The Devils Deception by Imam Ibn AL-Jawzi

Chapter Seven: Devil's Deception of the Scholars (al- 'uldma')
Some jurists limited themselves to debates and remained far from
their own school of thought as well as the rest of Shad ah sciences.
You might find a scholar of Fiqh who does not know much Qur'an
or l).adiths. This is foolishness, how could they live with such a shortcoming?
Another problem is that some jurists do not admit that their opponent
is correct. Sometimes they would even continue to debate
him while knowing that he is on the right side. This is the worst of
the worse because debate is meant to arrive at the truth.
Al-Shafi'! (ratf!JAlldhu 'anhu) said: I have never debated someone
who denied a clear proof except that he fell from my eye. And if he
accepts the proof then he would gain reverence in my heart. I have
never debated anyone and cared who arrived at the truth, him or
me. If he did then I would take his side.
Another problem is that debating reveals hidden aspirations of
leadership. Some debaters tend towards arrogance, stubbornness and
the use of foul language, turning the debate into a competition of
who can put the other down more.
They also take backbiting lightly when telling others about the
events of the debate. They would say out of spite: I debated so and
so and he had nothing to say.
Iblls has also deceived them to believe that fiqh was the only religious
science, and they would describe l).adith scholars as those who
understand nothing. They forget that l).adith was the basis (of fiqh
rulings). And if they heard heart softeners they would say: this is
speech of preachers.
Another problem is that they provide fatwa (religious verdicts) be-
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