He—may Allah Most High have mercy on him—was asked about “al-Mu‘izz Ma‘add ibn Tamīm,” who built Cairo and the two palaces:
Was he of noble descent through Fātimah? Were he and his descendants infallible, and did they possess esoteric knowledge? If they were not of noble descent, what evidence supports that position? If they acted contrary to the Sharia, were they “rebels” or not? What is the ruling concerning the reliable scholars, whose statements are accepted as evidence, who reported this about them? Please explain this matter at length.
He replied:
Praise be to Allah. As for the claim that he, any of his descendants, or others like them were infallible—free from sin and error—as the Rāfidah claim concerning the “Twelve,” this claim is far worse than that of the Rāfidah. For the Rāfidah made this claim concerning people whose faith and piety are beyond doubt—indeed, people who are undoubtedly among the inhabitants of Paradise, such as ‘Alī, al-Hasan and al-Husayn, may Allah be pleased with them.
Even so, the people of knowledge and faith agree that this is among the most corrupt of claims, and that it is a claim made by purveyors of lies and slander. Infallibility in these matters belongs to none but the prophets, peace be upon them. The statements of anyone other than the prophets may be accepted or rejected. Obedience to anyone other than the prophets and messengers is not obligatory in everything he says, nor are people obliged to follow him and believe