Short biography of Imam Al-Shafi'ee

Imam Al-Shafi’ee, also known as 'Shaykh Al Islam', is one of the four great
Imams of Sunni schools of law. He is also the author of several prominen
t works in the field. He has been titled ‘Nasir al-Hadith’ which means “def
ender of hadith”.

Background
Imam’s full name is Abu Abdullah Muhammad bin Idris Al-Shafi’ee ibn Al-
Abbas ibn Uthman ibn Syafie bin Ubaid ibn Abdu Yazid ibn Hasyim ibn Al
-Muttalib [father of Abdul Muttalib grandfather of the Prophet (S.A.W.)] bin
Abd Manaf. He is the Only Imam who is related to Prophet Mohammad (
S.A.W.) as he belonged to Qurayshi tribe of Banu Muttalib, which was the
sister tribe of the Banu Hashim [tribe of Prophet Mohammad (S.A.W.)].

His Early Life and Early Education :

Imam Shafi'ee was born in the year 150 AH (767 AC) in Ghaza, Palestine. I
t was the same year in which the Great Imam Abu Hanifah had passed a
way. He lost his father during infancy and was raised by his mother under
very poor circumstances. Fearing the waste of his son’s lineage, his moth
er decided to move to Mecca where their relatives lived. Imam was very y
oung at that time. It is quoted by some scholars that he was two years ol
d when his mother migrated to Mecca. Therefore, he spent his formative y
ears acquiring religious education in the cities of Mecca and Medina. Acco
rding to some sources, he memorized the Quran by the age of seven or
nine.

His Journey to Seek Knowledge:

His early education was marked by poverty because of which his mother c
ould not afford to pay the fees for his education. Consequently, instead of
participating in the classes, the young Imam would just sit on the side lin
es and take it all in only by listening to what his teacher was teaching to
other kids in the class. He became so adept at learning and storing knowl
edge even though just by listening, that on occasions when his teacher wa
s unable to take a class, he the young Imam would step in and take the
class teaching his fellow students. His Teacher was so impressed by his abi
lities that he took him on as a formal student on a complimentary non fe
es basis
Him and Imam Maalik:
"My son! By the Will of Allaah, you will have a great future. Tomo
rrow come to me and bring with you someone who could read th
e ‘Muwatta' well as I fear you would not be able to read it by yo
urself."
Al-Shafi'ee responded with the same politeness
"Imam, I will read it myself from memory without a book."

For a period of nine years, Al-Shafi’ee remained in Madinah until

Malik’s death in the year 179 AH (790 AC).

Coming back to Makkah:

After the death of Imam Malik, Imam Al-Shafi’ee returned to Makk

ah with a great load of knowledge which had influenced his life.
His Marriage:

In Makkah he was wedded to ‘Hamidah Bint Naafi', granddaughter

of third Caliph 'Uthman Ibn Afaan (R.A). He had three children, tw

o sons Abu Uthman and Abul Hasan and a daughter Fatima.

His Persecution:
The governor of Yemen, while paying a visit to Makkah, met Al-Sh

afi’ee, discerned his unique abilities, and offered him an administrat

ive post in Yemen but like his predecessor Imam Abu Hanifa, Ima

m Shafi’ee also suffered Political persecution and intrigues, but tha

nkfully, unlike Imam Abu Hanifa, he was not subjected to torture.

Imam Shafi’ee was arrested and charged with the offense of politic

al interference in Yemen. The Caliph of that time, Haroon-al-Rashe

ed examined him and found him to be innocent of all charges an

d discharged him with honour.

Soon after that, he met Muhammad bin Hasan Al-Shaibaani who w

as one of Imam Abu Ḥ anifa’s most important pupils. His contact a

nd discussions with Al-Shaibaani increased and by which he strengt

hened his knowledge. Moreover, Al-Shafi’ee had the opportunity to

study the books of Al-Shaibaani and other Iraqi scholars in Baghd

ad. After his travels, he returned to Makkah. During these travels, i

n every place he visited, he arranged meetings and organized stud

y circles attended by many including great scholars such as Abu-T

hawr, Al-Zafarani, AlKarabisi. Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal also attende

d his circle and studied with Al-Shafi’ee.

The last station for Al-Shafi’ee was Egypt where he remained until

his death. He was welcomed with great honor and respect by the

people and scholars of Egypt due to his being as a pupil of Imam

Malik and due to his reputation in fıqh.

His Teachers:

Imam Shafi’ee learned from the scholars in various places such as

Makkah, Madinah, Kufa, Basrah, Yemen, Syria and Egypt. Following

are some prominent scholars who had teached Al-Shafi’ee:

1. Muslim bin Khalid Al-Zangi (in Makkah)

2. Sufyaan bin Uyainah Al-Hilaali (in Makkah)

3. Ibrahim bin Yahya (in Madinah)

4. Imam Maalik bin Anas (in Madinah)

5. Wakee bin Al-Jarraah bin Maleeh Al-Kofi (in Kufa)

6. Muhammad bin Hasan Al-Shaibaani (in Basrah)

7. Hammaad bin Usama Al-Haashimi Al-Kofi (in Kufa)

8. Abdul-Wahhab bin Abdul-Majeed al-Busri (in Basrah)

His Students:

Al-Shafi’ee had a lot of talented students, some of whom become

prominent masters. Among his best students are:

1. Imam Abu Yaqub Al-Buwayṭi

2. Abu Ibrahim Isma'il ibn Yahya Al-Muzani

3. Rabi bin Sulayman Al-Muradi

4. Abu Ali Al-Karabisi

5. Ibrahim bin Khalid Abu ThawrH

6. He also met Imam Ahmad bin HambaI and took mutual knowle

dge between the two. Imam Ahmad bin Hambal once said: "Had it

not been for Ash-Shafi'ee, we would not have known the underst

anding of Hadith."

His Writings and Books:

He authored more than 100 books. Some of which are as follows:

1. Kitab al-Umm

2. Al-Risalah
3. Ikhtilaf Al-Hadith

4. Al-Imla

5. Ikhtilaf Al-Iraqiyani

6. Jima Al-Ilm

7. Ikhtilaf Malik wa Al-Shafi’ee

8. Kitab Al-Hujjah

His last days and death:

Imam Al-Shafi’ee remained to follow his daily routine until illness f

orced him to retire and stop teaching. In his last days before his

death, Imam said:

"I feel that I am traveling away from this world, away from the br

others, drinking from the cup of death, and approaching Allah the

Glorious. By Allah I do not know if my soul will go to heaven so

that I may congratulate it, or to hell so that I may lament."

Then he went into crying. He became very sick at the end of his l

ife. Imam Al-Shafi’ee kept the company of learned people till the v

ery end of his life, and he is reported to have spent his last days

in the company of Abdullah Ibnul Hakam, a well-known scholar of

his time. He is thought to have died on a Friday in the Islamic cal

endar month of Rajab aged 54 in the year 204 AH (820 AC). The

Governor of Egypt of that time acknowledged his academic excelle

nce by not only just attending his funeral but actually leading thos
e prayers. His two sons Abul Hasan Muhammad and Uthmaan wer

e present for the funeral rites.

His Burial Place:

Imam Al-Shafi’ee was buried in the vault of the Banu Abd Al-Haka

m at the foot of Muqattam Hills in Cairo, Egypt.

May Allah bless the Imam Al-Shafi’ee’s soul and admit him into His wide paradises.