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Muhammad b. Idris al-Shafi'i
Head of one of the Four Sunni Schools of Law
Grave of al-Shafi'i in Cairo
Grave of al-Shafi'i in Cairo
Full NameMuhammad b. Idris al-Shafi'i
EpithetImam al-Shafi'i
Religious AffiliationSunni
LineageMuhammad b. Idris b. 'Abbas b. 'Uthman b. Shafi' b. Sa'ib b. 'Ubayd b. 'Abd Yazid b. Hashim b. Muttalib b. 'Abd Manaf
Birth150/767
Place of BirthGaza
Places of ResidenceMecca, Medina, Baghdad, Yemen, Egypt
Death204/820
Burial PlaceCairo
Known forHead of one of the Four Sunni Schools of Law
ProfessorsMalik b. Anas
StudentsAhmad b. Hanbal
WorksMore than 120 books • al-Umm


Muḥammad b. Idrīs al-Shāfiʿī (150/767-204/820), commonly known as Imam al-Shafi'i, was a seminal Muslim theologian, writer, and scholar who founded the Shafi'i school, the third of the Four Sunni Schools of Law. His intellectual lineage connects two major traditions: he was the most prominent student of Malik b. Anas (founder of the Maliki school) and the teacher of Ahmad b. Hanbal (founder of the Hanbali school). Al-Shafi'i affirmed the legitimacy of the Rashidun Caliphs in their historical order: Abu Bakr, 'Umar, 'Uthman, and Imam Ali (a).

Scholars attribute over 113 works to him, the most significant being the foundational legal text, al-Umm. Renowned for his eloquence and poetry, al-Shafi'i frequently composed verses praising the Household of the Prophet, expressing profound devotion to Imam Ali (a). His jurisprudential methodology synthesized reliance on Hadith with the consensus of the Ummah, often prioritizing Prophetic traditions over local customs. His legal school commands a vast following across the Muslim world, particularly in Yemen, Egypt, and Indonesia, as well as parts of Iran.

Al-Shafi'i is revered within Sunni Islam, where many scholars regard him as the fulfillment of prophetic narrations predicting a renovator of the faith who would fill the earth with knowledge.

Lineage

His full lineage is Muhammad b. Idris b. 'Abbas b. 'Uthman b. Shafi' b. Sa'ib b. 'Ubayd b. 'Abd Yazid b. Hashim b. Muttalib b. 'Abd Manaf.[1] He is variously referred to as Qurashi, Muttalibi, and Shafi'i.[2] He is most famously known as Imam al-Shafi'i.[3] His lineage converges with that of Prophet Muhammad (s) at the ancestor 'Abd Manaf.[4] His grandfather, Sa'ib, served as the standard-bearer for Banu Hashim against the Muslims at the Battle of Badr; after being captured, he ransomed himself and subsequently embraced Islam.[5]

His mother, Fatima, is reported in some accounts to be a descendant of Imam Ali (a).[6]

Biography

The grave of Imam al-Shafi'i in Cairo

Born in 150/767 in Gaza, Palestine,[7] al-Shafi'i lost his father during infancy.[8] At the age of two, his mother relocated him to Mecca to ensure he was raised among his kin.[9] He grew up in Mecca,[10] memorizing the Qur'an by age seven. By age ten, he had committed Malik b. Anas's seminal work, al-Muwatta, to memory.[11] He subsequently traveled to Medina, where he recited al-Muwatta' directly to Malik from memory.[12] He remained under Malik's tutelage until the latter's death in 179/795, after which he moved to Yemen.[13]

Al-Shafi'i later traveled to Baghdad and Mecca.[14] He arrived in Egypt in 199/814-15, where he solidified his legal doctrines, authored his most definitive works, and achieved widespread fame.[15] He resided in Egypt for five years until his death on the last day of Rajab 204/820 at the age of 54.[16] He was buried in Egypt,[17] and a shrine was later erected over his grave during the Ayyubid dynasty, which remains a site of visitation.[18]

