The Ruling on One Who Compels People to Say That the Qur'an Is Created and Excuses Himself by Citing Ijtihad

Question:
Honorable Shaykh, may Allah reward you, is it correct to say that what the Imams issued regarding compelling people to affirm that the Qur'an is created was based on their independent legal reasoning, and that this serves as an excuse for them? And is independent legal reasoning permissible in such matters, given that this is a requirement for some of the course curricula?

Answer:
Affirming that the Qur'an is created is disbelief. However, regarding al-Ma'mun, they say that he was ignorant of this matter; he was following the Mu'tazilah without intending it, and therefore they do not declare al-Ma'mun a disbeliever, because he is considered ignorant of this matter. He did it by following the Mu'tazilah, who suggested it to him and asked him to implement it, so he is excused due to ignorance. Yes. Otherwise, if he had intended this, he would have been a disbeliever like the Jahmiyyah. Yes.