A major school of Islamic law founded by Imam Muhammad ibn Idris al-Shafi'i (rahimahullah). Widely followed in Southeast Asia, East Africa, Yemen, and historically in Egypt and Syria.
The Shafi'i school (المذهب الشافعي - al-madhhab al-Shāfiʿī) is one of the four major schools of Islamic jurisprudence in Sunni Islam. Founded by the brilliant scholar and jurist Imam Muhammad ibn Idris al-Shafi'i (767-820 CE), this school is distinguished by its systematic methodology and balanced approach to deriving Islamic rulings.
Imam Shafi'i is credited with establishing Usul al-Fiqh (principles of Islamic jurisprudence) as a distinct science. His landmark work, "Al-Risala," laid down the foundational principles for deriving legal rulings, influencing all subsequent schools of Islamic thought. The Shafi'i madhab emphasizes the importance of authentic hadith and systematic reasoning.
Born in 767 CE in Gaza, Palestine, Imam Shafi'i was orphaned at a young age and raised in Mecca. A descendant of the Prophet's tribe (Quraysh), he memorized the Quran by age seven and studied under prominent scholars including Imam Malik in Medina.
His unique experience studying in both Hijaz (Mecca and Medina) and Iraq allowed him to synthesize the methodologies of the Maliki and Hanafi schools, creating a balanced approach to jurisprudence.
The primary and supreme source of Islamic law, Allah's (SWT) revelation.
Authentic prophetic traditions, with strict authentication standards for acceptance.
Unanimous agreement of Muslim scholars, particularly the Companions.
Systematic analogy based on clear rationales from Quran and Sunnah.
Rigorous standards for accepting and acting upon prophetic narrations
Methodical approach to deriving rulings through logical reasoning
Balance between rationalist and traditionalist methodologies
Well-defined principles for deriving and ranking evidence
The Shafi'i madhab is the predominant school in Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei, Singapore, the Philippines, parts of Thailand, East Africa (Kenya, Tanzania, Somalia), Yemen, Kurdistan, and parts of Egypt. It is estimated that around 29% of the world's Muslims follow the Shafi'i school.
Major institutions include Al-Azhar University in Egypt, Dar al-Mustafa in Yemen, and numerous Islamic universities across Southeast Asia. The school's emphasis on authentic hadith and clear methodology has contributed to its widespread acceptance.
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