Is there a rule regarding the excuse of ignorance when a person commits a forbidden act?
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The questioner : His EminenceThe Shaykh : Is there a rule or rules for the excuse of ignorance if a person commits forbidden acts?
The Shaykh : Yes, the rule is: any ignorant person who commits a forbidden act or leaves an obligatory act owes nothing. This is the rule, except if he was negligent in not asking, for example, if he is told: "This thing is obligatory, do it," and he says:[Al-Ma'idah 5:101] and he is lax in asking. In this case, we do not excuse him for his ignorance because he was negligent in not learning.
As for a person in a remote desert who is far from knowledge and knows nothing, he is excused for his ignorance, whether in an obligatory act or a forbidden act. Evidence for this is that when the man came to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and prayed a prayer in which he did not settle, the Prophet ordered him to repeat the prayer and said: "You have not prayed." However, he did not order him to repeat the past prayers, even though he was praying a prayer that was not valid. Likewise, the woman with irregular bleeding who did not pray during her period, thinking it was menstruation, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did not order her to make up the prayers.
So the conclusion is: ignorance is an excuse, but it may not be an excuse when? When he was negligent in asking and did not ask despite the presence of doubt in him.
The Shaykh : Yes, the rule is: any ignorant person who commits a forbidden act or leaves an obligatory act owes nothing. This is the rule, except if he was negligent in not asking, for example, if he is told: "This thing is obligatory, do it," and he says:
do not ask about things which, if they are shown to you, will distress you
لا تَسْأَلوا عَنْ أَشْيَاءَ إِنْ تُبْدَ لَكُمْ تَسُؤْكُمْAs for a person in a remote desert who is far from knowledge and knows nothing, he is excused for his ignorance, whether in an obligatory act or a forbidden act. Evidence for this is that when the man came to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and prayed a prayer in which he did not settle, the Prophet ordered him to repeat the prayer and said: "You have not prayed." However, he did not order him to repeat the past prayers, even though he was praying a prayer that was not valid. Likewise, the woman with irregular bleeding who did not pray during her period, thinking it was menstruation, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did not order her to make up the prayers.
So the conclusion is: ignorance is an excuse, but it may not be an excuse when? When he was negligent in asking and did not ask despite the presence of doubt in him.