You mentioned previously that the issue of excusing ignorance regarding the attributes
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The questioner : In the name of Allah, and may prayers and peace be upon the Messenger of Allah. As for what follows: I have mentioned in previous questions that the issue of excusing ignorance regarding the attributes, is one who is in a town where slaughter is performed for the awliya (close friends of Allah) and circumambulation is done around their graves, and they claim to be Muslims, and the character of their town or land is this in all lands, is this man excused for his ignorance or not, when he believes that the awliya (close friends of Allah), or that this one around whom he circumambulates, can benefit and harm, and this is the prevalent belief in this town, is this man excused for his ignorance or what? And the second question is ... .
The Shaykh : No, one question is enough for you, question by question. My answer to your question, with complete frankness, is yes, and it is fully understood from my previous answer, because the question, as you said just now, is in creed: is one excused if he is misguided in creed or not? And what you mentioned regarding circumambulating graves is from associating partners with Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He). So the answer is the answer we discussed and stated explicitly in the past, and there is nothing new in the question. If you remember, I categorized the society in which the one who is excused or not excused lives into three types: either a correct Muslim society, or a disbelieving society, or a society that is nominally Muslim, but the scholars, who are supposed to be guides leading others, are themselves misguided. And I mentioned from where this ignorant person gets his knowledge; he is excused if he is found in the second type of society, the disbelieving society, or the third type, the Muslim society that has no people of tawhid (the oneness of Allah) and correct creed. So what prompted you to renew the question by giving an example, when there are countless examples? There may be something hidden from some of the attendees, and you may be among them. Can you say what prompted you to direct this question, when it falls within the previous answer?
Please go ahead.
The questioner : In many verses of the Qur'an, it is stated that the awliya (close friends of Allah), if people call upon them, do not harm them nor benefit them.
The Shaykh : There is no need, my brother. You are now as if you are debating a person who affirms calling upon other than Allah (Mighty and Majestic) among the dead. We are not in that context. Our discussion is about the ignorant person who lives among people who believe that this istighathah (calling for aid) to other than Allah is from the category of prescribed tawassul (seeking nearness to Allah through a means). We are not in that context. We, and praise be to Allah, since our infancy, have been from the people of tawhid (the oneness of Allah). That is from the favor of Allah upon us and upon people. But our discussion now is: what about one who is found in a society of shirk (associating partners with Allah)? Has the proof of Allah been established against him? Has the proof of Allah been established against him?
The questioner : ... if the scholars of the people of the town are on these creeds?
The Shaykh : It is clear that the proof has not been established, and this is what we are discussing. Therefore, there is nothing new in your question. And when we say that he is excused, this point may need clarification. What do we mean by "he is excused"? We mean that we do not rule that he is from the people of eternal disbelief in the Fire. That is what we mean. We do not mean that he enters Paradise. No, we do not mean that. He does not enter Paradise, as he (peace and blessings be upon him) said, except a believing soul. I declared this in the Farewell Pilgrimage. But I want you to understand from my saying that he is excused that we do not rule for him the Fire promised to the disbelievers. His treatment on the Day of Resurrection is known in some authentic hadiths: if he obeys, he enters Paradise, and if he disobeys, he enters the Fire.
The Shaykh : No, one question is enough for you, question by question. My answer to your question, with complete frankness, is yes, and it is fully understood from my previous answer, because the question, as you said just now, is in creed: is one excused if he is misguided in creed or not? And what you mentioned regarding circumambulating graves is from associating partners with Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He). So the answer is the answer we discussed and stated explicitly in the past, and there is nothing new in the question. If you remember, I categorized the society in which the one who is excused or not excused lives into three types: either a correct Muslim society, or a disbelieving society, or a society that is nominally Muslim, but the scholars, who are supposed to be guides leading others, are themselves misguided. And I mentioned from where this ignorant person gets his knowledge; he is excused if he is found in the second type of society, the disbelieving society, or the third type, the Muslim society that has no people of tawhid (the oneness of Allah) and correct creed. So what prompted you to renew the question by giving an example, when there are countless examples? There may be something hidden from some of the attendees, and you may be among them. Can you say what prompted you to direct this question, when it falls within the previous answer?
Please go ahead.
The questioner : In many verses of the Qur'an, it is stated that the awliya (close friends of Allah), if people call upon them, do not harm them nor benefit them.
The Shaykh : There is no need, my brother. You are now as if you are debating a person who affirms calling upon other than Allah (Mighty and Majestic) among the dead. We are not in that context. Our discussion is about the ignorant person who lives among people who believe that this istighathah (calling for aid) to other than Allah is from the category of prescribed tawassul (seeking nearness to Allah through a means). We are not in that context. We, and praise be to Allah, since our infancy, have been from the people of tawhid (the oneness of Allah). That is from the favor of Allah upon us and upon people. But our discussion now is: what about one who is found in a society of shirk (associating partners with Allah)? Has the proof of Allah been established against him? Has the proof of Allah been established against him?
The questioner : ... if the scholars of the people of the town are on these creeds?
The Shaykh : It is clear that the proof has not been established, and this is what we are discussing. Therefore, there is nothing new in your question. And when we say that he is excused, this point may need clarification. What do we mean by "he is excused"? We mean that we do not rule that he is from the people of eternal disbelief in the Fire. That is what we mean. We do not mean that he enters Paradise. No, we do not mean that. He does not enter Paradise, as he (peace and blessings be upon him) said, except a believing soul. I declared this in the Farewell Pilgrimage. But I want you to understand from my saying that he is excused that we do not rule for him the Fire promised to the disbelievers. His treatment on the Day of Resurrection is known in some authentic hadiths: if he obeys, he enters Paradise, and if he disobeys, he enters the Fire.