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Can we say that Imam Malik's book, Al-Muwatta, is among the Sahih (authentic) collections?

1 min readAlso available in العربية

Scholars have differed on bestowing the title "Sahih" (Authentic) upon the Muwatta. Some prioritized it over the two Sahihs (Bukhari and Muslim), while others placed it at the same level as them. Some ranked it as a third-tier work after them, while others considered it on par with the Sunan books, which did not stipulate authenticity. Among the most prominent statements is that of Al-Shafi'i: "After the Book of Allah, there is no book more authentic than the book of Malik." And Al-Dhahabi's testimony that the Muwatta has "an impact on souls and a reverence in hearts that nothing can rival." This difference does not diminish the value and standing of the Muwatta.

Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026

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