Education and Works

Scholars recognize al-Shafi'i as a polymath, excelling in jurisprudence, Hadith, Arabic literature, and poetry.[19] While some researchers attribute 113 books to him,[15] Yaqut al-Hamawi lists over 120 works in Mu'jam al-udaba.[20] His most significant and enduring contribution is the book al-Umm.[21]

His intellectual lineage bridges two of the major Sunni schools: he was a student of Malik b. Anas[22] and a teacher to Ahmad b. Hanbal.[23]

Poetry and Arabic Literature

Early in life, al-Shafi'i dedicated himself to Arabic literature and poetry.[24] He spent seventeen years with the Hudhayl tribe—renowned for their linguistic purity and eloquence—to master the nuances of the Arabic language.[25] This immersion allowed him to develop exceptional skill in poetry and oratory.[25]

Al-Shafi'i composed poetry that often addressed specific legal and ethical concepts, as well as verses dedicated to the Household of the Prophet (s).[26]

Despite his talent, al-Shafi'i downplayed his poetic identity, remarking that if poetry were not unbecoming of scholars, he would have surpassed Labid, the famed pre-Islamic poet.[27]

Fiqh and Hadith

Though initially focused on literature, al-Shafi'i shifted his attention to jurisprudence following specific life events.[28] He began his legal studies in Mecca under the Grand Mufti, Muslim b. Khalid al-Zanji, before traveling to Medina to study under Malik b. Anas, one of the four Sunni Imams.[22] He remained in Medina until Malik's death in 179/795, subsequently moving to Yemen.[29]

During a visit to Baghdad, he engaged with Muhammad b. al-Hasan al-Shaybani, a prominent student of Abu Hanifa. This exposure to Hanafi rationalism allowed him to synthesize the methods of the 'People of Opinion' (Ashab al-Ra'y) with his own tradition-based methodology.[30]

Al-Shafi'i traveled extensively to various cities to collect and verify Hadith.[31]

Al-Shafi'i and Ahl al-Bayt (a)

While in Yemen, al-Shafi'i was accused of Tashayyu' (Shi'a sympathies) and summoned to Baghdad by the Abbasid Caliph Harun al-Rashid. Although he was ultimately acquitted, the accusations stemmed from his vocal narration of the virtues of Imam Ali (a).[32] Al-Shafi'i composed numerous poems praising the Household of the Prophet (s) and Imam Ali (a).[33] Among his verses describing the Ahl al-Bayt are:

يا آلَ بَيتِ رَسولِ الله حُبُّکُمُ
فَرضٌ مِنَ الله فی القُرآنِ أنزَلَهُ
یکفیکم فی عظیم الفخر انکم
مَن لم یُصَلّ علیکم لا صلاة له

[34][35]

آلُ النبی ذَریعتی
و هُم إِلَیهِ وسیلتی
أَرْجُو بهم أُعْطی غَداً
بِیدی الْیمین صحیفتی

[36][37]

يا راکباً قِف بالمُحَصَّبِ مِن مِنی
وَاهتِف بِقاعِدِ خَیفِها وَالنَّاهِضِ
سَحَراً إذا فاضَ الحَجیجُ إلی مِنی
فَیضاً کمُلتَطِمِ الفُراتِ الفائِضِ
إن کانَ رَفضاً حُبُّ آلِ مُحمَّدٍ
فَلیشهَدِ الثَّقَلانِ أنّی رَافضِی

[38][39]

Love for Imam Ali (a)

Al-Shafi'i publicly demonstrated his loyalty to Imam Ali (a) during an era when praising the 'Alawids was considered a grave political offense, often punishable by persecution and death.[40] Nevertheless, he composed the following regarding Imam Ali (a):

إنّا عَبیدٌ لِفتی أنزلَ فِیهِ هَل أتَی
إلی مَتی أکتُمُهُ؟ إلی مَتی؟ إلی مَتی؟

[41][42]

قَالُوا: تَرَفَّضتَ قُلتُ: کلَّا
مَا الَّرفضُ دینی وَ لا إعتِقادی
لکن تَوَلَّیتُ غَیرَ شَک
خَیرَ إمَامٍ وَ خَیرَ هَادی
إن کانَ حُبُّ الوَلِی رَفضاً
فإنَّ رفضی الی العِبادَ

