Why do Ash'aris abound among Shafi'is, despite the latter being among the People of Hadith, in contrast to Hanafis, who are thought to be closer to bid'ah due to their reliance on opinion and having fewer hadiths?

It is true that many Shafi'is were Ash'aris, and this adherence was not limited to them but also included the Malikis and some Hanbalis. Many Imams of the Shafi'i school who were dedicated to Hadith agreed with the Salaf and the People of Hadith on certain issues, despite some concurrences with the Ash'aris in their statements. The Ash'aris are the closest among the theological schools (mutakallimun) to the People of Hadith. The reason some brilliant and meticulous Hadith scholars adhered to the Ash'ari school is their interpretive approach to the apparent meanings of some texts, relying on rational premises or seeking to escape invalid implications they perceived as necessary. Error is inherent in any human being, but the status of scholars is not diminished by their mistakes, and it is hoped that they will be forgiven due to their good intentions and their service to the Sharia.