And with this same chain: Ibrāhīm narrated to us; al-Sarrāj narrated to us; al-Ḥasan ibn ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz narrated to us; al-Ḥārith ibn Miskīn narrated to us, from Ibn Wahb, who said:

Someone asked Mālik, “What do you say about seeking knowledge?”
He replied, “It is good, it is beautiful; but look to what is obligatory for you from the moment you rise in the morning until you retire at night, and hold fast to that.” (1)

Using this same chain, from Ibn Wahb: Mālik was asked about a supplicant who says, yā sayyidī (O my master). He answered, “I prefer the supplication of the prophets: rabbana, rabbana (Our Lord, Our Lord).” (2)

And with this chain: Aḥmad ibn Jaʿfar ibn Salm narrated to us; al-Abbār narrated to us; Aḥmad ibn Hāshim narrated to us; Ḍamrah narrated to us:

I heard Mālik say, “Were I to have power over the person who interprets the Qur’an, I would strike his head.” (3)

I—meaning the author—say: that is, interpreting it according to his own opinion. The same report from Mālik also comes through another route.

And with this chain: Muḥammad ibn Aḥmad ibn al-Ḥasan narrated to us; Abū Ismāʿīl al-Tirmidhī narrated to us; Nuʿaym ibn Ḥammād narrated to us; he said: I heard Ibn al-Mubārak say:

“I have never seen anyone rise in stature the way Mālik did. He was not known for abundant voluntary prayer or fasting; perhaps he possessed an inner secret.” (4)

I say: The knowledge he possessed and disseminated is superior—for whoever seeks the pleasure of Allah—to supererogatory fasting and prayer.

And with this chain: Sulaymān ibn Aḥmad narrated to us; al-Miqdād ibn Dāwūd narrated to us; ʿAbd Allāh