Imam Shafie

Early Life
Abu Abdullah Muhammad Bin Idris descends from theHashimi familyof
theQuraishtribe to whichProphet Mohammed (PBUH)belongs. He was born in
Gaza, Syria in767and became famous asImam Shafi-ee. He lost his father
early in life and was brought up by his mother in abject poverty in
the city of Mecca. He spent much time among the Bedouins and acquired
very great knowledge of Arabic poetry.
Life as Student
At the age of twenty, he went toMadinaand remained there as a student
of Imam Maliktill the later's death in796. He also came into contact
with other learned men from whom he acquired knowledge of the Holy
Qur'an and the Traditions of the Holy Prophet Muhammad. Imam Shafi-ee
possessed a very sharp memory and knew the whole ofImam Malik's
Muwattaby heart. In804he visited Syria and from there proceeded to
Egypt where he settled down. As a pupil of Imam Malik he was received
with great honor and respect by the Egyptians.
Teachings of Imam Shafi
In810he went to Baghdad and there he was surrounded by a large number
of students who were eager to acquire knowledge of the faith and
practice of Islam from him. TheShafi-ee school of lawemerged from
these students who practiced and propagated the views and rulings of
Imam Shafi-ee through their writings and preaching.
Imam Shafi-ee wrote several books, the most well-known of which is
calledKitab-al-Umm, which is a collection of writings and lectures of
the Imam. A number of his students have also collected his writings,
lectures and rulings in the form of books, or quoted him in their
books.Baghdad in IraqandCairo in Egyptwere the chief centers of Imam
Shafiee's activities. It is from these two cities that teachings of
the Shafi-ee school spread in the9th centuryof the Christian era.
During the time of Sultan Salahuddeen (Saladin), the Shafi-ee doctrine
was the most prominent in Egypt, and to this day theImam of the
Al-Azhar Masjidis always a Shafi-ee and the Shafi-ee Madhhab is
industriously studied along with that of the other three schools of
the Sunnis.
During his life Imam Shafi-ee also suffered from political intrigues.
For instance, after studying under Imam Malik in Madina he was sent to
fill an office in Yemen, where he was accused of political involvement
which resulted in his arrest. He was taken as prisoner to Harun
al-Rasheed. The Khalifa however found him innocent and the Imam was
honorably released.
Imam Shaafi-ee died in the year820 in Egypt.