those people were closer to agreement—how the aforementioned judge renewed his profession of Islam before another judge. When I was there, this attendant, “Yahyā al-Hanafī,” went to Judge Taqī al-Dīn al-Hanbalī and renewed his profession of Islam. The judge ruled that his life was inviolable after some of their associates brought accusations against him concerning certain matters.

Some time earlier, when Judge Husām al-Dīn al-Hanafī was serving as judge in Syria, he wanted to shave this al-Adhra'ī’s beard. He had a razor and a donkey brought so that al-Adhra'ī could be made to ride it and be paraded around. His brother came and informed me of this, so I went to the judge and persisted with him until he desisted. Other incidents occurred in which I continued to treat them kindly. Such actions are neither mine nor those of people like me. We involve ourselves only in what Allah, His Messenger, and the believers love. We pursue no personal ends in our dealings with anyone; rather, we repay evil with good, pardon, and forgive. This case has become widely known; what he did in it has come to light, and both the elite and the general public know of it.

If circumstances were to change, and an emir or minister were to come with an interest in transferring ownership that he had established or ruled upon, this would be among the easiest things for the Egyptians to accomplish. They would establish his apostasy—and an apostate’s judicial rulings are invalid by agreement of the scholars. The harm would then fall upon those who had assisted him and supported him in falsehood, whether state officials or others. This is a serious matter that should not be neglected. The shaykh is experienced and understands the consequences of affairs.