Did Imam Malik Make Ta’wil of Allah’s Descent?

Below is a translation of a section from the article, Ma Qeela fi Ta’weel Al-Imam Malik li-Hadeeth Al-Nuzul, published by Salaf Center.

Text of the Narration Attributed to Imam Malik:

This narration, which they cling to in attributing ta’wil to Imam Malik, comes through two chains:

1. From Ḥabīb ibn Abī Ḥabīb, who said: “Mālik told me: ‘Our Lord, Blessed, and Exalted, descends: His command descends, but as for Him, He is ever-present and does not move.’”[1]

2. From Jāmi‘ ibn Sawādah, who said: “Muṭarrif narrated to us from Mālik ibn Anas, who was asked about the hadith: ‘Indeed, Allah descends at night to the lowest heaven.’ Mālik said: ‘His command descends.’”[2]

Before attributing this statement to Imam Malik, it is necessary to examine the status of these two narrations. This is per the principle, “Establish the foundation before engraving,” meaning no statement should be attributed to anyone until this attribution is tested through three stages in order:

1. Establishing this statement from him with an authentic chain of narration.

2. Once established, it should be discussed in terms of understanding and comprehension.

3. If understanding it becomes difficult, the ambiguous parts of his speech should be examined in light of the unequivocal parts.

First: Examination of the Narration in Terms of Its Chain of Transmission:

This narration, as previously mentioned, comes through two chains. The following is a discussion of these chains:

1. Examination of the First Chain:

In the chain of this transmission is Ḥabīb ibn Abī Ḥabīb, the scribe of Imam Malik. To assess the reliability of this chain, it is necessary to investigate the status of Ḥabīb and review the detailed opinions of scholars regarding him:

- ʿAbbās al-Dūrī reported from Yaḥyā ibn Maʿīn: “Ḥabīb was in Egypt; he used to read to Mālik ibn Anas and used to flip through two or three pages at a time.”[3] He also said: “I heard Yaḥyā say: ‘They asked me about him in Egypt, and I said: He is not reliable.’” Yaḥyā further stated: “Ibn Bukayr heard from Mālik through Ḥabīb’s recitation, and it was the worst kind of recitation.”[4]

- ʿAbdullāh, the son of Imam Aḥmad, said: “I heard my father mention Ḥabīb, who read to Mālik ibn Anas, and he said: ‘He is not trustworthy; Ḥabīb would alter ḥadīth and lie.’ He spoke of him with severe criticism and disapproval.”[5]

- Abū Ḥātim al-Rāzī and Abū al-Fatḥ al-Azdī both said: “His ḥadīth is abandoned.”[6]

- Abū Dāwūd said: “He was one of the most deceitful of people.”[7]

- Al-Nasā'ī said: “Ḥabīb, the scribe of Mālik, is abandoned in ḥadīth.”[8] He also said: “All of Ḥabīb’s ḥadīth are fabricated, whether from Mālik or others.”[9]

- Ibn Ḥibbān said: “He used to transcribe for the shaykhs in Medina and narrate fabricated reports from trustworthy narrators, attributing to them what they had not narrated.”[10]

- Ibn ʿAdī said: “The scribe of Mālik ibn Anas fabricates ḥadīth.”[11] He also said: “The majority of Ḥabīb’s ḥadīth have fabricated texts and reversed chains of narration. Ḥabīb does not hesitate to fabricate ḥadīth and attribute them to trustworthy narrators. His situation is clear among the liars.”[12]

In summary, Ḥabīb ibn Abī Ḥabīb is a liar whose hadith are abandoned. Al-Ḥāfiẓ Ibn Ḥajar says: “He is abandoned; Abū Dāwūd and others accused him of lying.”[13]

Is the narration of someone in his situation acceptable? Of course not. This statement appears to be from Ḥabīb himself and not a narration from Imam Mālik. Al-Ḥāfiẓ Ibn ʿAbd al-Barr al-Mālikī says: “This was narrated from Ḥabīb, the scribe of Mālik, and others, and others denied it among them.”[14]

2- Examination of the Second Chain:

In the chain of this transmission is Jāmi‘ ibn Sawādah. Reviewing the scholars’ opinions about him clarifies his status:

- Al-Dāraquṭnī narrated a hadith from him in “Gharāʾib Mālik” and commented: “Jāmi‘ is weak.”[15]

- Ibn al-Jawzī, after narrating a hadith from him, said: “This is a fabricated hadith attributed to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), and Jāmi‘ ibn Sawādah is unknown.”[16]

- Al-Dhahabī accused him of fabrication, stating: “Jāmi‘ ibn Sawādah narrated from Ādam ibn Abī Iyyās a false report about combining two wives as if he fabricated it.”[17] He also said after another hadith: “Jāmi‘ ibn Sawādah is unknown; he is the flaw in the chain.”[18]

Based on this, Jāmi‘ ibn Sawādah is accused of fabrication, and at best, he is unknown.

