What is the Sharia ruling concerning Jalal al-Din al-Suyuti and his strange Sufi practices, such as his defense of Ibn 'Arabi?
Imam Jalaluddin Al-Suyuti was Ash'ari in creed, as is evident from the last part of al-Jalalayn, where he interprets the verses concerning attributes (ayat al-sifat) according to the Ash'ari method. However, at times, he adopted the methodology of the Salaf in interpreting some verses of attributes.
Al-Suyuti had a Sufi path; he took the Shadhili tariqa and believed that the path of Junayd and his companions was a sound one. He defended Ibn 'Arabi in his رسالة "تنبيه الغبي بتبرئة ابن عربي" (Letter: Alerting the Ignorant by Absolving Ibn 'Arabi), where he considered Ibn 'Arabi a saint and advised against looking into his books, attempting to absolve Ibn 'Arabi from atrocious sayings like wahdat al-wujud (unity of existence).
The correct stance regarding Imam Al-Suyuti and other scholars is to clarify a scholar's error if he errs, while maintaining respectful discourse, for the truth is more deserving of being followed, and an error is to be refuted to its author.
Summary from Ftawy's records · added here
Reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
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