read out the entire Muwatta from beginning to end by heart. He (Imam Shaafi’i)رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه  said: ‘Upon this, Sayyiduna Imam Maalik رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه gave me Du’a and became very happy.’ (Hilyat-ul-Awliya, vol. 9, pp. 78, Hadees 13177)

Permission of issuing Fatwa

Allah Almighty bestowed Imam Shaafi’i رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه with matchless knowledge. His competence and academic greatness can be clearly judged by the fact that when he رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه turned only fifteen years old, then his beloved teacher and the Grand Mufti of Makkah-e-Mukarramah, Sayyiduna Muslim Bin Khalid Zanji رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه, gave him the permission to issue Fatwas due to the complete confidence and thorough reliance he had in him. (Kitaab-us-Saqaat Li-Ibn-e-Habban, vol. 5, pp. 406)

Teachers of Imam Shaafi’i رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه

Imam Shaafi’i رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه was privileged to acquire blessings from the best of the scholars and Mashaaikh of his time. He رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه also gained a lot of knowledge from the great leader of Malikees, Sayyiduna Imam Maalik رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه. Generally speaking, Imam Shaafi’i رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه had a lot of teachers, but the personality whom he was seen most impressed of was the eminent student of Imam-e-A’zam Abu Hanifah رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه, Imam Muhammad Bin Hassan Shaybani رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه.

Sayyiduna Muhammad Bin Shuja’ رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه states that once, Imam Shaafi’i رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه presented the solution to an extremely complicated issue which was also quite astonishing for him. He رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه said: ‘This is the blessing of my beloved teacher, Imam Muhammad Bin Hassan Shaybani رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه. (Maqamaat-e-Imam A’zam, pp. 525)

Imam Shaafi’i رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه states that ‘I stayed with Imam Muhammad رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه for twenty years. The amount of knowledge I gained from him, if it was to be converted in a written form, then a camel would be required to carry its weight. Undoubtedly, if Imam Muhammad was not there, then I would not have received the understanding of Deen. (Maqamaat-e-Imam A’zam, pp. 531)