Born 150 Hijri, he is one of the four Mujtahid Imams. Despite a relatively short life, Imam Muhammad bin Idris al-Shafi is amongst the greatest scholars of this Ummah.
He studied with Imam Malik and Imam Muhammad al-Shaybani. Therefore, he had great insight into the Hanafi and Maliki Madhabs. Despite this, his knowledge was so vast that he was required to follow his own Ijtihad and thus establish his own Madhab.
He passed away in the year 204 Hijri, after having taught so many great scholars who transmitted the Shafi Madhab.