3- Summary of the Authenticity of This Narration:

From the previous discussion, it is clear that this narration, through both its chains, cannot be reliably attributed to Imam Mālik. Shaykh al-Islām Ibn Taymiyyah, after mentioning this narration, said: “This is from the narration of Ḥabīb, his scribe, who is a liar by unanimous agreement. It has also been narrated through another chain,[19] but the chain is unknown.”[20]

Second: Examination of the Narration in Terms of Its Content:

By applying the principles of matn analysis, it can be concluded that this narration attributed to Imam Mālik is rejected. This can be demonstrated from different angles, including:

1- Contradiction with the Established Teachings of Imam Malik:

In addition to the fact that this narration is weak in terms of its chain of transmission, it contradicts what is authentically known from Imam Malik himself. Imam al-Tirmidhī states: “More than one of the scholars have said regarding this hadith[21] and similar narrations about the attributes of Allah, such as the descent of the Lord, Blessed, and Exalted, to the lowest heaven every night: They said the narrations are affirmed and believed in without delving into how. This is how it was narrated by Malik, Sufyan ibn ʿUyaynah, and ʿAbdullah ibn al-Mubarak that they said about these hadith: Accept them without asking how.”[22]

The Weakening of This Narration by Prominent Scholars of the Maliki School:

Some have claimed that this narration from Imam Malik is authentic, arguing that the scholars of the Maliki school are more knowledgeable about the statements of their Imam than others.[23] However, this claim is baseless and cannot be upheld. Here are some of the statements from the leading figures of the Maliki school that refute this narration:

The hadith scholar Ibn Abd al-Barr says: “Some of the scholars of tradition[24] have also said that it is His command that descends, and His mercy descends as well. This has been narrated by Habib, the scribe of Malik, and others. However, others have rejected this and said: ‘This is nothing, for His command and mercy are perpetually descending both day and night. Exalted is the Almighty King, who, whenever He wills something, says to it, ‘Be,’ and it is, at any time He wishes. He singles out with His mercy whomever He wills, whenever He wills. There is no god but Him, the Exalted and Most High.’”[25]

He also says, “Even if what has been narrated about this from Malik were authentic, it would mean that the most likely time for the prayers of His servants to be answered with His mercy and forgiveness is at that time. Abu Dharr said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, which part of the night is the most responsive [to prayers]?’ He replied, ‘The middle of the latter part of the night.’”[26]

Imam Abu Amr al-Dani, a Maliki scholar, says, “Some of our scholars have said that it is His command that descends, and they supported this with the verse of Allah, the Exalted: ‘It is He who created the seven heavens and of the earth, the like of them. His command descends among them’ [Quran 65:12]. Habib also narrated this from Malik ibn Anas, may Allah have mercy on him.” [27][30]

Consider how he began his statement by attributing this view to some Malikis rather than to Imam Malik himself. He then mentioned that Habib’s narration from Malik subtly indicated a weakening of its attribution to Imam Malik, as Habib was known among them for his weakness and unreliability. If this narration had been firmly established as coming from Imam Malik, he would have led with it in his statement.

What further strengthens this interpretation and clearly indicates the weakness of this narration, as well as its contradiction with Malik’s views, is Abu Amr al-Dani’s statement at the beginning of his discussion: “A section on His descent, exalted be He, to the lowest heaven. Among their sayings is that Allah—glorious and exalted are His names—descends every night to the lowest heaven during the last third of the night.” [31] Can this interpretation be upheld after such a clear statement?

Recommended Reading:

Imam Malik’s Aqeedah on Sifat

Allah's Divine Attributes Discourse

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[1] See: Siyar Aʿlām al-Nubalā’ (8/105)

[2] See: Al-Tamhīd limā fī al-Muwaṭṭa' min al-Maʿānī wal-Asānīd li-Ibn ʿAbd al-Barr (7/143)

[3] See: Tāj al-ʿArūs lil-Zabīdī (23/224)

[4] Tārīkh Ibn Maʿīn – The Riwāyah of al-Dūrī (4/458)

[5] See: Al-Kāmil fī Ḍuʿafāʾ al-Rijāl (3/324)

[6] See: Tahdhīb al-Kamāl lil-Mizzī (5/369)

[7] See: Mīzān al-Iʿtidāl lil-Dhahabī (1/452)

[8] Al-Ḍuʿafāʾ wal-Matrūkīn (p. 34)

[9] See: Al-Kāmil fī Ḍuʿafāʾ al-Rijāl (3/324)

[10] Al-Majrūḥīn (1/265)

[11] Al-Kāmil fī Ḍuʿafāʾ al-Rijāl (3/324)

[12] Al-Kāmil fī Ḍuʿafāʾ al-Rijāl (3/329)

[13] Taqrīb al-Tahdhīb (p. 150)

[14] Al-Tamhīd limā fī al-Muwaṭṭa' min al-Maʿānī wal-Asānīd (7/143)

[15] See: Lisān al-Mīzān (2/415), and Tanzīh al-Sharīʿah al-Marfūʿah li-Ibn ʿIrāq (2/202)

[16] Al-Mawḍūʿāt (2/279)

[17] Al-Mughnī fī al-Ḍuʿafāʾ (1/127), and Mīzān al-Iʿtidāl (1/387)

[18] Talkhīṣ Kitāb al-Mawḍūʿāt lil-Dhahabī (p. 237)

[19] This is the chain containing Jāmi‘ ibn Sawādah, and we have already demonstrated its weakness.

[20] Majmūʿ al-Fatāwa (16/405)

[21] Meaning the hadith, “Indeed Allah accepts charity, and He accepts it with His Right (Hand).”

[22] Sunan al-Tirmidhī (3/41)

[23] See: Ahl al-Sunnah al-Ashāʿirah: Shahādat ʿUlamāʾ al-Ummah wa Adillatuhum (p. 130)

[24] If the statement were authentically attributed to Imam Malik, he would have ascribed it to him.

[25] Al-Tamhīd limā fī al-Muwaṭṭa' min al-Maʿānī wal-Asānīd (7/143). And see: Al-Istidhkār (2/529)

[26] Al-Istidhkār (2/529-530).

[27] Al-Risālah al-Wāfiyah (p. 135)