"The doors of Fiqh were locked ... "

An-Nawawee writes:

قول الإمام أحمد بن حنبل : كان الفقه قفلا ً على أهله حتى فتحه الله بالشافعي

ENGLISH:

Imam Ahmad said: "The doors of Fiqh were locked upon the people, until Allah unlocked them with Imam Al-Shafi'ee".

NEDERLANDS:

Imam Ahmad zei: "De deuren van Fiqh waren gesloten achter de mensen, totdat Allah ze ging openen met Al-Shafi'ee".

["Tahzib Al-Asmaa", 1/61].