim ibn ‘Abdillāh ibn ‘Umar → his father (‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Umar) = 10 times

Mālik → Zuhrī → ibn al-Musayyab → Abī Hurayrah = 7 times

Mālik → Zuhrī → ‘Urwah ibn az-Zubayr → ‘Āishah = 12 narrations

Mālik → Zuhrī → Anas = 5 narrations (Faḍl al-Muwaṭṭa – 165)

Defining Narrators Whose Names Imām Mālik did not Clearly Mention

We quoted previously that Aḥmad ibn ‘Abdillah tried to pinpoint who Imām Mālik intended when he left out the link and quotes directly from the Ṣahābī:

قال: وما أرسله فيه عن ابن مسعود، فرواه عبد الله بن إديس الأودي وما أرسله عن غيره فعن ابن مهدي.

قال الدراوردي إذ قال مالك على هذا فأدركت أهل العلم ببلدنا والأمر عندنا فإنه يريد ربيعة وابن هرمز. (ترتيب المدارك وتقريب المسالك – 1 / 103)

“He says, “When he quotes directly from Ibn Masʿūd, then the missing link is ʿAbdullāh bin Idrīs al-Awdī, and when he quotes directly from any other companion then the link is Ibn Mahdī.”

Darāwardī mentions: “When Mālik says ‘I found the scholars of our city practicing on such’ and ‘the matter is such according to us’, then he refers to Rabīʾah and Ibn Hurmuz.” (Tartīb al-Madārik – 1 / 103)

Ibn Abī Ḥātim (may Allāh Ta’ālā be pleased with him) narrates from his father that he said:

سألت إسماعيل بن أبي أويس، قلت: هذا الذي يقول مالك بن أنس: حدثني الثقة، من هو؟ قال: هو ‌مخرمة بن ‌بكير بن الأشج (الجرح والتعديل – 1 / 22 و 8/ 363)

“I asked Ismāʿīl bin Abī Uways, “When Mālik says ‘A thiqah (reliable narrator) informed me’ then who is he referring to?” He replied, “It is Makhramah bin Bukayr bin al-Ashajj.” (Al-Jarḥ wat-Taʾdīl – 1 / 22 and 8 / 363)

The same has been quoted from Yaḥyā ibn Ma’īn (may Allāh Ta’ālā have mercy on him):

وسئل يحيى بن معين إن مالكا يقول حدثني الثقة فمن هو قال ‌مخرمة ابن ‌بكير قيل له لم قل حديث مالك؟ قال لكثرة تمييزه. النكت على (نكت الزركشي – 3 / 367)

“Yaḥyā bin Maʿīn was asked about the person whom Imām Mālik says regarding him, ‘A reliable narrator informed me’, to which he replied, “He refers to Makhramah bin Bukayr.” It was then said to him, “Why are the Aḥādīth of Mālik reduced?” He replied, “Because he would often distinguish narrations.” (Nukat az-Zarkashī – 3 / 367)

However, ‘Allāmah as-Suyūṭī (may Allāḥ Ta’ālā have mercy on him) explained that it depends on the teacher of that ambiguous person who has been described as Thiqah. He writes:

الثانية: قال ابن عبد البر: إذا قال مالك: عن الثقة، عن ‌بكير بن عبد الله الأشج، فالثقة مخرمة بن ‌بكير.

وإذا قال: عن الثقة، عن عمرو بن شعيب، فهو عبد الله بن وهب، وقيل: الزهري.

وقال النسائي: الذي يقول مالك في كتابه: ” الثقة، عن ‌بكير ” يشبه أن يكون عمرو بن الحارث.

وقال غيره: قال ابن وهب: كل ما في كتاب مالك، أخبرني من لا أتهم من أهل العلم، فهو الليث بن سعد. (تدريب الراوي – 1 / 367)

“The second: Ibn ʿAbd al-Barr says: When Mālik says, ‘Via a Thiqah (reliable narrator), on the authority of Bukayr bin ʿAbdillāh al-Ashajj’, then ‘Thiqah’ refers to Makhramah bin Bukayr.

When he says, ‘From a Thiqah narrator, relating from ʿAmr bin Shuʿayb’, then he refers to ʿAbdullāh bin Wahb, and another opinion is that he refers to Zuhrī.”

Nasā’ī mentions, ‘‘When Mālik says in his Book ‘From a reliable narrator via Bukayr’, then he most likely refers to ʿAmr bin al-Ḥārith.”

Others have said, “Whenever Mālik uses the expression ‘One who I do not criticise has informed me’ in his Book, then he refers to Layth bin Saʾd.” (Tadrīb ar-Rāwī – 1 / 367)

He then says:

وقال: ابن حجر في رجال الأربعة: إذا قال مالك: عن الثقة، عن عمرو بن شعيب فقيل: هو عمرو بن الحارث، أو ابن لهيعة.

