بِسۡمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
Imam
Shafi’i al hashmi al quraishi , was born in Gaza in the year 150. Two
years later, his mother, Fatimah, moved to Makkah so that his maternal
family could help raise him. Imam Shafi’i memorized the Qur’an at a
young age, and Imam Malik’s Muwatta’, which he borrowed from a friend,
in seven nights. In Makkah, he studied with Muslim b. Khalid, Sufyan b.
‘Uyaynah, and others.
He departed Makkah to take knowledge from
the Imam of Ahl al-Hadith, Imam Malik b. Anas. Imam Shafi’i stayed with
Imam Malik until his teacher’s passing in the year 179.
Thereafter, Imam Shafi’i relocated to Yemen to take the position of
judge. He was in Yemen until taken prisoner and extradited to Baghdad in
184. In Baghdad, Imam Shafi’i would take the opportunity to study and
review the books transmitted by Imam Abu Hanifah’s students like
Muhammad b. Hasan al-Shaybani. During his first stay in Baghdad, he
reviewed the books related by Imam Abu Hanifah’s students, debated,
taught, and benefited the people there.
In fact, Imam Shafi’i mentioned that he reviewed these books for a year
until he had committed them to memory, and then he sat and wrote his
work al-Hujjah. At this stage he also wrote his Risalah ‘Iraqiyyah in
the subject of usul al-fiqh and other books too which would be related
by the transmitters of his ‘Iraqi School.
Defining the ‘Iraqi madhhab’s transmission we find:
- Imam Abu Ali Hasan b. Muhammad al-Za’farani al-Baghdadi
- Imam Abu ‘Abd Allah Ahmad b. Hanbal al-Baghdadi
- Imam Abu Thawr Ibrahim b. Khalid al-Baghdadi
- Imam Abu ‘Ali al-Hasan b. ‘Ali al-Karabisi al-Baghdadi
After his stay in Baghdad, Imam Shafi’i returned to Makkah where he
taught in the Haram. In the year 195, Imam Shafi’i returned to Baghdad
until 199 when he relocated to Egypt. In Egypt, he established his new
School, the madhhab jadid.
In Egypt, Imam Shafi’i authored
various works which would form part of his newmadhhab. In fiqh, Imam
Shafi’i authored a large work under the title Kitab al-Umm.
Imam
Shafi’i authored another work under the title Ikhtilaf al-‘Iraqiyyani,
the word “‘Iraqiyyani” being dual indicating to the “two ‘Iraqis” namely
Imams Ibn Abi Layla and Abu Hanifah.
Additionally, he authored
Ikhtilaf Malik wa al-Shafi’i, Jima’ al-‘Ilm, Ibtal al-Istihsan,al-Radd
‘ala Muhammad b. al-Hasan, and Siyar al-Awza’i.
He also authored a
work under the title Ikhtilaf al-Hadith. While it should be noted the
Shafi’i scholars differ as to if this is part of the qawl qadim or
jadid. In hisMustasfa, Imam Ghazzali stated that it is part of the
jadid; however, in his takmilah ofSharh al-Muhadhdhab, Taqi al-Din
al-Subki dismissed this and maintained that it is part of the jadid.
And all of these are found published along with his Kitab al-Umm. The
contemporary Egyptian scholar, Shaykh Dr. Rif’at Fawzi has done an
excellent editing of this work. His edition has been printed by Dar
al-Wafa’, Egypt 1422/2001.
For Kitab al-Umm and her appendices, follow this link.
Imam Shafi’i also wrote his al-Imla’ which is part of the qawl jadid,
and there is a work related from him under the title al-Amali which is
from the qadim. And he also reworked his usul al-fiqh book, al-Risalah,
in Egypt. This has been both published as an independent book, and it
also features as one of the first volumes in Dr. Rif’at edition to Kitab
al-Umm.
In hadith, Imam Shafi’i also left his Sunan and Musnad. And he left his Diwan as well.
Defining the madhhab Imam Shafi’i formulated in Cairo which was transmitted by very notable scholars such as:
- Imam Abu Ya’qub Yusuf b. Yahya al-Buwayti
- Imam Abu Ibrahim Isma’il b. Yahya al-Muzani
- Imam Rabi’ b. Sulayman al-Muradi
They took his madhhab, his books, his teachings, his opinions, his legacy,
and transmitted it from him after he passed away in 204. May Allah have
mercy on Imam Shafi’i and benefit us through his knowledge.
Source:
Reviving the ManhajAhmad ibn Hanbal said: "Were I to be asked about a matter about which I
had no knowledge, then I would give the opinion of Ash-Shaafi'I, because
he is an Imaam (of knowledge). I have been praying for Ash-Shaafi'i for
the past forty years during my prayers." (Siyar A'laam An-Nubalaa') -
Sheik Muhammad AL- Munajjid
