Many of the statements of Ibn Arabi appear to be in direct conflict with the beliefs of the Shariah.

Answer

If we did not know who Hadhrat Ibn Arabi (rahmatullah alayh) was and if it was not for the consensus of our Akaabireen Auliya and Mashaaikh of all ages acknowledging the greatness of Ibn Arabi, then merely on certain of his utterances we would have issued the fatwa of kufr. But when the great Ulama-e-Haqq and Auliya acknowledge that he is a great Wali, then it does not behove us non-entities to hold a contrary opinion. It is best to say that we do not understand many of the mystical statements of Ibn Arabi.