وعن الثقة، عن بكير بن الأشج قيل: هو مخرمة بن بكير.

وعن الثقة، عن ابن عمر، هو نافع، كما في موطأ ابن القاسم.

وإذا قال الشافعي:، عن الثقة، عن ليث بن سعد، قال الربيع: هو يحيى بن حسان.

وعن الثقة، عن أسامة بن زيد، هو إبراهيم بن يحيى.

وعن الثقة، عن حميد، هو ابن علية.

وعن الثقة، عن معمر، هو مطرف بن مازن.

وعن الثقة، عن الوليد بن كثير، هو أبو أسامة.

وعن الثقة، عن يحيى بن أبي كثير، لعله ابنه عبد الله بن يحيى.

وعن الثقة، عن يونس بن عبيد، عن الحسن، هو ابن علية.

وعن الثقة، عن الزهري، هو سفيان بن عيينة. انتهى. (تدريب الراوي – 1 / 367)

“Ibn Ḥajar says regarding four narrators: “If Imām Mālik says ‘from a thiqah (reliable narrator), on the authority of ʿAmr Ibn Shuʿayb, then it is said that it is ʿAmr bin al-Ḥārith or Ibn Lahīʿah.

If he says ‘from a reliable narrator from Bukayr Ibn al-Ashajj, then it is said that it refers to Makhramah Ibn Bukayr.

‘From a Thiqah, via Ibn ʿUmar’ then he refers to Nāfiʾ, like how it is mentioned in the transmission of the Muwaṭṭa of Ibn al-Qāsim.

If he says, “From Ash-Shāfiʾī, narrating from a Thiqah from Layth ibn Saʾd, Rabīʾ says that it then refers to Yaḥyā bin Ḥassān.

‘From a Thiqah narrator narrating on the authority of Usāmah bin Zayd’, then he refers to Ibrāhīm bin Yaḥyā,

‘Narrating from a reliable narrator via Ḥumayd’, referring to Ibn ʿAliyyah.

‘Via a Thiqah narrator, from Maʾmar’, this then refers to Muṭarrif ibn Māzin.

‘From a reliable narrator transmitting on the authority of Al-Walīd ibn Kathīr,’ here he refers to Abū Usāmah.

‘Narrating from a Thiqah via Yaḥyā bin Abī Kathīr,’ then perhaps he refers to his son, ʿAbdullāh bin Yaḥyā.

‘From a Thiqah narrator from Yunus bin ʿUbayd from Ḥasan, he refers to Inn ʿAliyyah.

‘Via a Thiqah narrator from Zuhrī’, this refers to Sufyān bin ʿUyaynah.” (Tadrīb ar-Rāwī – 1 / 367)

Amount of Narrations In The Muwaṭṭa

We explained how the initial Muwaṭṭa had 10,000 narrations. Imām Mālik (may Allāh Ta’ālā have mercy on him) would edit it every year until a small percentage remained.

We will now discuss the amount of narrations that remained after the life of Imām Mālik and have been transmitted up to our time.

The first point to note is that scholars differ on the amount of Aḥādīth in the Muwaṭṭa. The reason for this is that scholars would differ in how to count it. Some of those who count will confine themselves only to the Marfu’ narrations.

Others will also count the statements of Ṣahabā and Tābi’īn as separate narrations. There are those who will consider each and every statement as a separate narration, even if it is the statement of Imām Mālik himself. This causes a huge discrepancy!

Shaykh Muḥammad ibn al-‘Alawī (may Allāh Ta’ālā have mercy on him) explains two reasons for the different amounts:

وهذا الاختلاف بينهم في عدد احاديث الموطأ يرجع إلى أمرين:

الأول – اختلاف الروايات بالزيادة والنقص (فضل الموطأ – ص: 37)

“These differences amongst them regarding the amount of narrations of Muwaṭṭa are due to two reasons:

• The differences of the transmission, with some (students relating the Muwaṭṭa) with additions, (whilst others transmitted the Muwaṭṭa) with less.”

