Muhammad ibn Idris ash-Shafi‟i (150-205 AH / 767-820 C.E) anachukuliwa kuwa mwanzilishi wa Usul al-Fiqh. Alizaliwa Gaza (Palestina), na alipokuwa na umri wa miaka miwili mama yake alimpeleka Makka. Imam Shafi‟i anatokana na kabila la Quraysh, na nasaba yake inakutana na ya Mtume ﷺ kwa Abdu Manaf.

Muhammad ibn Idris ash-Shafi‟i (150-205 AH / 767-820 C.E) is considered to be the architect of Usul al-Fiqh. He was born in Gaza (Palestine) and when he was two years old his mother took him to Makkah. Imam Shafi‟i is from the tribe of Quraysh and his lineage meets with the Prophet (saw) at Abdu Manaf.

Akiwa mdogo, mama yake alimpeleka kwenye Kuttab ya mtaani ili ahifadhi Qur'an, lakini kwa kuwa familia yao ilikuwa maskini na haikuweza kumudu ada ya masomo, hakuruhusiwa kuhudhuria madarasa. Alikuwa akikaa karibu na darasa, umbali wa kusikia, akisikiliza maelekezo ya Shaykh na kuyakariri. Mwalimu alipoondoka, Shafi'i mdogo alikwenda kuwasaidia wanafunzi katika kuhifadhi kwao. Mwalimu alipata habari hizi na akamruhusu Shafi'i mdogo kuingia darasani kwa sharti kwamba angewasaidia wanafunzi katika kuhifadhi masomo yao.

At an early age his mother took him to the local Kuttab to memorize the Qur‟an, but since they were poor and could not afford the tuition, he was not allowed to attend the classes. He used to stay within an earshot of the class listening to the instructions of the Shaykh and memorising them. When the teacher would leave, young Shafi‟i would go to help the students with their memorisation. The teacher learned about this and allowed young Shafi‟i in the class with the condition that he would help the students with their memorisation.

Alipokuwa na takriban miaka saba alikuwa amekwisha hifadhi Qur'ani, nao wakaenda Masjid Al-Haram ambako alijifunza lugha ya Kiarabu. Kufikia wakati alipohitimu, alikuwa amejifunza matoleo yote ya lugha ya Kiarabu ya kitamaduni. Kauli zake zinachukuliwa kuwa kiwango cha lugha ya Kiarabu. Baada ya kumaliza masomo yake ya Kiarabu, mtu mmoja alimshauri asome Hadithi, Fiqhi, na 'Ulumul-Qur'an, hivyo akahamia Madinah. Huko alisoma chini ya Imam Malik bin Anas kabla ya kifo chake mwaka 179 A.H. Ni moja kwa moja kutoka kwa Imam Malik ambapo Imam Shafi'i alijifunza Muwatta. Kisha alisafiri hadi Iraq, ambako alikaa kama mgeni wa Muhammad bin Al-Hasan, mwanafunzi wa Abu Hanifah. Imam Shafi'i alikuwa akijadiliana na kusoma pamoja na Muhammad bin al-Hasan na Qadi Abu Yusuf. Kisha alirudi Madinah, karibu mwaka 174 A.H., kumtembelea mwalimu wake wa zamani Imam Malik. Baada ya kifo cha Imam Malik, Imam Shafi'i alisafiri hadi Yemen. Huko alikutana na Umar bin Abi Salamah, mwalimu wa al Awaza'i, msomi mkubwa katika Usul al-Fiqh.

When he was about seven years old he had memorised the Qur‟an, and they went to Masjid Al-Haram where he studied the Arabic language. By the time he graduated, he had learned all the versions of the classical Arabic language. His statements are considered to be standards in the Arabic language. After completing his Arabic studies, a man advised him to study Hadith, Fiqh, and „Ulum-ul-Quran, and so he moved to Madinah. There he studied under Imam Malik ibn Anas prior to his death in 179 A.H. It was directly from Imam Malik that Imam Shafi‟i learned the Muwatta. He then travelled to Iraq, where he stayed as the guest of Muhammad bin Al-Hasan, the student of Abu Hanifah. Imam Shafi‟i would debate and study with both Muhammad bin al-Hasan and Qadi Abu Yusuf. He then returned to Madinah, around 174 A.H., to visit with his old teacher Imam Malik. After the death of Imam Malik, Imam Shafi‟i travelled to Yemen. There he met Umar bin Abi Salamah, teacher of al Awaza‟i, a great scholar in Usul al-Fiqh.