[43][44]

Al-Shafi'i also composed poems regarding Abu Bakr and other Caliphs,[45] as well as Abu Hanifa.[46]

Al-Shafi'i and the Shia

Al-Shafi'i recognized the Rashidun Caliphs in the standard Sunni order: Abu Bakr, 'Umar, 'Uthman, and Imam Ali (a).[47] While some Sunni researchers highlight al-Shafi'i's fatwas criticizing Shi'a doctrines to portray him as a staunch opponent,[48] others note his distinct inclination toward the Shia.[49] Contemporary researcher Ahmad Pakatchi identifies al-Shafi'i as one of the Sunni jurists most proximate to Shi'a circles.[50]

Shafi'i Jurisprudence

Shafi'i jurisprudence is fundamentally grounded in Hadith; indeed, he is often termed "Nasir al-Hadith" (Defender of Tradition).[51][52] Unlike Malik b. Anas, al-Shafi'i did not limit his narrative sources to a single region like Medina. Consequently, resolving conflicting hadiths became central to his methodology,[51] leading him to author the treatise Ikhtilaf al-hadith.[53]

Uniquely, he bridged the divide between the traditionalists and the "People of Opinion" (Ashab al-Ra'y).[54] His synthesis was such that Ahmad b. Hanbal, his most prominent student, remarked: "We used to curse the Ashab al-Ra'y and they used to curse us, until al-Shafi'i came and united these two methods."[55]

Scholars characterize his legal thought as highly systematic and principled.[56]

Researchers suggest that al-Shafi'i's travels across different Islamic regions significantly influenced his intellectual development.[51] For instance, he rejected the local consensus of Medinan jurists as authoritative, arguing instead for the consensus of the entire Muslim Ummah.[51]

Within the Shi'a community, the Shafi'i school is often viewed as the most congenial of the Sunni rites.[57] Notably, al-Shafi'i ruled that invoking Salawat upon the Prophet (s) during the Tashahhud of prayer is obligatory,[58][59] while declaring the phrase "Prayer is better than sleep" (al-Salat khayr min al-nawm) in the Adhan to be Makruh (disliked).[60]

Spread of Shafi'i Jurisprudence

Distribution of Shafi'i school in Islamic countries

The Shafi'i school claims millions of adherents globally, dominating religious practice in Yemen, Egypt, and Southeast Asian nations like Indonesia and Malaysia.[61] It also holds the majority in Palestine and among the Sunnis of Yemen, and serves as the second-largest school in Iraq.[62]

In Iran, Shafi'i communities are concentrated in the western provinces of Kurdistan, West Azerbaijan, and Kermanshah.[63]

Status of Al-Shafi'i among Sunnis

Al-Shafi'i occupies an exalted status in Sunni Islam. Many scholars interpret the Prophet's (s) narration—"O Allah, guide Quraysh; indeed, a scholar from Quraysh will come whose knowledge will encompass the earth"—as a prophecy fulfilled by al-Shafi'i.[64]

'Attar al-Nishaburi describes him as the "Sultan of Sharia and Tariqa," the "Mufti of Divine Secrets," and the heir of the Prophet (s).[65]

Ahmad b. Hanbal famously likened him to "the sun for the world and health for the body."[66] Ibn Kathir identifies him as one of the Imams of Islam,[67] and Khatib al-Baghdadi refers to him as the "Lord of Jurists and Crown of Scholars".[68]

Al-Shafi'i recounted a dream in which Imam Ali (a) placed his ring upon al-Shafi'i's finger, signifying the transfer of his knowledge and that of the Prophet (s).[69]

Fakhr al-Razi authored the treatise Tarjih madhhab al-Shafi'i 'ala ghayrih, in which he enumerates the many virtues of al-Shafi'i.[70]

