Intercession at the Maqam of the Shaykh of His Shaykh

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

Hafizh Khathib al-Baghdadi Abu Bakr Ahmad ibn ‘Ali ash-Shafi’i (r.a.) narrated, in Tarikh al-Baghdadi, that the swaduq, truthful, Qadhi al-Husayn ibn ‘Ali as-Saymari (r.a.) narrated to them, that the tsiqah, trustworthy, Imam ‘Umar ibn Ibrahim ibn Ahmad al-Muqri (r.a.) told him, that the trustworthy Shaykh Makram ibn Ahmad (r.a.) told them, that Shaykh ‘Umar ibn Ishaq ibn Ibrahim (r.a.) told them, that the trustworthy Shaykh ‘Ali ibn Maymun (r.a.) told them, “I heard ash-Shafi’i say, ‘I swear I seek the blessing of Abu Hanifah, and come to his grave every day.  Whenever I have a certain need, I pray two rak’ah, then I come to his grave and ask Allah (s.w.t.) for my need at his grave, and little time passes until it is fulfilled.’” 

Imam ash-Shafi’i (r.a.) never met Imam Abu Hanifah Nu’man ibn Tsabit (r.a.).  He was born on the day the latter passed away.  However, he did study under Imam Abu Hanifah’s (r.a.) student, Imam Abu ‘Abdullah Muhammad ibn al-Hasan ash-Shaybani (r.a.).