To be honest, I didn't know much about the Maliki fiqh before. But then I got to know some people who follow it, and honestly, they're some of the best Muslims I've come across, no double standards, genuinely caring about others, and incredibly generous. That really left an impression on me, to the point that I started reading some of their books. I truly love them and consider them among the best. Just to be clear, I'm Sunni, but I also see Shia Muslims as our brothers, and honestly, I think moderate Shia are closer to the truth than a lot of other Sunni sects out there. As for praying with shoes NO, I'll never do that, no matter what. For me, that's settled in the Quran, and I don't need a scholar to explain it. Walking into a mosque with shoes on? That's just clearly wrong, plain and simple, at least in my view