The Ruling on the Ignorant Person Who Likens the Names and Attributes of Allah

The questioner:
The ignorant person who likens the names of Allah and His Book and affirms them: if he is ignorant, is he declared a disbeliever, or is he excused for his ignorance?

The Shaykh:
This has been answered previously. If he is ignorant, he is not known as a disbeliever. He is mistaken, he is mistaken, but he is not declared a disbeliever, he is not declared a disbeliever, that is all. As for whether he sins or whether he incurs some punishment, this may happen to him. Allah knows best. He may be punished according to the measure of his sin, and he may be held accountable for this because he did not seek guidance and because he did not learn from the scholars and did not return to the scholars. He may be punished for this reason and held accountable. But he is not ruled to be a disbeliever, one who has exited Islam, and one who will dwell in the Fire forever. He is not ruled to be so. Yes.