I would like clarification on when a person is excused for ignorance regarding the details of creed and the details of the rulings of Islamic sacred law?
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The questioner : I would like a detailed clarification of the issue of when a person is excused for ignorance and when they are not excused for it, from the perspective of creed and jurisprudential rulings. May you be rewarded.
The Shaykh : This is an important question, a great question, and the occasion does not allow for a detailed discussion of it, because it requires a great deal of speech that might fill this entire episode and more. However, in general terms, we have verses from the Qur'an and hadiths from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) that indicate that a person is excused for ignorance in everything. But a person may be negligent in seeking knowledge and thus not be excused. Or the proof may reach him, but he becomes arrogant and disdainful, and thus he is not excused in that state. Among the verses indicating that a person is excused for ignorance is the saying of Allah the Exalted:[Al-Baqarah 2:286] Then Allah the Exalted said: And Allah the Exalted said: [Al-Ahzab 33:5] And Allah Blessed and Exalted is He said: [Al-Isra 17:15] And the Exalted said: [An-Nahl 16:43] And Allah the Exalted said: [At-Tawbah 9:115] And Allah the Exalted said: [Al-Qasas 28:59] And Allah the Exalted said: [Hud 11:117] And there are many verses in this meaning. Likewise, the Sunnah: It was narrated from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he said: Sunan Ibn Majah 2043Sahih (Darussalam) or Sunan Ibn Majah 2045Sahih (Darussalam) But a person may be negligent in seeking knowledge such that knowledge is made easy for him, but he does not care about it or pay attention to it. And a person may be arrogant about the truth that has reached him; the truth is made clear to him, but he says: [Az-Zukhruf 43:22] Just as there are many common people who revere their leaders, whether princes, scholars, or others, who become disdainful of the truth when called to it. These people are not excused. This is a serious and great issue, and one must be cautious and deliberate in it. We might even say that no general judgment should be issued in it, but rather each case should be looked at individually. We might rule that a person is a disbeliever despite his ignorance, or we might not rule that. People differ in the extent of their ignorance. Some are absolutely ignorant, completely ignorant, knowing nothing, as if they were a beast. Some have intelligence and mental activity, but they are arrogant about the truth. And some are in between. In any case, a general answer is questionable, but principles are mentioned and each situation is applied according to what that situation requires. Yes.
The questioner : May Allah bless you. This listener to the program, Abdul-Wasi' al-Yamani, says in this question.
The Shaykh : This is an important question, a great question, and the occasion does not allow for a detailed discussion of it, because it requires a great deal of speech that might fill this entire episode and more. However, in general terms, we have verses from the Qur'an and hadiths from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) that indicate that a person is excused for ignorance in everything. But a person may be negligent in seeking knowledge and thus not be excused. Or the proof may reach him, but he becomes arrogant and disdainful, and thus he is not excused in that state. Among the verses indicating that a person is excused for ignorance is the saying of Allah the Exalted:
Our Lord, do not impose blame upon us if we have forgotten or erred.
رَبَّنَا لا تُؤَاخِذْنَا إِنْ نَسِينَا أَوْ أَخْطَأْنَاHe has done so
قد فعلتAnd there is no blame upon you for that in which you have erred but [only for] what your hearts intended
وَلَيْسَ عَلَيْكُمْ جُنَاحٌ فِيمَا أَخْطَأْتُمْ بِهِ وَلَكِنْ مَا تَعَمَّدَتْ قُلُوبُكُمْAnd never would We punish until We sent a messenger.
وَمَا كُنَّا مُعَذِّبِينَ حَتَّى نَبْعَثَ رَسُولًاAnd We sent not before you except men to whom We revealed [Our message]. So ask the people of the message if you do not know.
وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَا مِنْ قَبْلِكَ إِلَّا رِجَالًا نُوحِي إِلَيْهِمْ فَاسْأَلُوا أَهْلَ الذِّكْرِ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ لا تَعْلَمُونَAnd Allah would not let a people stray after He has guided them until He makes clear to them what they should avoid
وَمَا كَانَ اللَّهُ لِيُضِلَّ قَوْمًا بَعْدَ إِذْ هَدَاهُمْ حَتَّى يُبَيِّنَ لَهُمْ مَا يَتَّقُونَAnd never would your Lord have destroyed the cities until He had sent to their mother a messenger reciting to them Our verses. And We would not destroy the cities except while their people were wrongdoers.
وَمَا كَانَ رَبُّكَ مُهْلِكَ الْقُرَى حَتَّى يَبْعَثَ فِي أُمِّهَا رَسُولًا يَتْلُوا عَلَيْهِمْ ءايَاتِنَا وَمَا كُنَّا مُهْلِكِي الْقُرَى إِلَّا وَأَهْلُهَا ظَالِمُونَAnd your Lord would not have destroyed the cities unjustly while their people were reformers.
وَمَا كَانَ رَبُّكَ لِيُهْلِكَ الْقُرَى بِظُلْمٍ وَأَهْلُهَا مُصْلِحُونَAllah has forgiven for me my nation their mistakes and forgetfulness
إن الله تجاوز عن أمتي الخطأ والنسيانAllah has forgiven my nation for mistakes and forgetfulness, and what they are forced to do.
عفي عن أمتي الخطأ والنسيان وما استكرهوا عليهIndeed, we found our fathers upon a religion, and we are in their footsteps [rightly] guided."
إِنَّا وَجَدْنَا ءابَاءَنَا عَلَى أُمَّةٍ وَإِنَّا عَلَى ءاثَارِهِمْ مُهْتَدُونَThe questioner : May Allah bless you. This listener to the program, Abdul-Wasi' al-Yamani, says in this question.