The Miḥna (trial) of Imām al-Shāfi‘ī (767-820) is a story that was fabricated mainly from the 11th to 13th century. The story was reported by Shāfi‘ī jurists and pro-Shāfi‘ī intellectuals, such as Iṣbahānī (d. 1038-39), Bayhaqī (d. 1065 ca.), Fakhr al-Dīn al-Rāzī (d. 1209), Yāqūt (d. 1229), and others. Intriguingly, certain images of al-Shāfi‘ī were constructed in this story. Hence, the purpose of this paper is to clarify how they constructed the images of al-Shāfi‘ī through an analysis of the descriptions of narrative sources of his Miḥna. At the same time a clarification of characteristics of the story of his Miḥna is also an important focus of this study.The description of the Miḥna starts from the time of adolescence, namely his moving from Medina to Najrān in Yemen to assume an official function of state. It goes on his arrest on charges of partisanship with Ḥasanid Yaḥyā ibn ‘Abd Allāh (d. 803 ca.), his deportation to ‘Irāq. Finally, it is concluded by his appearance before the ‘Abbāsid Caliph al-Rashīd (r. 786-809) at Raqqa and generous pardon granted by the Caliph. The main characters in the stories of the Miḥna are al-Shāfi‘ī, Ḥanafī jurists such as Abū Yūsuf (731- 798), Muḥammad b. al-Ḥasan al-Shaybānī (750-805 or 803/4), and Bishr al-Marīsī (d. 833) who was also one of leading figures of the well-known Miḥna of Caliph al-Ma’mūn (r. 847-861), and Caliph al-Rashīd.The climax of these stories is the argument between al-Shāfi‘ī and these figures. In this argument, al-Shāfi‘ī is tested whether he has knowledge about the Qur’ān and the Sunna of the Prophet and many other sciences. In his response, al-Shāfi‘ī demonstrated his superiority over Ḥanafī jurists such as Abū Yūsuf, Shaybānī and Bishr al-Marīsī concerning his knowledge about religious matters such as the Qur’ān and the Sunna of the Prophet and another matter at the presence of Caliph al-Rashīd. In the process, images of al-Shāfi‘ī such as “traditionist” (ahl al-ḥadīth), defender of the Qur’ān and the Sunna of the Prophet, and imām (religious leader) of the Quraysh are constructed.As for the characteristic of the story of the Miḥna, it was countercharges from the side of the ahl al-ḥadīth and the Shāfi‘ī jurists, those who were persecuted by the Miḥna of al-Ma’mūn, against Ḥanafī jurists (ahl al-ra’y, Mu‘tazila) such as Shaybānī and Bishr al-Marīsī, those who played a leading role in the Miḥna of al-Ma’mūn.