Wakati akiwa huko, zilitokea matatizo kati ya Khalifa Haroon ar-Rashid na Ahl-ul-Bayt. Imam Shafi‘i alishtakiwa kwa kuunga mkono Ahl-ul-Bayt dhidi ya Khalifa, akakamatwa na kupelekwa Baghdad kwenye mahakama ya Khalifa. Baada ya mazungumzo na Khalifa ili kujisafisha na kosa lolote, Imam Shafi‘i alialikwa na Khalifa ili amshauri. Imepokewa kwamba alikuwa thabiti na mwenye msimamo mkali katika ushauri wake kwa Khalifa, hadi Khalifa akalia.

While there, some problems arose between the Khaleefah Haroon ar-Rashid and Ahl-ul- Bayt. Imam Shafi‟i was accused of siding with the Ahl-ul-Bayt against the Khaleefah, and was arrested and taken to Baghdad to the court of the Khaleefah. After a discussion with the Khaleefah to clear himself of any wrong doing, Imam Shafi‟i was invited by the Khaleefah to advise him. It is recorded that he was so firm and strong in his advice to the Khaleefah that the Khaleefah wept.

Alipokuwa Baghdad, alikutana na Abdur Rahman bin al Mahdi (mwanazuoni wa Hadith) mwaka 195 A.H., ambaye alimwomba aandike kitabu kinachoeleza mbinu ya kuelewa Fiqh. Katika kazi hii, Imam Shafi‟i aliunganisha Madhehebu ya Hadith ya Madina na Madhehebu ya Ra‟ee ya Kufa. Aliweza kufanya hivyo kwa sababu alifahamiana na madhehebu yote mawili. Madinani alisoma chini ya Imam Malik, na Kufa alikutana na Muhammad bin al-Hasan (mfuasi wa madhehebu ya Hanafi ya Fiqh). Matokeo ya kitabu hiki yaliitwa Ar-Risala (toleo hili la zamani halipo leo).

While in Baghdad he met Abdur Rahman bin al Mahdi (Scholar of Hadith) in 195 A.H., who asked him to write a book explaining the methodology of understanding Fiqh. In this work, Imam Shafi‟i combined both the School of Hadith in Madinah and School of Ra‟ee in Kufah. He was able to do this because he was aquainted with both schools. In Madinah he studied under Imam Malik and in Kufah he met Muhammad bin al-Hasan (follower of Hanafi school of Fiqh). The outcome of this book was called Ar-Risala (This old version does not exist today).

Imamu Shafi'i kisha aliamua kuhamia Misri. Akiwa Misri, Imamu Shafi'i alilirekebisha upya kitabu chake Ar-Risala. Katika Risala mpya, alianzisha kanuni mpya katika Usulu l-Fiqhi. Hivyo, kubadilika kwake kuelekea mbinu mpya kulibadilisha pia fatwa zake, kwa sababu mfumo wa kutoa fatwa ni kama ifuatavyo:

Imam Shafi‟i then decided to move to Egypt. While in Egypt Imam Shafi‟i rewrote his book Ar-Risala. In the new Risala, he established new principles in Usul al-Fiqh. Thus, his changing to a new methodology changed his Fatwas because the pattern for giving Fatwas is as follows:

Usul ul Fiqh -> Fiqh -> Fatwa.

Usul ul Fiqh -> Fiqh -> Fatwa.

Baadhi ya watu wanadhani kwamba Imam Shafi'i alibadilisha Fiqh yake kutokana na hali mpya au mazingira mapya huko Misri. Tunapaswa kuelewa kwamba Imam Shafi'i hakuandika upya kitabu chake kwa ajili tu ya kufanya hivyo, wala kwa sababu alihama mahali. Kuna uwezekano wa aina mbili tu kuhusu kuandikwa upya kwa Ar-Risala. Imam Shafi'i alikuwa ameweka akilini mwake kwamba alitaka kufikia hitimisho fulani mahususi, na ili kufanya hivyo ingemlazimu kubadilisha msingi wa hitimisho hizo zilizokwisha kupangwa, au Imam Shafi'i aligundua kwamba msingi wa zamani aliokuwa ametumia ulikuwa si sahihi, hivyo ilikuwa ni lazima kuufanyia kazi upya au kuurekebisha msingi wake wa kuchota Fiqh yake.

