Mālik ibn Anas ibn Mālik ibn Abī 'Āmir al-Asbahī (
Arabic: مالك بن أنس; 711–795 CE / 93–179
AH) is known as "Imam Malik," the "
Sheikh of Islam", the "Proof of the Community," and "Imam of the Abode of Emigration." He was one of the most highly respected scholars of
fiqh in
Sunni Islam.
Shafi`i, who was one of Malik's students for nine years and a scholarly giant in his own right, stated, "when scholars are mentioned, Malik is the star." The
Maliki Madhab/
rite, named after Malik, is one of the four schools of jurisprudence that are followed by Sunni
Muslims to this day. Imam Malik was a student of Imam Abu Hanifa and Imam
Ja'far al-Sadiq.