He also related that he had entered into a debate with one of the chief notables of Mount Kisrawān (1), a man familiar with the Rafidite doctrine (2). He said, “The discussion turned on the question of the imam’s infallibility: is he protected from error or not? The mountaineer claimed that the Commander of the Believers ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib—may Allah honor his countenance—is immune from every major and minor sin (3) in all his words and deeds (4). I countered that infallibility has been established for none but the prophets—peace be upon them.”
He went on, “I told him that ʿAlī and ʿAbdallāh ibn Masʿūd differed on certain incidents and legal verdicts they each issued (5). When those verdicts and questions were presented to the Prophet ﷺ, he affirmed the opinion of Ibn Masʿūd—may Allah be pleased with him.”
This, in essence, is the shaykh’s account of his debate with the Rafidite mountaineer, though the wording may vary. That is the end of what he reported.
Shaykh Taqī al-Dīn set out against the Kisrawānīs at the beginning of Dhu al-Ḥijjah in the year 704 AH, accompanied by Emir Qarāqūsh (6), and the deputy of the sultanate likewise proceeded