Some think that Imam Shafi‟i changed his Fiqh due to the new circumstances or environment in Egypt. We must understand that Imam Shafi‟i did not rewrite his book for the sake of it, or because he changed his location. There are really only two possibilities for the re-writing of Ar-Risala. Imam Shafi‟i had put in his mind that he wanted to reach a specific conclusion and in order to do so he would have to change the basis for those predetermined conclusions, or Imam Shafi‟i found that the old basis he had used was wrong, and so it was necessary to redo or to revise his basis for deriving his Fiqh.

Ikiwa kuna mabadiliko katika Usul al-Fiqh, bila shaka kutakuwa na hukumu tofauti, na si kinyume chake, kwa kuwa Mujtahid hairuhusiwi kufikiria hukumu kabla ya kuamua ni vyanzo gani atakavyotoa hukumu kutoka kwake. Kwa hiyo, kutokana na kubadilishwa kwa Usul al-Fiqh, zilitolewa Fatwa tofauti. Sababu ya mabadiliko hayo ni kwamba yeye alifikiri kwamba Usul al-Fiqh yake ya awali ilikuwa si sahihi. Mabadiliko haya hayakutokana na wakati wala mahali. Kwa hiyo, Madhab yake ilibadilika kabisa kwa sababu Usul al-Fiqh yake ilibadilika. Jambo hili la msingi sana, lisipoeleweka ipasavyo, linaweza kuleta upotofu.

If there is a change in Usul al-Fiqh there will obviously be a different ruling and not vice-versa, because a Mujtahid is not allowed to think of a ruling before deciding on which sources to extract the rulings from. Therefore, as a result of changing the Usul al-Fiqh there were different Fatwas. The reason for the change was that he thought that his earlier Usul al-Fiqh was wrong. This change was not due to time or place. Therefore, his Madhab had changed completely because his Usul al-Fiqh had changed. This very important point, if it is not understood correctly could prove to be misleading.

Imamu Shafi'i hakuwahi kujadiliana katika 'Ilm-ul-Kalaam. Kuhusu hilo alikuwa akisema: "Kujadiliana katika Fiqh, angalau kutapelekea watu kukufanyia mzaha, kwa mfano, kusema kwamba Diyah ya mauaji ni yai. Kujadiliana katika 'Ilm ul Kalaam, watasema kwamba unapotoka na unafanya Bid'ah. Basi nendeni mkajadiliane katika Fiqh, na acheni 'Ilm ul Kalaam."

Imam Shafi‟i never debated in „Ilm-ul-Kalaam. Regarding it he used to say; “Debating in Fiqh, at the very least would lead the people to make fun of you, for example, saying the Diyah for murder is an egg. Debating in „Ilm ul Kalaam, they would say that you are deviating and making a Bid‟ah. So go and debate in Fiqh, and leave „Ilm ul Kalaam.”

Vitabu vya Imam Shafi‘i vinajumuisha:

Imam Shafi‟i‟s books include:

Ar-Risalah.

 Ar-Risalah.

Al-Umm.

 Al-Umm.

Jimaa ul-Ilm.

 Jimaa ul-Ilm.

Ibtaal ul-Istihsan.

 Ibtaal ul-Istihsan.

Musnad Ash-Shafi‟i‟.

 Musnad Ash-Shafi‟i‟.

Ahkaam-ul-Qur‟an.

 Ahkaam-ul-Qur‟an.

Miongoni mwa wale wanaochukuliwa kuwa wafuasi wa madhehebu yake walikuwemo:

Those who are considered to be from his Madhab included:

Jalaluddin as-Suyuti.

 Jalaluddin as-Suyuti.

An-Nawawi.

 An-Nawawi.

Ibn Kathir.

 Ibn Kathir.

Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani.

 Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani.

Al-Muzni.

 Al-Muzni.

Al-Ghazali.

 Al-Ghazali.

Al-Khatib al-Baghdadi.

 Al-Khatib al-Baghdadi.