Malik ibn Anas (711–795 CE) was a prominent Islamic scholar and jurist, the founder of the school of Islamic jurisprudence that bears his name. Born in Medina, he dedicated his life to the study of Islamic law and traditions. Malik compiled the famous legal text "al-Muwatta", which is considered one of the earliest and most authoritative collections of Hadith (sayings and actions of the Prophet Muhammad) and legal rulings in Islam. His contributions to Islamic jurisprudence, particularly in the fields of fiqh (jurisprudence) and Hadith, have had a lasting impact on Islamic scholarship and continue to influence the practice of Islam today. Malik's emphasis on the importance of local customs and practices in legal interpretation shaped the development of the Maliki school, which remains one of the four major Sunni schools of Islamic law.