And he explains the second reason:

الثاني – اختلاف نظر العلماء في نوع المعدود التي يعتبرونه في التعداد. فبعضهم يقتصر على المسند – المتصل المرفوع – وبعضهم يدخل الموقوف والمقطوع إذا كان متصلا – ويعضهم يدخل المرسل والمنقطع ، وبعضهم يدخل الأثار والبلاغات وأقوال الفقهاء. هذا ما أراه. والله أعلم (فضل الموطأ – ص: 37)

• The difference on the opinion of scholars on what to consider when counting. Some would suffice with only the Musnad (what reaches to the Prophet with a unbroken chain). Others added Mawqūf and Maqṭu’ narrations if their chains are fully linked. Some added to the count the Mursal and Munqaṭi’ narrations. Others added the Āthār, Balāghāt and statements of the Fuqahā. This is how I see it, and Allāḥ knows best.” (Faḍl al-Muwaṭṭā, page 37)

Also, in the different recensions, there are different amounts

We will only speak about the recension of Yahyā al-Laythī:

1) Count of Qāḍī ‘Iyāḍ

Qāḍi ‘Iyāḍh (may Allāh Ta’ālā have mercy on him) mentioned that there are a thousand odd narrations in the transmission of Yahyā al-Laythī.

فمات وهي ألف حديث ونيف يلخصها عاماً عاماً بقدر ما يرى أنه أصلح للمسلمين وأمثل في الدين. (ترتيب المدارك وتقريب المسالك – 1 / 60)

“He (Imām Mālik) passed away and there were a thousand odd narrations. He would condense it every year according to how he found it most beneficial for the Muslims and in the best interest of the religion.” (Tartīb al-Madārik, 1 / 60)

2) Count of Abhurī

‘Allāmah Zarkashī (may Allāh Ta’ālā have mercy on him) quoted in his Nukat on Muqaddimah Ibn aṣ-Ṣalāḥ:

وأما ‌الموطأ فقال أبو بكر ‌الأبهري ‌جملة ما فيه من الآثار عن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم وعن الصحابة والتابعين ألف وسبعمائة وعشرون حديثا المسند منها ستمائة حديث والمرسل مائتان واثنان وعشرون حديثا والموقوف ستمائة وثلاثة عشر ومن قول التابعين مائتان وخمسة وثمانون. (النكت على مقدمة ابن الصلاح للزركشي – 1/ 192)

“As for the Muwaṭṭa, Abū Bakr al-Abhari mentioned, ‘The total amount of narrations from the Prophet ﷺ and the companions and the Successors is one thousand seven hundred and twenty narrations. The Musnad from them is six hundred, the Mursal narrations are and two hundred and twenty-two, the Mawqūf are six hundred and thirteen and two hundred and eighty-five sayings of the Successors.” (Nukat of Zarkashī, 1/ 192)

If one were to do the sums and work out the calculations, these amounts that ‘Allāmah Zarkashī (may Allāh Ta’ālā have mercy on him) quoted will be accurate.

However, other scholars have quoted figures which will not add up. For example, in the Dār al-Kutub al-‘Ilmiyyah print of al-Musawwā, Shāh Waliyy Allāh (may Allāh Ta’ālā have mercy on him) quoted:

قال أبو بكر الأبهري: جملة ما في الموطأ من الأحاديث المرفوعة والأثار الموقوفة والمقطوعة ألف وسبعمأة وعشرون حديثا. المسند منها ستمائة حديث ، والمرسل مائتان واثنان وعشرون ، والموقوف ستمائة وسبعة عشر ، ومن أقوال التابعين مائتين وخمسة وسبعون. (تسهيل دراية الموطأ – ص: 27)

“Abū Bakr al-Abhuri mentioned, “The total number of Marfūʾ Aḥādīth and Mawqūf narrations as well as Maqṭūʾ Āthār adds up to one thousand seven hundred and twenty narrations. Six hundred narrations are Musnad, and two hundred and twenty-two are Mursal, six hundred and seventeen are Mawqūf and two hundred and seventy-five sayings of the Tābiʿūn.” (Tashīl Dirāyah al-Muwaṭṭa – 27)

If we consider these amounts, the total is only 1714. It will be a discrepancy of six narrations in making up the 1720 total!

In the Dār ar-Rashād copy of ‘Allāmah Suyūṭī (may Allāh Ta’ālā have mercy on him), the text of Abharī (may Allāh Ta’ālā have mercy on him), is quoted as follows:

– قال أبو بكر الأبهري :جملة ما روي في الموطأ عن النبي – صلى الله عليه وسلم – وعن الصحابة والتابعين ألف وسبعمائة وعشرون حديثا ، والموقوف ستمائة وثلاثة عشر ، ومن التابعين مائتان وخمسة وثلاثون (تزيين الممالك بمناقب الإمام مالك – ص: 97)

“Abū Bakr al-Abhari mentioned, “The total number of narrations transmitted in the Muwaṭṭa from the Prophet ﷺ as well as Companions and Successors adds up to one thousand seven hundred and twenty narrations. Six hundred and thirteen narrations are Mawqūf, and two hundred and thirty-five are from the Successors.”

