What is the ruling on excusing ignorance in the matter of tawhid (the oneness of Allah)?

Question:
This is a question asking whether the ignorant person is excused regarding the foundation of the religion, which is tawhid (the oneness of Allah), or not?

Answer:
There is a distinction here. If the ignorant person is in the lands of Islam and among Muslims, he is not excused for his ignorance, because he is able to learn; he is able to ask. However, this indicates that he is negligent and that he does not care about his religion. So he is not excused, because he is able to learn, he is able to ask, and he hears the words of Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He), he hears the Qur'an, he hears the hadith, and he hears the words of the scholars of knowledge, and he is among Muslims. This person is not excused for his ignorance.
As for the one who grows up in lands far from the lands of Islam, who hears nothing about Islam and hears nothing of the words of the scholars of knowledge in a cut-off land, this person is excused for his ignorance, because nothing has reached him and he is unable to learn. So he is excused for his ignorance, and his matter is left to Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He).
But the one who is in the lands of Muslims and hears the words of Allah and the words of His Messenger, and hears the words of the scholars of knowledge, and reads the books, or is able to ask the scholars of knowledge but does not ask, this person is in reality the one who is lax, and he has no excuse for that. So he is not excused for his ignorance, because this indicates his lack of care and his lack of concern. Not because he does not find someone to teach him, but because he has no desire to learn and no desire to ask. So he is not excused for his ignorance.