As dusk began to settle on his day’s journey, Shafi’i stopped at a place called Zi Tua to spend his night. The surrounding area was dry and hot, without any living plant that grew. There were several camps put up by travellers. Shafi’i began to feel hungry, but he had no money to buy food.

However, he was confident that Allah S.W.T. would bless him with help, being one of those who seek to increase his knowledge. Shafi’i managed to get to know a middle-aged man who was kind and talkative. He was invited by the man to join him for dinner.

Shafi’i addressed this man as "uncle" and asked him: "Who is the most learned person in Madinah at present?" The man told Shafi’i that the most learned person in Madinah then was none other than Imam Malik bin Anas. Shafi’i begged his new found friend if he could lead him to meet this Imam Malik bin Anas.

On the eighth day of his journey, Shafi’i crossed the fringe of the City of Madinah. From a distance he could see the Masjid Nabawi (the Prophet’s Mosque), besides which the beloved Rasulullah was laid to rest. His heart was swollen with joy on arrival at the mosque and Shafi’i immediately went to pray to his heart’s content with full concentration.

With the overwhelming sense of joy and gratification, Shafi’i hardly realised that his tears were dripping down his cheek. He could hardly hold his amazement at the greatness and glory of Prophet Muhammad S.A.W. who went through the struggle and trials in the cause of rightly positioning Islam and the Ummah.

His mind began to dwell on the success of Rasulullah S.A.W. in transforming a community that was entirely divided into a united community bound by the faith of Tawhid, consisting of various races and creed, governed under a newly promulgated constitution called the Madinah Constitution, which became well known throughout the subsequent ages.

After his prayer, Shafi’i went to visit the burial ground of the Prophet Muhammad S.A.W. Later he observed that many people were gathered in a learning circle around the most outstanding scholar of the time, Imam Malik bin Anas. Shafi’i unhesitatingly joined them, listening intently every word out of the gems of Hadith of Rasulullah S.A.W. that were delivered by Imam Malik.

Imam Shafi’i was blessed by Allah with prodigious memorising capability, to the extent that all lessons delivered by Imam Malik could be completely memorised by him. At the end of the session, each student of Imam Malik greeted the Master with salam and began to leave for their homes.

Shafi’i remained seated in his place. Imam Malik was somewhat puzzled when he saw the young man did not leave. That prompted him to call Shafi’i and asked him his background and what he had learned. Imam Malik asked Shafi’i to recite one Hadith that he had just learned. Shafi’i was not only able to recite one Hadith but all the Hadiths he heard while attending the lesson delivered by Imam Malik.

Shafi’i’s ability impressed Imam Malik tremendously and indeed drew Imam Malik’s attention on this new student.