Why Do We Write? Learning from the Sincerity of Imam Malik
Have you ever wondered why you even bother to speak your mind in writing? In a world overflowing with loud voices, isn’t it like whispering into a hurricane? That’s what I used to think, especially after leaving Yogyakarta, a city that taught me so much about life and faith.
But you may ask, why do we write? why do we share our stories when there are already so many great writers out there? Isn’t it too late?
For me, this question resurfaced after nearly 10 months of leaving my beloved city, Yogyakarta. It was there that I learned many things, not only about academics but also about the meaning of life and spirituality. It was there that I began to understand Islam deeply and became a devout Muslim.
Now, I have spent some time working in Jakarta, a metropolitan city that many people dream of working in, although some are reluctant to accept the challenges here. Unfortunately, I myself became one of those reluctant people.
Amidst the busyness of work, I rediscovered the urge to write. It was a dream that had been dormant since meeting an inspiring muslim student in Yogyakarta who encouraged me to pour my ideas and experiences into writing.
Although I started late, I remembered a story from Imam Malik rahimahullah when he said, “Maa kaana lillahi abqaa,” which means “Something that is started for the sake of Allah will surely be eternal.”
The fascinating story behind these words begins a passion for writing that I had lost after so many years. In this article, I will share it with you, hoping to inspire your own storytelling journey.
Recently, a friend offered me ta'aruf — “getting to know someone with the intention of getting married”, a process within Islamic practice for individuals seeking marriage. Although in the end I decided to postpone it due to financial and career considerations — even though in my heart I really wanted to have someone to live with and share my feelings with — a saying in his CV draft caught my attention:
“Maa kaana lillahi abqaa.” — Imam Malik rahimahullah
- Fun fact: my friend who suggested this ta’aruf opportunity is a well-respected intermediary in Yogyakarta, especially Pogung, known for successfully connecting several muslims and scholars with their spouse.
However, I am a person who is easily touched by a story and a saying from someone, so that’s what made me curious about the origin and the story behind Imam Malik.
The process of searching for the quote led me to an inspiring article by Sheikh Abdul Majid Al-Mansour entitled “Everything That Is Intended for Allah Will Surely Be Eternal: Sincerity in Writing” on the website dorar.net — although I had to struggle to translate the article one by one. https://dorar.net/article/193
The article tells the story of Imam Malik who wanted to write a book. One day, Imam Malik read an interesting book by a Medina scholar. Then, he said that the book was very good, and he wanted to improve it by adding atsar (hadith) and then strengthening it with kalam (opinion).
However, when he told the people in Medina that he wanted to write a book like that, they said, “Why should he bother writing a book that has already been written by many other people?” At that time, Imam Malik replied, “Give me those books, and then you will soon know what I want with the face of Allah SWT.”
When Imam Malik finished writing his book, Muwatta’ — a book of hadith, someone asked him, “What is the benefit of you writing that book?”
Imam Malik said, “Something that is started for the sake of Allah will surely be eternal.”
Subhanallah, other Muwatta’ books at that time had become extinct, while Muwatta’ Malik still exists today, and is recognized as one of the most authentic books in Islam after the Qur’an. Even his own student, Imam Syafii, said, “We do not know of any book in Islam after the Qur’an that is more authentic than Muwatta’ Malik.”
The story of Imam Malik shows that sincerity of intention is the key to the success of a work. When someone writes solely for the sake of Allah SWT, his work will be eternal.
I do not intend to be famous like Imam Malik. I just want to emulate his sincerity in writing. I want to share my stories, experiences, and thoughts, in the hope that they can bring benefits to others, especially for my self and my family.
Perhaps my writing is not perfect, and perhaps not many people will read it. But I believe that as long as my intention is sincere, Allah SWT will give blessings and make my writing beneficial to others.
May we all learn from the story of Imam Malik.
No matter how big the trials we face, no matter how many people oppose us, as long as our intentions are for Allah, then Allah will make it beautiful in the end, both in the world and in heaven.
— Phytophthorist
Source:
Sheikh Abdul Majid Al-Mansour. Maa Kaana Lillahi Yabqaa: Al-Ikhlashu Fit Ta’lifi. English: Everything That Is Intended for Allah Will Surely Be Eternal: Sincerity in Writing. https://dorar.net/article/193