See Also

Notes

  1. ↑ Ibn 'Uthman, al-Durar al-munazzam, 1415 AH, vol. 1, p. 483.
  2. ↑ Ibn Khallikan, Wafayat al-a'yan, vol. 4, p. 163.
  3. ↑ Ibn Kathir, Tabaqat al-Shafi'iyya, 2004, vol. 1, p. 17.
  4. ↑ Ibn Khallikan, Wafayat al-a'yan, vol. 4, p. 163.
  5. ↑ Ibn Kathir, Tabaqat al-Shafi'iyya, 2004, vol. 1, p. 18.
  6. ↑ Al-Wazir, al-Imam al-Shafi'i, 2000, p. 78.
  7. ↑ Bayhaqi, Ahkam al-Qur'an, p. 10.
  8. ↑ Bayhaqi, Ahkam al-Qur'an, p. 10.
  9. ↑ Bayhaqi, Ahkam al-Qur'an, p. 10.
  10. ↑ Al-Isnawi, Tabaqat al-Shafi'iyya, 1996, p. 8.
  11. ↑ Al-Isnawi, Tabaqat al-Shafi'iyya, 1996, p. 9.
  12. ↑ Ibn 'Uthman, al-Durar al-munazzam, 1415 AH, vol. 1, p. 484.
  13. ↑ Amin, Duha l-Islam, p. 219.
  14. ↑ Al-Isnawi, Tabaqat al-Shafi'iyya, 1996, p. 9.
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 Bayhaqi, Ahkam al-Qur'an, p. 12.
  16. ↑ Yaqut al-Hamawi, Mu'jam al-udaba', 1993, vol. 6, p. 2412.
  17. ↑ Ibn Khallikan, Wafayat al-a'yan, vol. 4, p. 165.
  18. ↑ Riyad, "Bi-l-suwar.. Qubbat al-Shafi'i.. Aqdam adrihat Misr fi muwajahat al-sariqat".
  19. ↑ Ibn Khallikan, Wafayat al-a'yan, vol. 4, p. 163.
  20. ↑ Yaqut al-Hamawi, Mu'jam al-udaba', 1993, vol. 6, pp. 2416-2417.
  21. ↑ Al-Wazir, al-Imam al-Shafi'i, 2000, p. 178.
  22. ↑ 22.0 22.1 Bayhaqi, Ahkam al-Qur'an, p. 11.
  23. ↑ Ibn Kathir, Tabaqat al-Shafi'iyya, 2004, vol. 1, p. 28.
  24. ↑ Bayhaqi, Ahkam al-Qur'an, pp. 10-11.
  25. ↑ 25.0 25.1 Omidi, "Negahi be mazamin wa mawzu'at-i divan-i Shafi'i", p. 172.
  26. ↑ Omidi, "Negahi be mazamin wa mawzu'at-i divan-i Shafi'i", p. 176.
  27. ↑ Omidi, "Negahi be mazamin wa mawzu'at-i divan-i Shafi'i", p. 175.
  28. ↑ Bayhaqi, Ahkam al-Qur'an, pp. 10-11.
  29. ↑ Amin, Duha l-Islam, p. 219.
  30. ↑ Amin, Duha l-Islam, p. 220.
  31. ↑ Amin, Duha l-Islam, p. 221.
  32. ↑ Al-Wazir, al-Imam al-Shafi'i, 2000, pp. 98-99.
  33. ↑ Omidi, "Negahi be mazamin wa mawzu'at-i divan-i Shafi'i", p. 194.
  34. ↑ Salim, Diwan al-Imam al-Shafi'i, p. 121.
  35. ↑ Translation: O Family of the Messenger of Allah, loving you is an obligation from Allah which He revealed in the Qur'an. It suffices as a great honor for you that whoever does not send blessings upon you, has no prayer.
  36. ↑ Ibn Hajar, al-Sawa'iq al-muhriqa, 1997, vol. 2, p. 525.
  37. ↑ Translation: The Family of the Prophet are my means, and they are my medium to him. I hope through them that tomorrow my scroll of deeds will be given into my right hand.
  38. ↑ Salim, Diwan al-Imam al-Shafi'i, p. 89.
