The virtues of Imam Shāfiʿi رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه 

Dear Islamic brothers, one particularly notable virtue of Imam Shāfiʿi   رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه is that he is related to the final Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم. One of the forefathers of the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم is Sayyidunā ʿAbd Manāf رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه, whose descendants include Imam Shāfiʿi رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه.

The Quraysh tribe had four branches:

1.   Banū Hāshim

2.   Banū Muṭṭalib

3.   Banū Nawfal

4.   Banū ʿAbd Shams

Our beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم was born into the Banū Hāshim, and this is the reason he is referred to as Hāshimi. Imam Shāfiʿi رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه is from the Banū Muṭṭalib, and is thereby known as Muṭṭalibi.^[1]

Banū Hāshim and Banū Muṭṭalib are one

Imam Fakhr al-Dīn Rāzi رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه explained, “Imam Shāfiʿi رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه is Muṭṭalibi. Due to this, he possesses many excellences.

1.   The Banū Muṭṭalib have always helped Islam. They exhibited loyalty to the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم on every occasion. This is why the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said, اِنَّمَابَنُوْ هَاشِم وَ بَنُوْ الْمُطَّلِبْ شَيْئٌ وَاحِد – “Indeed, Banū Hāshim and Banū Muṭṭalib are one.” Imam Rāzi رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه further adds, “Just as the forefathers of Imam Shāfiʿi رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه served Islam, he also did so to a monumental extent.”^[2]