IMAM MALIK BIN DINAR AND THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ASCETICISM PRACTITIONERS AND THE NARRATION OF ḤADITH

Abstract

Imam Malik ibn Dinar is recognized as a pioneering figure of asceticism during the era of the al-Tabi'ūn (the generation that followed the Prophet's Companions). He adopted a unique approach towards al-zuhd (asceticism), personal conduct, and spiritual purification (tazkiyah al-nafs), which dominated his overall attributes. This research aims to provide an in-depth documentation of Imam Malik ibn Dinar, elucidating his life, academic contributions, and his role in the Ḥadith tradition (the compilation of Prophet Muhammad's sayings and deeds). Moreover, the research seeks to discern the connection between the zuhhād (ascetics) and the narration and verification of the Ḥadith. The methodology used in this study is both historical and inductive, examining the life of the ascetic Malik ibn Dinar, and his scholarly status and contributions to the field of Ḥadith. The research concluded with several key findings; Imam Malik ibn Dinar was an esteemed, truthful, and ascetic Imam within the al-Tabi'ūn. He demonstrated caution in the isnād (attribution) and riwāyah (narration) of Hadith, and his Hadiths are of a high standard. Any false Hadiths attributed to him were not due to his doing but were the result of unreliable narrators who reported from him.