Ash-Shaafi'iy ndiye aliyeanzisha elimu ya Usool ul-Fiqh, na elimu hii ilipokelewa vizuri na Maulamaa na Mafaqihi waliomfuata, kwa kuichunguza na kuisoma. Hivyo wakaiongezea mambo na kurekebisha masuala kadhaa ndani yake, hadi ikawa elimu iliyo na mshikamano, iliyo wazi na yenye sifa zake zilizotofautika, kutokana na msingi imara ambao Al-Imaam Ash-Shaafi'iy aliuweka kwa uthabiti kwa elimu hii tukufu.

Ash-Shaafi’iy founded the ‘Ilm of Usool ul-Fiqh and this was received (well) by the ‘Ulamaa and Fuqahaa, who followed him, through examination and study. So they added to it and revised a number of issues within it until it became an ‘Ilm that was coherent, clear and distinguished in its features, due to the firm foundation that Al-Imaam Ash-Shaafi’iy laid down solidly for this noble knowledge.

Ash-Shaafi’iy hakufikia kiwango cha ukamilifu kuhusu Usool ul-Fiqh, hivyo wengine walikuja kukamilisha jengo alilokuwa ameanza. Miongoni mwao walikuwepo waliomfuata akitoa ufafanuzi na maelezo marefu, pia walikuwepo waliokuja kuongeza kanuni mpya, huku wengine wakija kukosoa na kupinga baadhi ya Qawaa’id (kanuni) zake.

Ash-Shaafi’iy did not reach the point of completion in respect to Usool ul-Fiqh and so others came to complete the building that he had begun. There were from amongst them those who followed him providing explanation and elaboration, there were also those who came adding new principles whilst others came critiquing and disagreeing with him in respect to some of the Qawaa’id (principles).

Maeneo haya ya masomo baada ya Ash-Shafi'iy yalikuwa yamezuiliwa kwenye mada maalum katika Usool ul-Fiqh, wala hayakushughulikia Usool ul-Fiqh kwa ujumla. Yalikuwa yamezuiliwa kwenye mada kwa upande wa ufafanuzi, nyongeza na tofauti za maoni.

These areas of study after Ash-Shafi’iy were restricted to specific subjects in Usool ul-Fiqh and they did not deal with Usool ul-Fiqh as a whole. They were restricted to subjects in respect to explanation, addition and disagreement.

Maelezo maarufu zaidi (Shuruuh) ya Ar-Risaalah ya Ash-Shaafi'iy katika Usuul ul-Fiqh yalikuwa:

The most prominent explanations (Shurooh) of Ash-Shaafi’iy’s Risaalah in Usool ul-Fiqh were:

1) Sharh (ufafanuzi) wa Abu Bakr Muhammad As-Seerfiy aliyefariki mwaka 330 AH, na kitabu hicho kiliitwa: ‘Dalaa’il Al-I’laam’.

1) The Sharh (explanation) of Abu Bakr Muhammad As-Seerfiy who passed away in the year 330 AH and it was called: ‘Dalaa’il Al-I’laam’.

2) Sharh ya Muhammad Al-Qaffaal Ash-Shaashii, aliyefariki dunia mwaka 365 AH.

2) The Sharh of Muhammad Al-Qaffaal Ash-Shaashii who passed away in the year 365 AH.

3) Sharh ya Abu Muhammad Abdullah ibn Yousuf Al-Juwainiy ambaye alifariki mwaka 438 AH.

3) The Sharh of Abu Muhammad Abdullah ibn Yousuf Al-Juwainiy who passed away in the year 438 AH.

Miongoni mwa wa mwanzo kabisa kati ya wale walioandika katika Masaa'il (masuala) ya Usool ul-Fiqh baada ya Ash-Shaafi'iy walikuwa:

From the earliest of those who wrote in Masaa’il (issues) of Usool ul-Fiqh after Ash-Shaafi’iy were:

1) Al-Imamu Ahmad Bin Hanbal katika kitabu chake: ‘Taa’at Ar-Rasool’, kitabu: ‘An-Naasikh Wa-l-Mansookh’ na kitabu: ‘Al-‘Ilal’.

1) Al-Imaam Ahmad Bin Hanbal in his book: ‘Taa’at Ar-Rasool’, the book: ‘An-Naasikh Wa-l-Mansookh’ and the book: ‘Al-‘Ilal’.

2) Daawud Azh-Zhaahiriy katika kitabu: ‘Ibtaal Al-Qiyaas’ na kitabu: ‘Al-Khusoos Wa-l-‘Umoom’, miongoni mwa vingine. Sehemu kubwa ya alichoandika ilikuwa ni kukosoa Usuli za Ash-Shaafi’iy.

2) Daawud Azh-Zhaahiriy in the book: ‘Ibtaal Al-Qiyaas’ and the book: ‘Al-Khusoos Wa-l-‘Umoom’ amongst others. Most of what he wrote was a critique of the Usool of Ash-Shaafi’iy.

3) Muhammad At-Tirmidhi aliyefariki mwaka wa 255 katika kitabu: ‘Ithbaat Al-‘Ilal Ash-Shar’iyah’.

3) Muhammad At-Tirmidhi who passed away in the year 255 in the book: ‘Ithbaat Al-‘Ilal Ash-Shar’iyah’.

Vitabu vingi kati ya hivi vimepotea, na kutokana na vichwa vyake na majina yake tunaweza kuona wazi kwamba vilihusu masuala ya khilafu au tofauti za kimaoni tu. Vitabu hivyo vilikuwa either vikimuunga mkono Ash-Shaafi’iy na kujibu wale waliopingana naye, au vilikusudia kuthibitisha madh’hab ya mwandishi wake na kupinga madh’hab ya Ash-Shaafi’iy.

Most of these books were lost and it is clear to us from their headings and titles that they were restricted to dealing with issues of disagreement or difference; either in support of Ash-Shaafi’iy and as a rebuttal to those who disagreed with him, or they were to establish the Madh’hab of the writer and as a rebuttal in opposition to the Madh’hab of Ash-Shaafi’iy.