The ruling on publicizing the error of a scholar who then retracted it

Question:
Honorable Shaykh, may Allah inform you, what is the ruling on publicizing the errors of scholars and some preachers, where they informed people about a matter, weighed it, and then retracted it? If someone takes the scholar’s erroneous statement and publicizes it, while leaving out the statement in which he retracted it, does he become one of those who seek to cause publicizing and fitnah (trial, discord or temptation)?

Answer:
If it is established that he retracted it, and that is proven by a book or an article, then it is not permissible to publicize it after that. It is said: he returned from this statement, and this is the text he said last. As for if he did not return from it, then there is no objection; rather, it is obligatory to clarify the error so that people do not follow it, especially if this man claims affiliation with the da'wah (calling others to Islam) or is one of the leaders of the da'wah in a certain place. It is obligatory to clarify his error so that people are not deceived by him. This is part of clarifying the truth, and silence regarding it is mixing the truth with falsehood. As for if he returned and his return is established, the return is announced. This is among his virtues if he returned; returning to the truth is a virtue. So the return and retraction are announced.