The Hanbali-Ash'ari Fitna at Damascus, 835

The author of the "Fragments of Gold" relays from Ibn Hajar that a great strife broke out in Damascus in 835 AH between the Hanbalis and the Ash'aris. ²

Shaykh Ala al-Din al-Bukhari, a resident of Damascus, was fanatical against the Hanbalis, and went to great lengths in belittling Ibn Taymiyya and openly declared him an unbeliever. A group of the people of Damascus took the side of Ibn Taymiyya. The hafiz Shams al-Din ibn Nasir al-Din wrote a booklet in praise of him, listing those who had spoken well of him. ²

He sent the booklet to Cairo, and most of the Egyptians wrote their agreement with it. They disagreed with Ala al-Din in declaring him an unbeliever outright, and in declaring unbelievers those whom they called Shaykh al-Islam. The sultan's decree went out that no one should object to another's school, and the matter quieted. ²

What is not covered here: the account rests on a single source, and other points of view have not yet been added. An additional source is needed.