assalamu alikum what was the reason behind the dispute between Kamal ad din bin al Zamalkani and shaykh ul Islam Ibn Taymiyah? Ibn Kathir in al Bidaya wal Nihaya vol 14 said that Ibn al Zamalkani did debate with Ibn Taymiyah and accepted all of what was mentioned in aqeedah al Waasatiyah, He also mentioned that he was forced to leave his post due to his affiliation with Ibn Taymiyah, but then in the biography of Ibn al Zamalkani Ibn Kathir suddenly said he: one of his khabeeth (dirty) intentions were to harm Ibn Taymiyah. why he went against Shaykh ul Islam in his last days?

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and Messenger.

Ibn Az-Zamalkaani was not the only opponent of Ibn Taymiyyah. Many Ash‘ari scholars and bigoted followers of the schools of Fiqh were also his opponents, such as the Maaliki judge Ibn Makhloof, Safiyy Ad-Deen Al-Hindi, and the Shaafi'i scholar As-Subki. This is because of his disagreement with them over the Ash‘ari beliefs.

Ibn Taymiyyah adopted the opinion of affirming the Names and Attributes of Allaah - without Tashbeeh (i.e. without believing that they resemble the attributes of the creation), Takyeef (i.e. speculating as to "how" the Attributes are manifested), Ta’teel (i.e. denying or negating the Attributes that have been established to be His) and without Ta’weel (i.e. interpreting the Names and Attributes of Allaah in a manner that changes their words from their true context, giving them symbolic meaning which is different from the apparent meaning) - and the like of the creed-related issues about which he adopted opposing opinions to those of the Ash‘aris. In addition, Ibn Taymiyyah held some Fiqh-related opinions that were opposed to the opinion of the four Schools of Fiqh such as the ruling on the triple divorce in one instance and the like.

The debate between Ibn Taymiyyah and Ibn Az-Zamalkaani was specifically about Al-Aqeedah Al-Waasitiyyah (a book of Islamic creed written by Ibn Taymiyyah). Ibn Taymiyyah succeeded, by the grace and help of Allaah, in clarifying the Truth and clearing his name from their false accusations of Tashbeeh against him. Ibn Katheer commented on the debate, "Then, the debate ended by Ibn Al-Zamalkaani accepting Al-‘Aqeedah Al-Waasitiyyah and the Shaykh (Ibn Taymiyyah) went home honored and revered...”

For more benefit, please refer to Fatwa 250687.

Allaah Knows best.