What is the authenticity of attributing the following two poetic verses to Imam Al-Shafi'i: "Be a faqih and a Sufi, not just one, for by God, I sincerely advise you; That one is harsh, his heart has not tasted piety, and this one is ignorant, how can the ignorant be righteous?"

This poetry is not known to be authentically attributed to Imam Al-Shafi'i, and its presence in some editions of his Diwan does not confirm its attribution. The methodology of Sufism did not clearly emerge during Al-Shafi'i's era, in addition to the frequent erroneous attribution of poetry to Al-Shafi'i and Ali ibn Abi Talib whenever there is wisdom or advice.