How far-fetched! “I ask you for proof, yet you answer, ‘My teacher said so,’ when in fact the burden of evidence lies upon both you and your teacher.”

Ibrāhīm ibn Abī Ṭālib, the ḥāfiẓ (hadith master), said: “I asked Abū Qudāmah al-Sarakh­sī about al-Shāfiʿī, Aḥmad, Abū ʿUbayd, and Ibn Rāhawayh. He replied, ‘Al-Shāfiʿī is the most learned jurist among them.’”

Yahyā ibn Manṣūr the judge said: “I heard the Imām of the Imāms, Ibn Khuzaymah, say—and I asked him, ‘Do you know of any Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ concerning what is lawful and unlawful that al-Shāfiʿī failed to include in his books?’ He answered, ‘No.’ ⦗1⦘”

Harmalah related that al-Shāfiʿī said: “I was teaching people to read the Quran when I was thirteen years old, and I had memorised the Muwaṭṭaʾ before reaching puberty.”

Al-Ḥasan ibn ʿAlī al-Ṭūsī narrated to us: Abū Ismāʿīl al-Tirmidhī told us, “I heard al-Buwayṭī say: Al-Shāfiʿī was asked, ‘How many uṣūl (primary evidences) underlie the rulings?’ He replied, ‘Five hundred.’ He was asked, ‘How many uṣūl of the Sunnah are there?’ He said, ‘Five hundred.’ It was asked, ‘How many of these are in Mālik’s possession?’ He answered, ‘All of them except thirty-five hadiths.’ It was asked, ‘And how many does Ibn ʿUyaynah have?’ He said, ‘All of them except five.’ ⦗2⦘”

Al-Rabīʿ ibn Sulaymān said: “I heard al-Shāfiʿī state: ‘Whoever swears by one of the names of Allah and then breaks his oath must offer expiation, for the name of Allah is uncreated. But whoever swears by the Kaʿba or by al-Ṣafā and al-Marwah has no expiation to make, because these are created.’ ⦗3⦘”