Yunus al-Sadafi said: I have never seen someone more rational than al-Shafai. I debated with him once about a scholarly issue, then we departed. I met him after that and he took my hand and said: Abu Mussa, cannot we be brothers even if we do not agree about something?!
Al-Imam al-Dhabi said about this incident: This shows the wisdom of Imam al-Shafai' and thoughtful nature as most of debaters are in conflict.
History of Damascus by Ibn Askar (51/302), Sair al-Am al-Nobala' by al-Dahabi (10/16)