Biography of Imam Al-Shafi‘i – Founder of the Shafi‘i School of Fiqh
To admonish your brother in private is to advise him, and to admonish him publicly is to disgrace him.
Early Life & Education
Imam Al-Shafi‘i (Muhammad ibn Idris al-Shafi‘i, 767–820 CE) was a towering figure in Islamic history and the founder of the Shafi‘i school of Islamic jurisprudence — one of the four major Sunni madhhabs still widely followed today. Renowned for his brilliant mind and unmatched reasoning, Imam Al-Shafi‘i laid down the foundational principles of Usul al-Fiqh (principles of Islamic jurisprudence), formalizing the methods by which Islamic rulings are derived.
He was born in Gaza, Palestine, and raised in Mecca, where he memorized the Qur’an by the age of seven and the Muwatta of Imam Malik by the age of ten. He later studied directly under Imam Malik ibn Anas, and after Imam Malik’s passing, he traveled extensively to Iraq and Egypt, where he met the scholars of both the Hanafi and Maliki schools. These rich scholarly experiences allowed him to blend traditional knowledge with structured legal reasoning — a legacy that would define the Shafi‘i madhhab.
Imam Al-Shafi‘i’s Contributions to Islamic Law and Hadith Sciences
Imam Al-Shafi‘i’s most revolutionary contribution was his articulation of the sources of Islamic law: the Qur’an, Sunnah, Ijma‘ (consensus), and Qiyas (analogy). He is credited with writing the first systematic book on jurisprudence, “Al-Risalah,” where he outlined how legal rulings should be developed. This marked the birth of Usul al-Fiqh as an independent science and gave Islamic law a coherent framework that scholars still rely on today.
In addition to being a jurist, Imam Al-Shafi‘i was also a Hadith master, a gifted poet, and a man of deep humility. He emphasized balancing textual evidence with rational inquiry and was known for his wisdom, eloquence, and tolerance of differing views. His legal methodology helped unite varying traditions of jurisprudence across different regions and schools.
Imam Al-Shafi‘i passed away in 820 CE in Cairo, Egypt, but his legacy lives on wherever Shafi‘i fiqh is practiced — including Southeast Asia, East Africa, and parts of the Middle East. He is remembered not just as a jurist but as a reformer and unifier in the intellectual tradition of Islam.
For an academic overview, visit Imam Al-Shafi‘i – Oxford Islamic Studies.
Quick Facts:
- Full Name: Muhammad ibn Idris al-Shafi‘i
- Born: 767 CE in Gaza, Palestine
- Died: 820 CE in Cairo, Egypt
- Known for: Founding the Shafi‘i school of thought, authoring Al-Risalah
- Legacy: Standardized Usul al-Fiqh, bridged gaps between madhhabs