Al-Shafi'i was a Sunni Muslim scholar, jurist, traditionist, theologian, ascetic, and eponym of the Shafi'i school of Islamic jurisprudence. He is known to be among the first contributors to the principles of Islamic jurisprudence, having authored one of the earliest works on the subject: al-Risala. His legacy and teaching on the matter provided it with a systematic form, thereby "fundamentally influenc[ing] the succeeding generations which are under his direct and obvious impact," and "begin[ning] a new phase of the development of legal theory."

In Islam, the ulama, also spelled ulema, are scholars of Islamic doctrine and law. They are considered the guardians, transmitters, and interpreters of religious knowledge in Islam.