The total differs by a whopping 872 narrations. It is obvious that there is a missing portion from the quotation. This is proven from his other book: Al-Baḥr alladhī Dhakhar. In Al-Baḥr alladḥī Dhakhar, one manuscript has it in the same way as quoted in Tazyīn al-Mamālik, but the editor added the missing text from the other manuscripts that he was using. He typed it out as follows:

وقال أبو بكر ‌الأبهري: “‌جملة ما في ‌الموطأ من الآثار عن النبي صلى اللَّه عليه وسلم وعن الصحابة والتابعين ألف وسبعمائة وعشرون حديثًا، [المسند منها ستمائة حديث، والمرسل مائتان واثنان وعشرون حديثًا] والموقوف ستمائة وثلاثة عشر، ومن قول التابعين مائتان وخمسة وثمانون. (البحر الذي زخر في شرح ألفية الأثر – 2 / 794)

“Abū Bakr al-Abhari mentioned, “The total number of narrations transmitted in the Muwaṭṭa from the Prophet ﷺ as well as Companions and Successors adds up to one thousand seven hundred and twenty narrations. The Musnad from them is six hundred, the Mursal narrations are and two hundred and twenty-two, the Mawqūf are six hundred and thirteen and two hundred and eighty-five sayings of the Successors.” (Al-Baḥr alladhī Dhakhar, 2 / 794)

This conforms with what ‘Allāmah Zarkashī mentioned.

3) Count of Ibn Ḥazm

‘Allāmah Suyūṭī then quotes:

-وقال ابن حزم في كتاب مراتب الديانة :أحصيت ما في الموطأ فوجدت فيه من المسند خمسمائة ونيف, وفيه ثلاثمائة ونيف مرسلا (تزيين الممالك بمناقب الإمام مالك – ص: 97)

Ibn Ḥazm said in the book Marātib ad-Diyānah, ‘I counted the contents of the Muwaṭṭa, I found approximately five hundred Musnad narrations and around three hundred Mursal marrations. ” (Tazyīn al-Mamālik, page 97)

4) Count of Dār Quṭnī

Shaykh Muḥammad ibn al-‘Alawī (may Allāh Ta’ālā have mercy on him) writes:

فأما الدارقطني فقد ذكر في كتابه ستمائة وثلاثين حديثا المتفق عليه منها بين الرواة عن مالك خمسمائة و خمسة وستون حديثا ، والمختلف فيه أحد وسبعون حديثا. وذكر ستة أحاديث لمالك عن شيوخ لم يسمهم. (فضل الموطأ – ص: 35)

“Hereunder follows the statements of scholars regarding the amount of narrations of the Muwaṭṭa. I have come across some books which deal with enumerating the amount of narrations in the Muwaṭṭa. For example, the book DārQuṭnī, Ghāfiqi, Qābisī and Dāni. As for DārQuṭnī, he claims in his book that there are a total 630 narrations. All the transmitters of the Muwaṭṭa agreed on 565 narrations. They differ on 71 narrations. Imām Mālik narrates six narrations from teachers whose names he did not explicitly mention.” (Faḍl al-Muwaṭṭa, 35)

5) Count of Dānī

Shaykh Muḥammad ibn al-‘Alawī (may Allāh Ta’ālā have mercy on him) mentions the amount of narrations that Dānī quoted:

وأما الداني فإنه أوصل أحاديث الموطأ – في كتابه – برواية يحيي فقط – إلى ستمائة حديث عن مائة من الصحابة رجالا ونساء رصي الله عنهم (فضل الموطأ – ص: 36)

“As for Dānī, he took the narrations of the Muwaṭṭa, in his book; which is only on the transmission of Yaḥya, to 600 narrations, transmitted from a hundred male and female companions. May Allāh be pleased with them all.” (Faḍl al-Muwaṭṭa, 36)

Shaykh Muḥammad ibn al-‘Alawī (may Allāh Ta’ālā have mercy on him) writes:

هذا كلام العلماء عن تعداد أحاديث الموطأ. وقد وقفت على بعض الكتب التي اهتمت بحصر أحاديث الموطأ ، ككتاب الدارقطني والغافقي والقابسي والداني. (فضل الموطأ – ص: 35)

In the prints that we have, the editors have numbered the narrations. The following are the numbers from a few famous prints:

• Moroccan print: 2815

• Maknaz print: 1859

• Muassah Zayid print (Muṣtafā Azmi): 3676

Besides these, Shaykh Khalīl Shīḥā numbered the Ahādīth and it reached 1942 narrations. That includes the Mawqūf reports.

 

May Allāh Taʿālā have mercy on them all.

سبحانك اللهم وبحمدك ، أشهد أن لا إله إلا أنت ، أستغفرك وأتوب إليك