  39. ↑ Translation: O rider, stand at al-Muhassab of Mina, and call out to the one sitting in its Khayf and the one rising. At dawn when the pilgrims overflow to Mina, like the crashing of the overflowing Euphrates. If love for the Family of Muhammad is Rafd (rejection/heresy), then let the Thaqalan (Jinn and Mankind) bear witness that I am a Rafidi.
  40. ↑ Omidi, "Negahi be mazamin wa mawzu'at-i divan-i Shafi'i", p. 194.
  41. ↑ Zamani & Azadi, "Charayi-yi kathrat-i manaqib-nigari-yi Imam Ali (a) tawassut-i 'ulama-yi Shafi'i-madhhab", p. 328.
  42. ↑ Translation: We are slaves to a youth regarding whom Hal Ata was revealed. Until when shall I conceal him? Until when? Until when?
  43. ↑ Salim, Diwan al-Imam al-Shafi'i, p. 48.
  44. ↑ Translation: They said: You have become a Rafidi. I said: Never; Rafd is not my religion nor my belief. But I have befriended without doubt, the best Imam and the best Guide. If love for the Wali (friend of God) is Rafd, then I am the most Rafidi among the servants.
  45. ↑ Salim, Diwan al-Imam al-Shafi'i, p. 86.
  46. ↑ Salim, Diwan al-Imam al-Shafi'i, p. 100.
  47. ↑ Pakatchi, "Shafi'i", vol. 1, p. 161.
  48. ↑ For more information, see: Kawa, al-Imam al-Shafi'i wa mawqifuhu min al-Rafida.
  49. ↑ For more information, see: al-Ta'i, Hal tashayya'a al-Shafi'i, 2011.
  50. ↑ Pakatchi, "Shafi'i", vol. 1, p. 149.
  51. ↑ 51.0 51.1 51.2 51.3 Pakatchi, "Islam", vol. 8, p. 446.
  52. ↑ Safadi, al-Wafi bi-l-wafayat, 1420 AH, vol. 2, p. 178.
  53. ↑ Yaqut al-Hamawi, Mu'jam al-udaba', 1993, vol. 6, p. 2416.
  54. ↑ Al-Wazir, al-Imam al-Shafi'i, 2000, p. 178.
  55. ↑ Al-Wazir, al-Imam al-Shafi'i, 2000, p. 186.
  56. ↑ Pakatchi, "Islam", vol. 8, p. 447.
  57. ↑ Barfi, "Barrasi-yi 'ilal-i hamgarayi wa nahamgarayi-yi du madhhab-i Shafi'i wa Hanafi ba Shi'a-yi Imamiyya".
  58. ↑ Ibn Kathir, Tabaqat al-Shafi'iyya, 2004, vol. 1, p. 80.
  59. ↑ Ibn Kathir, Tabaqat al-Shafi'iyyin, 1413 AH, vol. 17, p. 54: "Sending blessings upon the Prophet (s) in the final Tashahhud is an obligation without which the prayer is not valid."
  60. ↑ Shawkani, Nayl al-awtar, 1993, vol. 2, p. 46.
  61. ↑ Al-Wazir, al-Imam al-Shafi'i, 2000, p. 179.
  62. ↑ Zare'zadeh, "Madhhab-i Shafi'i".
  63. ↑ Houshmand, "Ahl-i Sunnat-i Iran".
  64. ↑ Ibn Kathir, Tabaqat al-Shafi'iyya, 2004, vol. 1, p. 35.
  65. ↑ 'Attar, Tadhkirat al-awliya', 2006, p. 445.
  66. ↑ Ibn Khallikan, Wafayat al-a'yan, vol. 4, p. 164.
  67. ↑ Ibn Kathir, Tabaqat al-Shafi'iyya, 2004, vol. 1, p. 18.
  68. ↑ Safadi, al-Wafi bi-l-wafayat, 1420 AH, vol. 2, p. 178.
  69. ↑ 'Attar, Tadhkirat al-awliya', 2006, p. 447.
  70. ↑ Safadi, al-Wafi bi-l-wafayat, 1420 AH, vol. 2, p. 181.

