Hundred Great Muslims

Hundred Great Muslims
97
His tomb which was built by the Ayubid Ruler al Malik al-Kamil in
1211/12 A.C. is a favourite place of pilgrimage.
like his predecessors, Imam Abu Hanifa and Imam Malik, Imam Shafti too
refused to become Qazi (Judge) of the Abbaside regime. The years spent by him
in Iraq and Egypt were the periods of his intensive activity. He spent most of his
time in writing and lecturing. He was very methodical in his daily life and had
systematically divided his time for different types of work and he seldom
deviated from this routine.
"AI Shafii", states the Encyclopaedia of Islam, "may be described as an
eclectic who acted as an intermediary between the independent legal investigation
and the traditionalism of his time. Not only did he work through the legal
material available, but in his Risala, he also investigated the principles and
methods of jurisprudence. He is regarded as the founder of 'Usual al Fikh'.
Unlike Hanafis, he sought to lay down regular rules for 'Kiyas', while he had
nothing to do with 'istihsan'. The principle of 'ishtibah', seems to have been
first introduced by the later Shafiis. In al-Shafii two creative periods can be
distinguished, an earlier (Iraqi) and a later (Egyptian)".
In his writings he made a masterly use of dialogue. He elucidates the
principles of jurisprudence in his Risala and has tried to adopt a mean between
the Hanafti and Malikijurisprudence. The collection of his writings and lectures
in "Kitabul Umm" revealshis master intellect.
The main centres of his activity were Baghdad and Cairo. First of all he
follows the Quran, then the Sunnah. The most authentic Traditions of the
Prophet are given the same consideration by him as Quran. He was very popular
among the traditionists and the people of Baghdad called him the "Nazir-us­
Sunnat" (exponent of the Traditions of the Prophet).
Imam Shafti who combined in himself the principles of Islamic jurisprudence
as well as the fluent language of the people of Hejaz and Egypt was
matchless both in conversational and written language. His writings can favourably
be compared with those of the best writers of Arabic language of his time,
including Jahiz.
The teachings of Imam Shafti spread from Baghdad and Cairo to distant
parts of Iraq, Egypt and Hejaz. The most notable of his pupils were al-Muzani,
al-Buwaiti, al-Rabib Sulaiman, al-Maradi, al-Zafarani Abu Thawr, al-Humaidi,
Ahmad ibn Hanbal and al-Karabisi.
During the third and fourth century A.H., the Shaftis won more and more
of adherents in Baghdad and Cairo. In the fourth century, Makkah and Medina
were the chief centres of Shaftite teachings besides Egypt.