On his return to Iraq, Imam Shafi’i went on a visit to a number of places. From Baghdad he went to Southern Iraq, Anatolia (Asia Minor) and Haran. From there Imam Shafi’i went to Sham (the present Syria) and returned to Makkah to visit his mother.

After having acquired a vast possession of knowledge, Imam Shafi’i returned to Madinah two years later. On arrival in Madinah, he headed for Masjid Annabawi (the Prophet’s Mosque) and visited the burial place of the beloved Prophet Muhammad S.A.W. Then he joined the study group around Imam Malik, which was full of students.

Imam Malik was in the midst of posing some questions to his students to test their understanding and mastery of the knowledge they have learned. The questions posed by Imam Malik were rather difficult to be answered by his students. But Imam Shafi’i quietly whispered to one student sitting next to him. So the questioning went on, with only one person, the man sitting next to Imam Shafi’i able to answer the questions.

Soon thereafter, Imam Malik called the man and asked him where he obtained all the correct the answers. The man replied that the correct answers were from a young man who was sitting next to him. Imam Malik called the young man and as the man approached him, he soon recognised that he was Imam Shafi’i. Imam Malik was struck with joy at the sight of Shafi’i and immediately stood up from his chair and embraced Shafi’i and told Shafi’i : "Please complete for me this Chapter." Imam Malik was so impressed and satisfied with the detailed deliberations by Imam Shafi’i.

After the lessons, Imam Malik invited Shafi’i to his house. Imam Shafi’i gave him a detailed account of his experience in his pursuit of knowledge since he left Madinah. Shafi’i also informed his Master Imam Malik of his fascination with Imam Abu Hanifah Annu’man, and he had read the Fiqh of Abu Hanifah through his prominent students, Abu Yusuf and Muhammad Al-Hassan.

Imam Abu Hanifah was often criticised then for lack of mastery of the Science of Hadith but Imam Shafi’i stood in defence of Imam Abu Hanifah’s position of honour and said: "The role of Abu Hanifah in the field of Fiqh is very broad and every one cannot free himself from the influence of the role played by Abu Hanifah."

Imam Shafi’i lived in Madinah as a student of Imam Malik since his return (170H until Imam Malik passed away in 179H). At that time Imam Shafi’i was twenty nine years old. When Imam Malik died, Shafi’i was very sad, and often shed his tears in memory of his Master’s kind care and heritage of knowledge to him. Not long after that Imam Shafi’i returned to Makkah, leaving behind him sweet memories of his association with his Master Imam Malik.