The Excuse of Ignorance Between Statement and Action in the Hadith of Dhat Anwat

Question:
May Allah guide you, Honorable Shaykh. The questioner says: The hadith of those who said, "Make for us a Dhat Anwat," has confused me, and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) excused them. So what type of ignorance is excused?

Answer:
What did they do, my brother? What did they do? The people of Dhat Anwat. If they had done it, they would have committed shirk (associating partners with Allah) and would not be excused for ignorance if they committed shirk. But they did not do it; they asked the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), and he forbade it, and they did not do it. This is like those who, if they had made for themselves gods and called upon other than Allah, would have committed shirk. But they did not do this; their Prophet forbade them, and they refrained.