During the Hajj season many Muslims visited Madinah and paid respect to the Prophet Muhammad S.A.W. by visiting the place where he was laid to rest. People came from many places, especially Egypt and Iraq. After visiting the place of the beloved Prophet, they also visited Imam Malik, seeking to learn the well-known book Muatta’ which was written by him.

Imam Malik requested Imam Shafi’i to read the said book for those who attended the study circle (Majlis Ta’lim). Certainly Imam Shafi’i was only too pleased to obey his teacher’s request and furthermore he had completely memorised the whole of the Muatta’. The gathering was very impressed with the fluency of Imam Shafi’i in reading the Muatta’ and his immaculate memory.

After the study circle sessions, Imam Shafi’i went visiting the visitors. While approaching the groups from Iraq, Imam Shafi’i observed a young man who was praying. When he completed his prayer, Imam Shafi’i approached him, wanting to get to know the young man. Imam Shafi’i then asked the visitor from Iraq, who was the most well-known scholar in Al-Quran and Sunnah in Iraq.

The young man informed him that at that time the most outstanding scholars were Abu Yusuf and Muhammad bin Hassan. These two well known scholars were students of Imam Abu Hanifah. After hearing from the young man, Imam Shafi’i became so interested in meeting and learning from these two scholars. He asked the young man, when he would be leaving for Iraq.

He was informed that he would be leaving tomorrow. Without further ado Imam Shafi’i returned to meet his teacher, Imam Malik to inform his Master his desire to seek further knowledge, particularly on Al-Quran and Sunnah of Rasulullah S.A.W., which had been his long standing ambition. After listening to Imam Shafi’i explaining his wishes, Imam Malik agreed and prayed seeking Allah’s blessings that Imam Shafi’i’s intentions to pursue to seek additional knowledge from the two well known scholars would be granted with success.

Imam Malik himself sent off Imam Shafi’i from Baqi’. What surprised Imam Shafi’i most, was that his Master prepared for him a camel to take him to Kufah, the capital of Iraq at the time, and in addition he gave Imam Shafi’i fifty Dinars. Imam Shafi’i was wondering where Imam Malik got the money, knowing the he did not have that much money. Then Imam Malik explained to him that that night a man by the name of Qasim gave him a gift of one hundred Dinars, and begged him to take the gift. Then he divided the gift into two, fifty Dinars for the needs of Imam Shafi’i.

At the beginning Imam Shafi’i refused to take the money; he did not have the heart to take it from his own Master and requested Imam Malik to keep it for his own needs. However, Imam Malik kept insisting that Imam Shafi’i accept the gift, for which Imam Shafi’i had no choice but to accept and thanked his Master for all his generous help for the journey. Again Imam Malik prayed for the success of Imam Shafi’i and did not move from his place while watching the departure of Imam Shafi’i until the kafilah was out of his sight.

Here we learn how strong the determination of Imam Shafi’i was in his pursuit to seek knowledge, even when he had to face various hurdles and long journeys. We also take lesson of the warm and close relationship between the student and his Master, each was only too willing to help the other in all affairs of the world and affairs of the Hereafter.