Shafi'i, Muhammad ibn Idris al-Shafi'i (767–820 AD)

Muslim jurist, founder of one of the four main schools of Sunni Islamic law. He based the law on four points: the Koran, the sayings of Muhammad, ijma (the consensus of the whole Muslim community, and analogical reasoning.

Shafi'i was born in Palestine, a descendant of Muhammad's grandfather Abd al-Muttalib, and was educated in Gaza and Mecca. He wrote his first book, Al-Usul/The Foundations, in Baghdad. He then returned to Mecca and travelled to Egypt where he met Imam Malik. He died in Cairo, where his tomb is still a place of pilgrimage.