Is Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah an absolute mujtahid, or is he a mujtahid within a school of jurisprudence?

The questioner:
Honorable Shaykh, may Allah grant you success. Is Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) an imam and an absolute mujtahid, or is he a mujtahid within a school of jurisprudence? And is there a difference in jurisprudence and creed regarding him?

The Shaykh:
Imam Ibn Taymiyyah, Ibn al-Qayyim, and their like are Hanbalis. Ibn Taymiyyah is a Hanbali, Ibn al-Qayyim is a Hanbali, Ibn Hajar is a Shafi'i, and Ibn 'Abd al-Barr is a Maliki. These are followers of the schools of their imams. However, they act upon evidence; if evidence prevails for them, they act upon it, even if it is not from the school of their imam. But originally, they follow their imam unless evidence becomes clear to them that contradicts their imam's statement. This is the rule with Ibn Taymiyyah and others. Yes.

The presenter:
Honorable Shaykh, may Allah grant you success. Regarding our saying, "The greetings are for Allah, and the prayers and the good things are for You."

The Shaykh:
It is not prevented that if you act upon evidence in some matters, you are not a Hanbali, or not a Maliki, or not a Shafi'i. This is not prevented. They (may Allah have mercy on them) say, "Take the evidence and do not follow them blindly." So what prevents you from being a Hanbali and taking what is established by evidence, even if it is from other than the Hanbali school? Yes.