Al Imam Muhammad bin Idris As-Syafi'e

Imam Muhammad ibn Idris al-Shafi'i (Arabic: محمد بن إدريس الشافعي), commonly known as Imam al-Shafi'i (767–820 CE), was a foundational Islamic scholar and the founder of the Shafi'i school (madhhab) of Sunni jurisprudence (fiqh). Here is a structured overview of his life and contributions:

### Biographical Overview

- Birth and Early Life: Born in 767 CE in Gaza (modern-day Palestine) to a Qurayshi family (from the tribe of the Prophet Muhammad). His father died when he was young, and he grew up in poverty in Mecca.

- Education:

- Studied in Mecca under Muslim ibn Khalid al-Zanji.

- Traveled to Medina to learn from Imam Malik ibn Anas, founder of the Maliki school, and memorized Malik's seminal work, Al-Muwatta.

- Later studied in Yemen and Iraq, engaging with Hanafi scholars and refining his legal thought.

### Key Contributions

1. Founder of the Shafi'i School:

- His legal methodology bridged the scripturalist approaches of the Hijaz (e.g., Malikis) and the rationalist traditions of Iraq (e.g., Hanafis).

- The Shafi'i school emphasizes the Quran, Sunnah (Prophetic traditions), ijma (consensus), and qiyas (analogical reasoning), systematizing the principles of usul al-fiqh (jurisprudence).

2. Major Works:

- ***Al-Risala***: The first comprehensive treatise on Islamic legal theory, outlining the foundations of juristic reasoning.

- ***Kitab al-Umm***: A voluminous compilation of his legal opinions and rulings.

3. Legacy in Legal Theory:

- Pioneered the hierarchical use of evidence: Quran > Sunnah > consensus > analogy.

- Advocated for critical evaluation of hadith (Prophetic traditions) to ensure authenticity.

### Travels and Influence

- Taught in Baghdad and later in Egypt, where his legal theories matured. His "old" (Iraqi) and "new" (Egyptian) opinions are noted in Shafi'i scholarship.

- Students included prominent scholars like Ahmad ibn Hanbal (founder of the Hanbali school) and Al-Muzani.

### Death and Legacy

- Died in 820 CE in Fustat (Old Cairo), Egypt. His tomb remains a revered site.

- The Shafi'i school became dominant in Egypt, East Africa, Yemen, Southeast Asia (Indonesia, Malaysia), and parts of the Levant and India.

- Recognized for his piety, eloquence, and intellectual rigor, he is celebrated as a renewer (*mujaddid*) of Islam.

### Quotes and Anecdotes

- Famously stated: "Knowledge is not what is memorized. Knowledge is what benefits."

- His imprisonment in Yemen (due to political suspicions) and subsequent exoneration underscored his integrity.

Imam al-Shafi'i's systematic approach to fiqh profoundly shaped Islamic legal thought, ensuring his enduring influence across the Muslim world.