The author of the Muwatta was the Imām of Dārul-Hijrah. Dārul-Hijrah was a city in the Hijaz region of present-day Saudi Arabia, which was one of the most important centers of Islamic scholarship during the time of the Prophet Muhammad. The Imām who wrote the Muwatta was a highly respected scholar and leader in this city. The Muwatta is a collection of hadith (reports of the sayings and actions of the Prophet Muhammad) and is considered to be one of the earliest and most authoritative books of hadith. In simple terms, the Imām who wrote the Muwatta was a highly respected scholar and leader in the city of Dārul-Hijrah.