Al-Muwatta

Author's name: Imam Anas ibn Malik

According to Al-Laythi

The Muwatta, Malik's book, was superior, more beneficial, and more influential than any other book written up to that time. Caliph Abu Ja'far al-Mansur (d. 158 AH) approached Imam Malik during the Hajj season, requesting him to compile a book on jurisprudence that would unify and organize the work according to specific scholarly standards. He said, "O Abu Abdullah, compile jurisprudence and write books on it, avoiding the strict opinions of Abdullah ibn Umar, the lenient opinions of Abdullah ibn Abbas, and the isolated opinions of Abdullah ibn Mas'ud. Instead, focus on the middle ground and the consensus of the imams and companions, so that, God willing, people will follow your work and your books. We will disseminate them throughout the lands and entrust them to adhere to them." Al-Mansur asked Imam Malik to unite people on his book, but he refused, demonstrating his profound knowledge and fairness. He said, "People have already compiled and discovered things that we have not." (From Ibn Kathir's "Sciences of Hadith")