Abu Abdullah Muhammad bin Idris bin al-Abbas better known as Imam Shafi’i (150 –204 A.H.) was the leader of the Shafi’i school of fiqh. The Shafi’i school is one of the four major Sunni schools of jurisprudence.

Following are his selected poems about his extreme love and regards for the purified ahl al-bayt of the holy prophet (saws):

First:
"O Ahle Bait of the Prophet of Allah! Love for you has been made obligatory for us by Allah, as revealed in the Holy Qur'an. It is sufficient for your dignity that if one does not send salutations to you in the ritual prayers, his prayers will not be accepted."

Second:
In one of the hajj rituals when pilgrims were at Mina and when some enemies of the Ahlul-Bayt (as) were in attendance, Shafi’i called the love of Ahlul-Bayt an entitlement of the family of the Prophet and addressed the pilgrims as such:

"O' Pilgrims! On your way to the House of Allah, pause shortly in the sands of Muzdalifah. At dawn, when the caravans of pilgrims move toward Mina, like a roaring river, call upon them and say: "If love of the Prophet's family means “rafdh", then let mankind know, that surely I am a "Rafedhi."

Third:
When asked about Imam Ali (as), Shafi’i said
painfully as such:
“I am the servant of that young man about whom Sura Hal Ataa (Chapter Insaan) was revealed. How long should I conceal it? How long? How long?”

Fourth:
"If loving the household of Prophet (pbuh) is a sin, then I will never repent on this sin! Of course, on the Day of Judgment, they (Ahl-e-Bait) will be my intercessors on the Day when I shall be resurrected. That is when my sins are too many on that day."

Fifth:
"They say: You are a Rafedhi and heretic, I say: Never did I become a Rafedhi, apostasy is not my religion. But needless to say that in my heart, there is much love (and respect) for the greatest leader (Imam Ali (As). If loving Wali of Allah (the friend of God?) is Rafdh, then I'm Rafedhi of first rank!"

Sixth:
"O those who ask me about my love of Ahlul-Bayt (as); should I confess openly that I love them or should I deny that? Never shall I deny their love because their love and affinity is blended in my flesh and blood. Their love is a means of my guidance and growth. O family of Muhammad, O those whom I turn to, O those whose love is my reliance, you are my intercessors on the Day of Judgment. Why should I be afraid when I trust you and have confidence in you? He who loves you will reside eternally in Paradise and your enemies will be for ever in Hell fire”

Seventh:
"When I saw different religions and jurisprudential schools steering towards ignorance and misguidance, I embarked in the name of God on the ark of salvation i.e. the family of the Seal of Prophets and got hold of the divine covenant which is the very love of them. Indeed, God has commanded us to hold fast to the divine covenant."

Ref:
*Collection of Imam Shafi’i Poetry, p. 93, Dar al-Kitab al-Arabi, Beirut, 1414 A.H.

*Imam Fakhr deen Razi, Tafsir Kabir

* For more details:
Praise of Ahlul-Bayt (as) in Muhammad bin Idri al-Shafi’I’s Poems, Ayyub Shafi’i Pour, Taghrib News Agency; Barfi, Muhammad, (article), A Study of the Causes of Convergence and Divergence between
Shafi’i and Hanafi Religions with Imamiyah Shi’ah, Resalat News Papaper, No. 6942 dated 20, 12, 88 (Cultural); Suyuti Shafi’i, Jalaluddin Abdur Rahman, Virtues of Ali (as) (911 A.H.).