Imam Shafi - Biography

Imam Shafi (150 Hijri - 204 Hijri)

Name and Lineage: His name was Muhammad, his nickname was Abu Abdullah, and his title was Nasir al-Hadith. His father was the honorable Idris bin Osman bin Shafi. Due to his relationship with his great-grandfather Shafi bin Sa'ib, he was called "Shafi." His lineage is as follows: Abu Abdullah Muhammad bin Idris bin al-Abbas bin Osman bin Shafi bin al-Sa'ib bin Ubaid bin AbdYazid bin Hashim bin al-Muttalib bin AbdManaf. He belonged to the Quraysh tribe, specifically from the BanuHashim branch, and his ancestry connects to the noble Prophet (PBUH) through his great-grandfather AmjadSa'ib bin Ubaid, who was the leader of BanuHashim during the Battle of Badr. He was captured in that battle but accepted Islam after being ransomed.

His mother was a pious, intelligent, scholarly, and devout woman. According to some historians, she was from the Hashim clan, and her name was Fatima, while others say she was from the Azd tribe of Yemen, and her name was Umm Habiba. Regardless of her exact lineage, her greatness lies in the fact that she gave birth to and nurtured one of the greatest scholars of Islam.

Birth: Before his birth, his mother dreamt that a star (Jupiter) came out from her womb and fell upon Egypt, its bright pieces scattered over various cities. Pilgrims interpreted this dream to mean that she would give birth to a great scholar who would fill the Islamic world with knowledge. Based on these predictions, Imam Shafi was born in the city of Gaza in Palestine in 150 Hijri, the same year that Imam Abu Hanifa passed away.

Education and Training: His father, Idris, moved to Mecca from Palestine in search of employment, and shortly after his birth, he passed away. His mother then moved him to Ascalon and later to Yemen. When Imam Shafi was about ten years old, his mother decided that to preserve their noble lineage, it would be best for him to receive his education in Mecca, where their family and tribe resided. In Mecca, he was sent to a scholar from his lineage, who advised him to first make a living before seeking knowledge. Imam Shafi replied, "My joy lies in seeking knowledge."

Due to poverty, he could not pay the full salary to his teacher, so after the teacher finished his lessons, Imam Shafi would teach the children. His sharp memory allowed him to memorize verses and poetry quickly. One day, when the teacher noticed this, he said, "I have no right to take any salary from you."

In addition to his pursuit of knowledge, Imam Shafi was fond of sports, particularly archery and horse riding. He had exceptional skills in these areas and even wrote a book on the subject titled Kitab al-Sabk al-Rami.

Good Dreams: Imam Shafi's true knowledge was divinely bestowed. He said: "I saw the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) in a dream. He asked me, 'O boy, which tribe are you from?' I said, 'From your tribe, O Messenger of Allah.' He said, 'Come to me.' When I approached him, he placed his saliva on my tongue, mouth, and lips, saying, 'Go, and may Allah bless you.'"

He also said, "I saw the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) leading the people in prayer in the Masjid al-Haram in a dream. After the prayer, I went up to him and asked him to teach me. He took out a measure from his sleeve and gave it to me, saying, 'This is for you, and may Allah guide you.'"

Imam Shafi interpreted this dream to mean that he would become a great scholar and imam, especially since the Imam of Masjid al-Haram was the best of imams. The dream also symbolized his knowledge of facts and wisdom.

Study of Jurisprudence and Becoming a Disciple of Imam Malik: Imam Shafi left Mecca to study grammar and literature. In Mecca, the mufti Muslim bin Khalid Zanjy advised him to study jurisprudence, recognizing his intelligence and excellent memory. Imam Shafi said, "I pondered over this all night and then, based on a dream, I began to study jurisprudence." Due to his sharp intellect and memory, Muslim bin Khalid entrusted him with the study of jurisprudence and hadith for three years.

Later, Imam Shafi, at the age of 13, traveled to Medina at the request of his teacher to study under Imam Malik. Imam Malik advised him to adopt piety and avoid sins, saying, "Certainly, Allah has enlightened your heart, so do not let it be extinguished by sin." Imam Shafi became Imam Malik’s student and remained in Medina, studying his methodology and memorizing his work, Al-Muwatta.

