Cikakken sunan malamin da aka sanya wa wannan makarantar fikihu suna shi ne Muhammad ɗan Idris ash-Shafi'i.

The full name of the scholar after whom this school of legal thought has been named was Muhammad ibn Idrees ash-Shaafi’ee.

An haife shi a garin Ghazzah da ke gabar tekun Bahar Rum na abin da a lokacin ake kira Shaam, a shekara ta 796 miladiyya, amma ya yi tafiya zuwa Madinah tun yana matashi don yin karatun Fiqhu da Hadisi a wajen Imam Malik. Ya yi nasarar haddace dukkan littafin Malik, al-Muwatta', ya karanta masa shi daga zuciya, kalma da kalma daidai.

He was born in the town Ghazzah on the Mediterranean coast of what was then known as Shaam in the year 796 CE, but travelled to Madeenah in his youth to study Fiqh and Hadeeth under Imaam Maalik. He succeeded in memorizing the whole of Maalik’s book, al-Muwatta’, and recited it to him from memory, word perfect.

Ash-Shaafi'ee ya ci gaba da zama a karkashin Malik har zuwa lokacin da ya rasu a shekara ta 801 Miladiyya. Daga nan ya tafi Yaman ya koyar a can. Ya ci gaba da zama a can har zuwa lokacin da aka zarge shi da karkata zuwa ga Shi'a a shekara ta 805 Miladiyya, aka kawo shi a matsayin fursuna gaban Khalifan Abbasawa, Haroon ar-Rasheed (mulki 786-809 Miladiyya) a Iraki. Da sa'a, ya iya tabbatar da daidaiton imaninsa, saboda haka aka sake shi. Ash-Shaafi'ee ya ci gaba da zama a Iraki, kuma ya yi karatu na wani lokaci a karkashin Imam Muhammad ibn al-Hasan, shahararren almajirin Abu Haneefah.

Ash-Shaafi’ee remained under Maalik until the latter died in 801 CE. Then he went to Yemen and taught there. He remained there until he was accused of Shi’ite leanings in the year 805 CE and brought as a prisoner before the ‘Abbaasid Caliph, Haroon arRasheed (rule 786-809 CE) in Iraq. Fortunately, he was able to prove the correctnes of his beliefs and was subsequently released. AshShaafi’ee remained in Iraq and studied for a while under Imaam Muhammad ibn al-Hasan, the famous student of Abu Haneefah.

Daga baya ya yi tafiya zuwa Masar domin ya yi karatu a wurin Imam Muhammad ibn al-Hasan, almajirin Abu Haneefah sanannen nan.

Later he traveled to Egypt in order to study under Imaam Muhammad ibn al-Hasan, the famous student of Abu Haneefah.

Daga baya ya yi tafiya zuwa Masar domin ya yi karatu a wurin Imam al-Layth, amma a lokacin da ya isa can, Imam ya riga ya rasu.

Later he travelled to Egypt in order to study under Imaam al-Layth, but by the time he reached there the Imaam had passed away.

Duk da haka, ya sami damar yin nazarin madhhabin al-Layth daga almajiran al-Layth. Ash-Shaafi'ee ya ci gaba da zama a Masar har zuwa rasuwarsa a shekara ta 820 Miladiyya, a lokacin mulkin Khalifa al-Ma'mun (mulki 813 - 832 Miladiyya). 143

However, he was able to study the Madh-hab of al-Layth from alLayth’s students. Ash-Shaafi’ee remained in Egypt until his death in the year 820 CE during the rule of the Caliph al-Mamoon (rule 813 - 832 CE). 143

Imam ash-Shafi'i ya haɗa fiqhun Hijaz (tafarkin Maliki) da na Iraki (tafarkin Hanafi), ya kuma ƙirƙiri sabon mazhaba wadda ya gabatar wa almajiransa a cikin littafi mai suna al-Hujjah (Hujja). Wannan gabatarwa ta faru ne a Iraki a shekara ta 810 CE, kuma wasu daga cikin almajiransa sun haddace littafinsa, suka kuma ruwaito shi ga wasu. Wannan littafi da wannan lokaci na ilimin malamin ana kiransu da al-Madhhab al-Qadeem (tsohon mazhaba), don a bambance su da zangon na biyu na ilimin malamin, wanda ya faru bayan ya isa Masar. A Masar ya karɓi fiqhun Imam al-Layth ibn Sa'd, ya kuma gabatar wa almajiransa al-Madhhab al-Jadeed (sabon mazhaba) a cikin wani littafi daban wanda ya sa masa suna al-Umm (Asali). Saboda sabon yanayin ahadisi da hanyoyin hujja da ya fuskanta, a cikin al-Madhhab al-Jadeed ya juya matsayoyi da dama na fiqhu da ya riƙe a lokacin da yake Iraki. Imam ash-Shafi'i yana da matsayin cewa shi ne Imam na farko da ya tsara ginshiƙan asali na fiqhu, wanda ya rubuta a littafinsa mai suna ar-Risalah.

