How to Study the Maliki Madhab

The Maliki madhab is a wonderful legal system, whose contribution to Islamic fiqh is huge and influential. Many have asked about a clear way to approach studying the school. What follows below is my own suggestion, based on my own experiences and consultations with local scholars in my home of Arabia. I know that the Africans have their own ways and I respect that. This is my advice which I pray will benefit students of this amazing madhab.

The following curriculum is predicated on the assumption that one has studied some of the basic works such as Mukhtasar al-Akhdari, Matn al-Ashmawi, al-Waghlisyah, al-‘Izziyah (esp. Marriage and Commerce), al-Murshid al-Mu’in, Risalat Ibn Abi Zayd and Sharh al-Hattab ‘ala al-Waraqat. Of these basic works, I especially advise al-Murshid al-Mu’in and Risalat Ibn Abi Zayd due to the large amount of commentaries available and the likelihood of finding teachers…