and what ought they to say about it? Kindly (1) give us a decisive legal verdict on the matter, and may you be granted favor and reward (2).
Answer—by Allah’s enablement: Whoever ventures to curse any faction of the Muslims and to brand them unbelievers has introduced an innovation and committed something impermissible. It is obligatory upon the official charged with public affairs—may Allah strengthen his support—to censure him and discipline him in a way that deters him and others like him from repeating it. Written by Muḥammad ibn ʿAlī al-Dāmghānī (3).
After this comes a second reply—by Allah’s aid:
The Ashʿaris are the very notables of Ahl al-Sunnah (4) and the defenders (5) of the Sacred Law. They rose to refute the innovators—among the Qadaris, the Rāfiḍis, and others—so whoever attacks them has attacked Ahl al-Sunnah. When the case of anyone who does so is brought before the authority overseeing Muslim affairs, it becomes incumbent upon him to discipline the offender with a punishment that will deter everyone. Written by Ibrāhīm ibn ʿAlī al-Fīrūzābādī (6).
After that (7) comes an answer of mine to the same effect, written by Muḥammad ibn Aḥmad al-Shāshī (8).
(1) In Tabyin Kathb al-Muftari: “They seek our legal opinion.”
(2) In Tabyin Kathb al-Muftari: “May they be rewarded, God willing.”
(3) He was Abu Abdullah Muhammad ibn Ali ibn Muhammad al-Damghani al-Hanafi, the foremost jurist of his age, nicknamed Qadi al-Qudat (Judge of Judges). He settled in Baghdad, studied Abu Hanifa’s fiqh there, and served as chief judge after the death of Ibn Makula, remaining in office for about thirty years. He died in 478 AH. See: Tarikh Baghdad by al-Khatib, 3:109; al-Wafi bil-Wafayat by al-Safadi, 4:139; al-Jawahir al-Mudiha by Abu al-Wafa al-Qurashi, 3:269–271.
(4) The word Ahl (“people of”) is omitted in Tabyin Kathb al-Muftari.
(5) In Tabyin Kathb al-Muftari: “wansar.”
(6) Abu Ishaq al-Shirazi—see above for his biography.
(7) In the printed edition: reads ba‘dahu (“after it”), omitting the initial waw.
(8) He was Abu Bakr Muhammad ibn Ahmad ibn al-Husayn ibn Umar al-Shashi, the Shafi‘i jurist known as al-Mustazhari and nicknamed Fakhr al-Islam. He taught at the Nizamiyya madrasa and died in 507 AH. As al-Subki notes, “He was a venerable imam, a preserver of the school’s foundational doctrines and its subtleties.” See: al-Muntazam by Ibn al-Jawzi, 9:179; Wafayat al-A‘yan by Ibn Khallikan.