produced.
Among his writings is the book al-Istiqaamah (Steadfastness) in two volumes (1). It ranks among the most distinguished and most beneficial of works.
Also among them is the book Tanbīh al-Rajul al-ʿĀqil ʿalā Tamwīh al-Jadal (2) al-Bāṭil—Alerting the Intelligent Man to the Sophistry of False Argument—in a single volume (3). It is one of the finest books and richest in benefit.
He opened its preface with these words: “Praise belongs to Allah—the All-Knowing, the All-Powerful, the Creator; the Subtle, the All-Aware, the Provider; the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing, the All-Wise (4), the Truthful; the Exalted, the All-Great, the One who splits and knits together (5); who lays down the paths (6) and the laws, clarifies the ways (7), raises lofty beacons to unveil realities, and sends down verses and proofs to elucidate the comprehensive principles.”
(1) The greater part of the work is devoted to refuting al-Qushayri’s al-Risala and reviewing its errors. It was published by Imam University in Riyadh in two volumes, edited by Dr. Muhammad Rashad Salim.
(2) Copy F reads: “al-jidal.”
(3) The book is a rebuttal of Burhan al-Din al-Nasafi (d. 687/1288) and his Fusul fi al-Jadal—also called al-Muqaddima fi al-Jadal or al-Muqaddima al-Burhaniyya. It was issued in two volumes as part of this project, edited by Muhammad Aziz Shams and Ali ibn Muhammad al-Imran. The introduction is missing from the manuscript but was preserved for us by Ibn Abd al-Hadi in the present work—praise be to Allah. We have written a detailed study confirming the attribution of the text we published to Shaykh al-Islam; it appears in the preface to the second edition and is available online for those who wish to consult it.
(4) Copies F and K read: “al-Halim.”
(5) Copy K gives “al-faiq al-raiq,” which is a corrupt reading.
(6) Copy F reads: “al-Minhaj.”
(7) Copy F reads: “al-Tariq.”