Born in Gaza, Palestine, in the year 767AD, brought up in Mekkah, Saudi Arabia, Imam Shafi RA – The founder of Shafi school of thought, is widely known for his immense contribution to Islamic jurisprudence, Hadith and Ilmi Quran. A pioneer of knowledge, a great scholar and a passionate learner, Imam Shafi RA is being admired and respected for his voracious and savant attributes. He stands tall as a great source of inspiration for crores of students, irrespective of religious affiliations.
Prominently known as Shaikhul-Islam and Nasirul-Islam – Imam Shafi RA scaled unimaginable heights in the field of knowledge. Orphaned at a young age, Imam Shafi RA struggled a lot during his pursuit of knowledge. Poverty and meagre resources couldn’t dampen his resolve to attain elevations in the field of knowledge. He used to collect bones of dead animals to make notes on them, because he was too poor to buy paper for the same purpose.
One year, he went to perform Hajj. He met a Buzurg at Mina during the Hajj. They greeted eachother, and the oldman invited him to a meal. Imam Shafi readily accepted his invitation. Both of them sat togather, and enjoyed the loaves, offered by the Buzurg. The buzurg asked the youngman ( Imam Shafi RA ), ” You seem to be a Quraish.” Imam Shafi RA smiled, nodded his head in response, and replied, ” Yes, my lineage and descendancy stretches back to Prophet Mohammad ( PBUH ). I belong to the exalted tribe “. Young Imam Shafi RA asked about the whereabouts of the Buzurg. The oldman told him that he was from Medina.
At this, the young Imam Shafi RA began to enquire about the acclaimed scholar and teacher of the then Medina – Imam Malik RA, whom Imam Shafi RA admired and respected as his favourite teacher. Imam Shafi RA showed keen interest and curiosity to become a student of the great teacher. The old man understood his urge and longing to meet Imam Malik RA.
He said, ” youngman, would you like to travel to Medina with us to meet your favourite teacher? The offer took Imam Shafi RA over the moon. His joys knew no bounds, but, his joys exhausted instantly, as he had no means of transport to travel to Medina from Mekkah. Sensing his passion and love for Imam Malik RA, the oldman arranged a camel for him, whose rider ( A Hajj Pilgrim ) had passed away in Mekkah during the course of the Hajj. Imam Shafi RA travelled to Medina with the caravan of Hajjis. It took the caravan 16 days to reach Medina. And, the young Imam Shafi RA made 16 complete recitations of the holy Quran during these sixteen days. The oldman took him straight to Masjidi-Nabwi, where Asr Namaz was about to be offered.
After the Namaz , a tall, well-built and awe-inspiring teacher began to impart his lesson of ilmi Hadith. Young Imam Shafi RA also joined the lesson alongwith dozens of students and disciples of Imam Malik RA. It was a dictation of Hadith, Imam Malik RA would recite the Hadith and the students were supposed to write them in their notebooks and copies. But, the young Imam Shafi RA had neither a pen nor a notebook to jot down the dictation made by Imam Malik RA.
Imam Shafi RA saw a straw lying before him. He took it, and began to run the tip of the straw on his palm as if he was writing in a notebook. The lesson lasted till Namazi Maghrib. At the completion of the lesson, many students went to make fresh ablutions. But, the young Imam Shafi RA didn’t move from his place. Imam Malik RA had been watching him playing with the straw. He called him and said, ” Youngman, come here ! My students were busy in writing the dictation in their notebooks, but, you were pricking your palm with the straw, it is not lesser than an act of desecration with the teachings of prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
Young Imam Shafi RA replied, ” Huzoor, I am a destitute and poor traveller, I have come here to sit among your students. All your students have the privilege of ink, pen and paper. But, my fate has deprived me from all these prerogatives. So, I considered the straw my pen, and my palm a notebook. I was running the straw over my palm, but, I was actually writing your dictation on the walls of my hearts. The answer made Imam Malik RA curious about the youngman. He said, “I have dictated one hundred Hadith to my students, if you can recite half of the Hadith, then you are a true student. Imam Shafi RA recounted and recited all the hundred Hadith with proper references.
Imam Malik RA was impressed with the scholastic acumen of the youngman. Later, he became one of the proudest disciples and students of Imam Malik RA. Passion, killer Instinct and burning desire is something extra that greats of the world possess. May Allah SWT bestow all of us with such attributes and traits !
Author is a Teacher and a Regular Columnist. He can be reached at mushtaqhurra143@gmail.com