among the ummah, neither of the two contending parties is allowed to punish the other for refusing to adopt its view—so how much more so when they have cited no evidence at all and have failed to demonstrate the soundness of their claim?

Seventeenth Point:
Even if, hypothetically, the statement they are imposing were true and correct, its proof plainly established, and the one who neglects it deserving of punishment, they did not mention any of this until now—after they had already summoned and imprisoned the specific individual, publicly forbidden anyone to agree with him, branded him an innovator and a deviant, declared him at odds with all scholars and judges, accused him of abandoning what the Companions and Successors were upon, and subjected him to various other forms of harm, punishment, and injury—claiming that his fatwas and writings contained that very error. Yet when they completely ignored those writings and failed to show anything in his previous words that would establish error and misguidance warranting punishment, their beginning by inviting (1) people to an opinion they themselves had just invented cannot render lawful what they had already done of injustice and aggression (2), of lies and calumny, of turning people away from the path of Allah, and of altering His religion. This is nothing but moving from one oppression to another, so that they might use (3) the later wrongdoing to vindicate the earlier one—like someone who, fleeing from the scorching heat, seeks refuge in the fire (4). Such conduct only increases them in wrongdoing (5) and in torment. Now suppose this man were to agree with them at this moment concerning the [matter] (6) they have fabricated