Assalamu 'alaykum,

Hafiz Ibn Hajar al-'Asqalani, in his giant work "Fath al-Bari", mentions in passing about a mubahala that took place between him and "a bigoted supporter of some infidel". But he doesn't mention who this "infidel" was.

So who was he? He was Muhiy al-Din Ibn 'Arabi.

The incident between Ibn Hajar and Ibn 'Arabi's fan was reported by at least three students of Ibn Hajar in their books. One book is a biography of Ibn Hajar, one is in the takfeer of Ibn 'Arabi and Ibn al-Faridh, and one is in the history of Makka. All of three have described the same incident in slightly different words, but I'll state it in my own words:

In the year 797 H, the ruler of Egypt was known as Zahir. There was a shaykh who was closely associated with Zahir. This shaykh threatened Ibn Hajar al-'Asqalani that he will complain of him to Zahir that he (i.e. Ibn Hajar) criticized Ibn 'Arabi. Fearing this, Ibn Hajar proposed a mubahala with this shaykh to easily get rid of him, to which the shaykh accepted. "I asked him," says Ibn Hajar, "to say 'O Allah, if Ibn 'Arabi is on misguidance, curse me with Your curse.', which he said, and I said, 'O Allah, if Ibn 'Arabi is on guidance, curse me with Your curse." Then the two seperated.

Next month, during Ramadan, some soldier threw a party and invited the shaykh. Early in the night, the shaykh decided to leave them for some reason, and while he was on his way when lo! he felt something just passed over his legs, so he said to his companions, "Something soft just passed over my legs, look and see what it is." (i.e. his feet became paralyzed). And they saw but found nothing. The shaykh then became blind and could not see anything as well.

He died before the next morning.

"Thus," said Ibn Hajar, "I was relieved from the evil of this person, and became safe from the consequence of his deceiving."

اللهم اهدنا الى الهدى ولا تضلنا بعد الهدى أبدا.. اللهم آمين