Abū Dāwūd al-Sijistānī said, “I do not know of a single hadith related by al-Shāfiʿī that is mistaken.” (1)

I say: This is among the clearest proofs that he was reliable, an authoritative ḥāfiẓ (hadith master). What more confirmation could one want when such men make such statements?

The hadith scholar Abū Bakr al-Khaṭīb even authored a book establishing the admissibility of taking Imām al-Shāfiʿī’s reports as legal evidence; no one has ever spoken against him except an envious person or someone ignorant of his stature. Their baseless talk has only raised his standing and exalted his rank, and that is Allah’s way with His servants: “O you who believe, do not be like those who offended Moses; Allah cleared him of what they alleged, and he was honourable in Allah’s sight… O you who believe, be mindful of Allah and speak words that are right” (Al-Aḥzāb 33:69-70).

Abū Ḥātim al-Rāzī declared, “Muḥammad ibn Idrīs is truthful.”

Al-Rabīʿ ibn Sulaymān observed, “By Allah, al-Shāfiʿī’s tongue was greater than his books; had you seen him you would have said, ‘These writings are not his.’” (2)

Yūnus ibn ʿAbd al-Aʿlā said, “Al-Shāfiʿī was nothing short of a magician. Whenever we sat in his presence, we could scarcely grasp what he was saying (3); it was as though his words were sugar (4). He had been granted sweetness of speech, superb eloquence, extraordinary intelligence, a mind that flowed effortlessly, perfect articulacy, and ever-ready proof.”