Teachers: Imam Shafi learned from numerous scholars across different regions. According to Imam Razi, Imam Shafi had 19 teachers, including five from Mecca, six from Medina, and four from Iraq. Among his teachers in Mecca were Sufyan bin Uyaynah, Muslim bin Khalid Zanjy, Said bin Salim al-Qadah, Dawood bin Abd al-Rahman al-Attar, and Abdul Majid bin Abdul Aziz bin Dawood. In Medina, his teachers included Imam Malik bin Anas, Ibrahim bin Abu Yahya al-Aslami, Muhammad bin Ismail bin Abu Fadiq, and Abdullah bin Nafi al-Sayyag. In Yemen, his teachers included Mutarif bin Mazen, Hisham bin Yusuf (QadiSanaa), Amr bin Abu Salma (Sahib al-Awza'i), and Yahya bin Hassan. From Iraq, his teachers included Fuki bin Jarraah, Abu Usama, Ismail bin Ali, and Abdul Wahab bin Abdul Majid.

Students: Imam Shafi had a large number of students, including famous ones like Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal, Hasan bin Muhammad Saba al-Jafrani, and Hussein al-Karabi. His students in Egypt included Ismail bin Yahya al-Majni, Rabi bin Suleiman al-Maradi, Yusuf bin Yahya al-Buyati, Harmala bin Yahya, Yunus bin Abd al-Ala, Abdullah bin Zubair, and in Hijaz, students like Hamidi, IbnAbiJarrud, Ibrahim bin Muhammad bin Shafi, among others. Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal, one of his famous students, was known as Ustaaz al-Ustaaza (the teacher of teachers).

Journey to Yemen and the Province of Najran: After the death of Imam Malik, Imam Shafi traveled to Yemen, where he worked with honesty and dedication in his assigned duties, earning the praise of the people. He was later appointed as the governor of Najran, where he maintained justice and fairness despite bribes being offered to him. He refused to accept them, and instead, he established justice and fairness. Eventually, his excellent character and justice earned the loyalty of the people of Yemen.

However, some enemies tried to provoke Harun al-Rashid against him, falsely accusing him of intending to overthrow the caliphate. Imam Shafi was arrested and brought before Harun al-Rashid. Although Harun initially ordered his execution, after hearing his defense, he decided to imprison him instead. Imam Shafi was eventually released with a reward of 500 dinars after impressing Harun al-Rashid with his eloquent speech.

Academic Councils in Baghdad and Authorship: Imam Shafi came to Baghdad in 195 Hijri, where he spent two years, then traveled to Mecca, only to return to Baghdad in 198 Hijri. He blessed the people of Baghdad with his knowledge, uniting the scattered groups of scholars. He promoted the knowledge of the Quran, the Sunnah of the Prophet (PBUH), and the hadith sciences, and fought against innovations. Scholars and even Harun al-Rashid attended his lectures. Imam Shafi wrote several books during this time, including Kitab al-Risalah, a treatise on the principles of Islamic jurisprudence, which became one of his most significant works.

Arrival in Egypt: In 200 Hijri, Imam Shafi arrived in Egypt. He worked tirelessly, even during his travels. Rabi bin Suleiman narrates that before entering Egypt, he saw Imam Shafi in Nusaybin, where he neither ate during the day nor slept at night. He was constantly engaged in scholarly work. When it became dark, he would ask his servant to light a lamp, and he would write or erase things as necessary. When he became tired, he would rest briefly, and then resume his work. He had a relentless dedication to knowledge and scholarship.

Upon entering Egypt, Imam Shafi settled with the Azd tribe, his maternal relatives. Harun bin Sa'id al-Aily says that he had never seen anyone like Imam Shafi, who stood out for his devotion in prayer.

Muhaddith and Faqih: Imam Shafi was not only a great scholar but also an expert in hadith and jurisprudence. He contributed significantly to the science of hadith, setting conditions for accepting hadith and being an authority on hadith criticism and verification. Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal said that Imam Shafi was the one who clarified the meaning of the hadith to those who could not understand it.