Lote Tree Foundation

Imām adh-Dhahabī said: He is the eminent exegete and jurist, the role-model, and the highly-esteemed scholar of North Africa, Abu Muhammad 'Abdullah ibn Abī Zayd al-Qayrawanī’ al-Mālikī.'

He was born in the city of Al-Qayrawān (in present day Tunisia) in the year 310AH.

He sought knowledge since he was a child whereby he later become known as the head of knowledge and possessed authority in this life, as Imām al-QāḍīʿIyāḍ said. Students of knowledge travelled tohim from all regions just to learn from his knowledge and so his followers were numerous. His close students excelled in knowledge.

His superb scholarship in the Mālikī Madhhab could be noted through his authored books that are circulated everywhere, causing him to be known as the "Young Mālik", meaning, he is the other version of Imām Mālik.

In writing his famous text, the Shaykh said:

"You have asked me to write a short treatise for you about what is obligatory in the religion - those things which should be pronounced by the tongue and believed by the heart and done by the limbs, as well as to include therein the acts of Sunnah related to the religious obligations - the confirmed (mu'akkadah), the optional (nāfilah) and the desirable (rāghibah), and to mention some of the morals and etiquettes related to these. Moreover, you asked me to mention some key principles and derived judgements in jurisprudence (fiqh) according to the madhhab and way of Imām Mālik ibn Anas (may Allāh have mercy on him). And to add some explanatory comments taken from the scholars well-versed in jurisprudence, and those who are learned in exegesis. You explained that your reason for asking me to compose this treatise is the desire to teach these things to children the same way you to teach them the letters of the Qur’ān; so that their hearts acquire a sound understanding of Allāh’s religion and law at an early age - to relish it’s blessing and bask in its grace.

Having considered that, I decided to comply with your request out of the same hope of gaining for both myself and you of the reward promised to whoever teaches the religion of Allāh or calls to it."

For this introductory course, we will use this PDF copy.