Imaam ash-Shaafi’ee combined the Fiqh of Hijaaz (Maalikee thought) with that of Iraq, (Hanafee thought) and created a new Madh-hab which he dictated to his students in the form of a book called al-Hujjah (The Evidence). This dictation took place in Iraq in the year 810 CE and a number of his students memorised his book and narrated it to others. This book and period of his scholarship are usually referred to as al-Madh-hab al-Qadeem (the old school of thought) to differentiate it from the second period to his scholarship which occurred after he reached Egypt. In Egypt he absorbed the Fiqh of Imaam al-Layth ibn Sa’d and dictated al-Madh-hab alJadeed (the new school of thought) to his students in the form of another book which he named al-Umm (he Essence). Because of his exposure to a completely new set of Hadeeths and legal reasoning, in al-Madh-hab al-Jadeed, he reversed many of the legal positions which he had held while in Iraq. Imaam ash-Shafi’ee holds the distinction of being the first Imaam to systematize the fundamental principles of Fiqh which he recorded in his book called ar-Risaalah.

Ash-Shaafi'ee bai sabawa da Imamai da aka ambata a baya ba, a matsayinsu na masu tsayawa kan gaskiya wajen fifikon Alkur'ani a cikin tushen shari'ar Musulunci. Ya dogara da shi sosai kamar yadda wadanda suka gabace shi suka yi, yana kara kawai sabbin fahimtar da ya samu daga zurfin nazari a kan ma'anarsa.

Ash-Shaafi’ee did not differ from the previously mentione Imaams, in their uncompromising stand in relation to the primacy of the Qur’aan among the sources of Islamic law. He frlied on it as heavily as those before him adding only the new insights which he gained from a deep study of its meaning.

Imam ash-Shafi'i ya kafa sharadi guda ɗaya kacal don karɓar Hadisai, wato cewa su zama ingantattu (Sahihai).

Imaam ash-Shaafi’ee laid down only one condition for the acceptance of Hadeeths, namely that they be authentic (Saheeh).

Ya ƙi dukan sauran sharuɗɗan da Imamai Abu Haneefah da Maalik suka gindaya. Haka kuma an san shi da manyan gudummawarsa ga ilimin sukar Hadisi.

He rejected all the other conditions set by Imaams Abu Haneefah and Maalik. He was also noted for his great contributions to the science of Hadeeth criticism.

Duk da cewa Ash-Shaari'ee yana da manyan shakku game da yiwuwar Ijma'i a wasu lokuta, ya amince cewa a cikin 'yan lokutan da aka sani cewa ya faru, ya kamata a dauke shi a matsayin tushe na uku mafi muhimmanci na shari'ar Musulunci.

Although ash-Shaari’ee had serious doubts about the possibility of the Ijmaa’ in a number of cases, he conceded that in the few cases where it was known to have occurred, it should be regarded as the third most important source of Islamic law.

An Imaam ash-Shaafi'ee ya ba da muhimmanci ga ra'ayoyin kowane ɗaya daga cikin Sahabbai, muddin ba su saɓa wa juna ba. Idan Sahabbai sun sami saɓani a kan wata matsala ta shari'a, zai zaɓi ra'ayin da ya fi kusa da asali, kamar yadda Abu Haneefah ya yi, ya bar sauran.

Credence was given by Imaam ash-Shaafi’ee to the individual opinions of the Sahaabah on condition that they were not at variace with each other. If there were conflicting opinions among the Sahaabah on a legal point, he like Abu Haneefah, would choose whichever opinion was the closest to the source and leave the rest.

Qiyaas ya kasance, a ra'ayin Imam, hanya mai inganci ta fitar da wasu hukunce-hukunce daga tushen da suka gabata. Duk da haka, ya sanya shi a matsayi na karshe wajen muhimmanci, yana ganin ra'ayinsa na kansa ya fi kasa da hujjojin da suka dogara da ra'ayoyin sahabbai.

Qiyaas was, in the Imaam’s opinion, a valid method for deducing further laws from the previous sources. However, he placed it last in order of importance, considering his personal opinions inferior to proofs based on the opinions of the companions.

