Al-Zafraanee said:
“The people of hadeeth were sleeping until (Imaam) Ash-Shaafi’ee woke them up.”
Imaam Ahmad Ibn Hanbal said:
“Upon the neck of every person whose hand touches an inkstand or pen is the favour of Ash-Shaafi’ee.”
Imaam Ahmad Ibn Hanbal also said:
“We did not know… the abrogating hadeeth from the abrogated hadeeth until Ash-Shaafi’ee sat with us.”
‘Abdur-Rahmaan Ibn Mahdee said:
“When I saw Ar-Risaalah by Shaafi’ee, it amazed me because I saw the speech of an understanding, eloquent and sincere man, and so I supplicate for him frequently.”
[“The Sunnah And Its Role In Islamic Legislation” p. 537]