Those who are excused because of their ignorance (al-‘Uthr bil
Jahl) in issues of disbelief and innovation on any particular individual is the
stance of many from the people of knowledge.
From their statements:
Imaam ash-Shaafi’ee (d. 204) [May Allaah have Mercy on him] said:
Allaah has Names and Attributes that is not permitted for anyone
to deny. Those who deny them have committed Kufr (disbelief in Allaah).
However, if they belie them before the proof is established then they are
excused because of their ignorance, because knowledge (of Allaah) is not
attained by intellects, observation or having opinions. So we affirmed the
Names and Attributes and deny any resemblance to Him, as He has Affirmed and
Denied them Himself.
[Fath al-Baaree(13/407)]
Aboo Bakr bin al-‘Arabee (d.543) [May Allaah have Mercy on him]
said:
The one who is ignorant or the one who makes a mistake from this
Ummah, even if one was to do an act of Kufr (disbelief in Islaam) or Shirk
(aligning partners to Allaah), they will not automatically become a Kaafir (a
disbeliever) or a Mushrik (a polytheist). This is because the person is excused
by their ignorance or mistake until the truth has been explained to them, the
proofs have been clearly established upon them, and their doubts removed.
[Mahaasin al-Ta’weel by al-Qaasimee (5/1307-1308)]
Ibn Qudaamah (d.620) [May Allaah have Mercy on him] said:
Every ignorant person is not declared to be a Kaafir until their
mistake has been clarified and their doubts removed.
[al-Mughnee (12-277)]
Imaam an-Nawawee (d.676) [May Allaah have Mercy on him] said:
Every affair that the Ummah have agreed upon on to be part of the
religion, if its knowledge has spread, such as the obligation of the five daily
prayers, or the obligation of fasting the month of Ramadhaan, or the obligation
of ritual bathing after marital relations or the prohibition of adultery or
fornication, or the prohibition of drinking alcohol or the prohibition of
marrying immediate family members and the likes of the rulings of Islaam (are
all binding to know and act upon without excuse). Except for the one who is new
into Islaam and they do not know its rulings, so if this person denies any of
the things known by necessity of the religion due to their ignorance then we do
not declare that person to be a Kaafir.
[Sharh Saheeh Muslim (1/205)]
Shaykh al-Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah (d.728) [May Allaah have Mercy on
him] said:
The one who believes in Allaah and the Last Day but knowledge has
not reached him explaining what is correct then we do not place the ruling of
Kufr on such a person until the proof has been established upon those who
contradict the truth and practice Kufr.
Many people make mistakes in the way they interpret the Quraan and
ignorance is widespread on the meanings of the Kitaab and the Sunnah, however
mistakes and forgetfulness are pardoned upon this Ummah. So Kufr is only
declared on a person until after the matter has been explained to them.
[Majmoo’ al-Fataawaa (3/229)]
He also said:
If we know a person has Eemaan with certainty, then this person's
Eemaan cannot be stripped off him with the doubt we may have in him, rather
there nothing is said about him until the proof is established to him and his
doubts removed.
[Majmoo’ al-Fataawaa (12/504)]
Imaam Ibn al-Qayyim (d. 751) [May Allaah have Mercy on him] said:
Punishment is only applicable if two causes are fulfilled:
1)
The person rejects the proof and stubbornly refuses to want them
or act upon them or denies its obligation.
2)
The person arrogantly turns away from the proof once it has been
established against him and denies any need for it or its obligation.
The first instance mentioned here is Kufr and rejection and the
second instance is Kufr and arrogance in it. As for the one who does an act of
Kufr out of ignorance and does not have the proof established against him, in
this case it is not possible that they realise their error. In this scenario,
Allaah has negated any punishment for such a person until the proof has come to
him with what the Messengers brought.
[at-Tareeq al-Hijratayn (Pg. 546)]
Shaykh Muhammad bin ‘Abdul-Wahaab (d. 1206) [May Allaah have Mercy
on him] said:
Lies and slanders have spread (about us) which have blocked many
from the religion of Allaah and His Messenger. Rather, we do not declare anyone
who is worshipping an idol or graves etc. as a Kaafir because of their
ignorance and their lack of comprehension.
[ad-Durrar as-Sunniyyah (1/66)]
[Taken from Muqadamah Tat-heer al-‘Itiqaad of Imaam an-Sana’aanee
by Shaykh ‘Abdul-Muhsin al-‘Abbaad al-Badr (Pg. 47-49)]
Shaykh Saaleh al-Fawzaan [May Allaah Preserve him] said:
No one has a ruling placed on him until the proof is established
upon him from the Quraan and the Sunnah, because without this the person is
acting upon ignorance, and believes it to be the truth, and that the reality
has not been explained to him. In this case, the person is excused because of
his ignorance, despite the fact that what they are doing is an innovation. So
we maintain that the deed is an innovation and we deal with him as we would
with innovators (the Shaykh explained elsewhere that if someone sees a mistake
in a person they must advise them. See: Ajwabih as-Saheehah, pg. 163-164).
[al-Muntaqaa (1/404)]
Shaykh ‘Abdul-Muhsin
al-‘Abbaad [May Allaah Preserve him] was asked:
If a person has not had an issue explained to him, or he is being
led astray by evil scholars, so if this person dies, so we declare him to be a
Mushrik (if he died doing Shirk)?
He answered: Yes, this is what we declare him as, however during
his life we do not declare him to be a Kaafir or hold him to contempt based on
what has been mentioned in the question. No, this is because the proof has not
been established against him, so once it is explain then he should repent, if
he repents then this is all well and good, otherwise we will declare him to be
an apostate, and the rulings of an apostate will apply to him.
very interesting ;)
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