Dukkanin ra'yin Istihsaan wanda Abu Haneefah ya yi amfani da shi, da Istislaah wanda Maalik ya yi amfani da shi, ash-Shaafi'ee ya ki su, ya kuma ɗauke su a matsayin wani nau'i na Bid'ah (bidi'a), domin a ra'ayinsa sun dogara ne mafi yawa akan tunanin mutum a fagen da dokoki na wahayi suka riga suka wanzu. Duk da haka, wajen magance irin waɗannan matsaloli, ash-Shaafi'ee ya tilastu yin amfani da wata hanya kamar Istihsaan da Istislaah, wadda ya kira Istis-haab.144 Istis-haab a ma'anar harshe yana nufin neman haɗi, amma a fagen shari'a yana nufin tsarin cire dokokin Fiqh ta hanyar haɗa yanayi na baya-bayan nan da yanayin farko. Yana dogara ne akan zato cewa dokokin Fiqh da suka shafi wasu yanayi suna ci gaba da aiki muddin ba a tabbatar da cewa waɗannan yanayi sun canja ba. Idan, misali, saboda dogon rashin wani mutum, ana shakka ko yana raye ko ya mutu, to bisa Istis-haab dukkan hukunce-hukuncen da za su yi aiki idan an tabbatar yana raye dole ne su ci gaba da aiki.

Both the principle Istihsaan used by Abu Haneefah and Istislaah used by Maalik were rejected by ash-Shaafi’ee and considered a form of Bid’ah (innovation), since, in his opinion, they were based nostly on human reasoning in areas where revealed laws already existed. However, in dealing with similar issues ashShaafi’ee was obliged to use a principle similar to Istihsaan and Istislaah which he called istis-haab.144 Istis-haab literally means seeking a link, but legally it refers to the process of deducing Fiqh laws by linking a later set of circumstances with an earlier set. It is based on the assumption that the Fiqh laws applicable to certain conditions remain valid so long as it is not certain that these conditions have altered. If, for example, on account of the long absence of someone, it is doubtful whether he is alive or dead, then by Istis-haab all rules must remain in force that would hold if one knew for certain that he was still alive.

Daga cikin manyan dalibban Imam ash-Shafi'i wadanda suka ci gaba da bin madhhabinsa su ne: al-Muzanee, ar-Rabi' da Yusuf ibn Yahya.

The most important of Imaam ash-Shaafi’ee’s students who contunued to follow his school of thought were: al-Muzanee, arRabee’ and Yoosuf ibn Yahyaa.

Sunan cikakken sunansa shi ne Imaa'eel ɗan Yahyaa al-Muzanee. Ya kasance abokin zama na kusa da Imaam ash-Shaafi'ee a duk tsawon zamansa a Masar. Al-Muzanee ya shahara da rubuta wani littafi wanda ya tattara fiqhin ash-Shaafi'ee cikin cikakken tsari.

Al-Muzanee’s full name was Imaa’eel ibn Yahyaa alMuzanee. He was the constant companion of Imaam ash-Shaafi’ee throughtout his stay in Egypt. Al-Muzanee was noted for writning a book which comprehensively gathered the Fiqh of ash-Shaafi’ee.

Daga baya aka taƙaita shi a ƙarƙashin take Mukhtasar al-Muzanee, sai ya zama littafin Fiqhu mafi yawan karatu a cikin mazhabar Shafi'iyya.

Later condensed under the title Mukhtasal al-Muzanee, it became the most widely read Fiqh book of the Shaafi’ee Madh-hab.

Ar-Rabee' an an ambaci a matsayin babban mai ruwaitowa na littafin al-Umm na ash-Shaafi'ee. Ya rubuta shi a lokacin rayuwar Imam ash-Shaafi'ee, tare da ar-Risaala da sauran littattafai.

Ar-Rabee’ was noted as the main narrator of ash-Shaafi’ee’s book al-Umm. He wrote it down during Imaam ash-Shaafi’ee’s lifetime along with ar-Rasaalah and other books.

Yusuf ɗan Yahya ya gaji Ash-Shafi'i a matsayin babban malamin Madhhabi. An daure shi an kuma azabtar da shi har ya mutu a Baghdad saboda ya ƙi amincewa da falsafar Mu'tazila ta hukuma game da halittar Alƙur'ani.145

Yoosuf ibn Yahyaa succeeded ash-Shaafi’ee as the main teacher of the Madh-hab. He was imprisoned and tortured to death in Baghdad because he rejected the officially sanctioned Mu’tazilite philosophy on the creation of the Qur’aan.145

Mafi yawan mabiyan mazhabin Shafi'i yanzu suna can a Masar, Kudancin Larabawa (Yaman, Hadaramaut), Sri Lanka, Indonesiya, Malesiya, da Gabashin Afirka (Kenya, Tanzaniya) da kuma Surinam a Kudancin Amurka.

The majority of the followers of the Shaafi’ee Madh-hab are now to be found in Egypt, Southern Arabia, (Yemen, Hadramout), Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Malaysia, and East Africa (Kenya, Tanzania) and Surinam in South America.