—the Noble—, whereupon he composed al-Ḥamawiyyah (1) in response to their question. In that treatise he upheld the doctrine of the salaf over that of the speculative theologians and spoke sternly against the latter, and on account of its authorship he was subjected to various incidents and ordeals.

Ibn Kathīr—may Allah have mercy on him—states:

“…A group of jurists rose against him and wanted to summon him to the court of the ḥanafī judge Jalāl al-Dīn. A public proclamation was issued throughout the city concerning the creed about which the people of Ḥamā had questioned him, the treatise called ‘al-Ḥamawiyyah.’ The amir Sayf al-Dīn Jāghān championed his cause, sent for those who had instigated the matter, and many of them went into hiding. Some of the men who had made the proclamation were beaten, and the rest fell silent. When Friday came, Shaykh Taqī al-Dīn delivered his customary lesson in the congregational mosque and commented on the Almighty’s words:

‘And indeed, you are of great moral character’ (2).

The next Saturday he met with the judge Imām al-Dīn. A number of notable scholars gathered there; they examined al-Ḥamawiyyah, debated several of its passages with him, and he answered at such length that they were left speechless. Shaykh Taqī al-Dīn then departed, the affair having been resolved and the situation pacified, while Imām al-Dīn’s creed remained sound and his aim sincere.” (3)

Seven years after this incident (4)—that is, in 705 AH—the shaykh’s opponents and adversaries stirred once more. An order arrived from Egypt to investigate his creed, so the judges and scholars were convened for him in the council of the deputy of Damascus, al-Afram.