When Mahmud Shukri al Alusi debated a follower of Ibn al Arabi and hater of Ibn Taymiyah.
al Alusi mentioned Sa’d at-Taftazani, Mulla Ali al Qari, Shaykh Muhammad Bukhari and others against Ibn al Arabi. His opponent said:
إن هؤلاء لم ينصفوا، فإن صاحب الفصوص قد صرح بعقيدة الإسلام في كثير من كتبه، فمن الواجب أن نصرف ما نسمع من كلامه المخالف للحق إلى ما يوافقه، ونحمله على محمل حسن
They didn’t do justice, the author of “al Fusus” (Ibn al Arabi) mentioned the aqeeda of Islam clearly in his many of the books, so it is obligatory on us to reconcile the words against Islam with the words which (he said) in accordance to Islam, and try to find a better solution. [Ghayat al Amani 1/631]
Mahmud Shukri al Alusi responded:
فما قولك في مسلم يصلي ويصوم ويزكي ويحج البيت وقد تكلم بالكفر هل تؤوّل كلامه وتصرف عنه موجب الكفر؟ أم تقول بما قاله الفقهاء في كتاب الردّة؟ ثم إنكم لم تذبوا عن ابن تيمية وتعتذروا عنه بمثل ما اعتذرتم عن شيخكم، وقد ملأ الكتب من الإيمان بالته ورسوله صلى الله عليه وسلم، وتتشبثون بالقدح فيه بما زوره عليه أئمتكم مما لا وجود له في كتبه ولا كتب أصحابه، فكان من الواجب عليكم أنه إذا ثبت عنه شيء مذكور في كتبه أن تجتهدوا في حمله على محمل حسن، ولم تشتموه كما شتمه أئمتكم وأسلافكم، فلم يجب بشيء وأعرضت عن مكالمته.
What do you say regarding the person who pray, fast, give zakah and do Hajj of baytullah and then say the things of disbelief. Would you make taweel of his sayings and save him from his sayings of disbelief? Or would you say the same thing for ahlul ridda as the scholars of Islam mentioned? BUT WHEN IT COMES TO IBN TAYMIYYAH YOU DO NOT MAKE EXCUSE FOR HIM AS YOU DO FOR YOUR SHAYKH, even though his books are filled with Eeman on Allah and his Rasool. and you criticise him on those things which your leaders attributed to him, those things are not present in his or in the book of any of his student. Even if those statements are proven from Ibn Taymiyah it was obligatory on you to find a better solution and should not accuse him in blindly following your leaders? He did not reply and I also turned away from this conversation. [Ibid]