“People have written extensively on this subject, so take one of the creeds of Ahl al-Sunnah.”
He replied, “I would like you yourself to write one for me.” So, while seated in his gathering after the afternoon prayer, the shaykh wrote this “creed” for him.
The shaykh related the substance of this exchange to the emir. The creed was then read aloud to those present, word for word, from beginning to end, and he discussed several passages in it. Among those present were people who harbored feelings towards the shaykh that Allah alone knew. They thought that, by debating this work with him, they would demonstrate that he differed from the beliefs of Ahl al-Sunnah wa-l-Jamāʿah.
They raised three questions concerning three passages: “calling it the creed of the saved sect,” the statement “He truly rose,” and the statement “above the heavens.” The shaykh said to the scribe whom the sultan’s deputy had appointed—Shaykh Kamāl al-Dīn ibn al-Zamalkānī—“Write down the answers to these questions.” The session had lasted from midmorning until shortly before the afternoon prayer, so they proposed postponing this until a second session, on Friday, 12 Rajab.
They assembled, and al-Safī al-Hindī attended with them. I attended this second session; I had not known about the first session when they gathered for it. During those days, they had discussed al-Fusūs and studied it, and had agreed to leave no possibility unexplored.
When I arrived after the Friday prayer and the gathering had settled, those present praised al-Safī al-Hindī. Several of them said, “He is the group’s leading shaykh and foremost authority in this subject; people have studied this discipline under him.” They agreed that he alone would speak with the shaykh; once he had finished, the others would speak one after another.