References

  • Al-Isnawi, Tabaqat al-Shafi'iyya, Beirut, Dar al-Fikr, 1996.
  • Al-Ta'i, Najah, Hal tashayya'a al-Shafi'i, Dar al-Huda li-Ihya' al-Turath, n.p., n.d.
  • Al-Wazir, Ibrahim b. Ali, al-Imam al-Shafi'i, Washington, Manshurat Kitab, 2000.
  • Amin, Ahmad, Duha l-Islam, Beirut, Dar al-Kutub al-'Arabi, n.d.
  • 'Attar, Muhammad b. Ibrahim, Tadhkirat al-awliya', trans. 'Abd al-'Aziz Manal Yamani, Cairo, al-Hay'a al-Misriyya al-'Amma li-l-Kitab, 2006.
  • Barfi, Muhammad, "Barrasi-yi 'ilal-i hamgarayi wa nahamgarayi-yi du madhhab-i Shafi'i wa Hanafi ba Shi'a-yi Imamiyya", Resalat Newspaper Website, No. 6942, March 11, 2010.
  • Bayhaqi, Ahmad b. Husayn, Ahkam al-Qur'an, Beirut, Dar al-Qalam, n.d.
  • Houshmand, Ehsan, "Ahl-i Sunnat-i Iran", Sharq Newspaper Website, No. 2953, September 3, 2017.
  • Ibn Hajar, Ahmad b. Muhammad, al-Sawa'iq al-muhriqa 'ala ahl al-rafd wa l-dalal wa l-zandaqa, ed. 'Abd al-Rahman b. 'Abd Allah al-Turki, Kamil Muhammad al-Kharrat, Lebanon, Mu'assasat al-Risala, 1997.
  • Ibn Kathir, Isma'il b. 'Umar, Tabaqat al-Shafi'iyya, ed. 'Abd al-Hafiz Mansur, Beirut, Dar al-Madar al-Islami, 2004.
  • Ibn Khallikan, Ahmad b. Muhammad, Wafayat al-a'yan wa anba' abna' al-zaman, ed. Ihsan 'Abbas, Beirut, Dar al-Fikr, n.d.
  • Ibn 'Uthman, Muwaffaq al-Din, al-Durar al-munazzam fi ziyarat al-jabal al-muqattam, ed. Muhammad Fathi Abu Bakr, Cairo, al-Dar al-Misriyya al-Lubnaniyya, 1415 AH.
  • Kawa, Abu 'Abd al-Barr Muhammad, al-Imam al-Shafi'i wa mawqifuhu min al-Rafida, n.p., n.d.
  • Omidi, Jalil, "Negahi be mazamin wa mawzu'at-i divan-i Shafi'i", Maqalat wa Barrasi-ha Journal, No. 68, Winter 2000.
  • Pakatchi, Ahmad & Alikhani, Ali Akbar, "Shafi'i", Andishe-yi siyasi-yi mutafakkiran-i Musalman, Tehran, Pazhuhishgah-i Mutala'at-i Farhangi wa Ijtima'i, 2011.
  • Pakatchi, Ahmad, "Islam", Da'irat al-Ma'arif-i Buzurg-i Islami (The Great Islamic Encyclopedia), vol. 8, Tehran, Markaz-i Da'irat al-Ma'arif-i Buzurg-i Islami, 1998.
  • Safadi, Salah al-Din Khalil b. Aybak, al-Wafi bi-l-wafayat, Beirut, Dar Ihya' al-Turath, 1420 AH.
  • Salim, Muhammad Ibrahim, Diwan al-Imam al-Shafi'i, Cairo, Maktabat Ibn Sina, n.d.
  • Shawkani Yamani, Muhammad b. Ali, Nayl al-awtar, ed. 'Isam al-Din al-Sababti, Egypt, Dar al-Hadith, 1993.
  • Yaqut al-Hamawi, Yaqut b. 'Abd Allah, Mu'jam al-udaba', ed. Ihsan 'Abbas, Beirut, Dar al-Gharb al-Islami, 1993.
  • Zamani, Muhammad Hasan & Azadi, Ali Riza, "Charayi-yi kathrat-i manaqib-nigari-yi Imam Ali (a) tawassut-i 'ulama-yi Shafi'i-madhhab", Pazhuhishname-yi Thaqalayn, No. 2, Summer 2015.
  • Zare'zadeh, "Madhhab-i Shafi'i", Rawaq al-Hajjaj Website.
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