The Issue of Excuse by Ignorance in Matters of Creed

Question:
This is a questioner for the program—truthfully—he sent this message saying: Your Eminence, I hope you will graciously answer my question—(S. F.) is Egyptian and works in Jordan—he says: Is there an excuse by ignorance in creed (La ilaha illa Allah)? And if there is no excuse by ignorance, what is the ruling of the Shari'ah—in your view, Your Eminence—on one who does not pray except some of the prayers? Do we eat from his slaughter? And if he stands as an imam while believing in the people of the graves, saying that they are righteous people and that going to them is not shirk (associating partners with Allah); is a person judged to be a Muslim merely by uttering the two testimonies? Please rule on this, may you be rewarded.

Answer:
There is no excuse by ignorance in these matters, in matters of creed, and matters of tawhid (the oneness of Allah), and shirk (associating partners with Allah) among those who are among the Muslims. Rather, it is obligatory for him to learn, to understand the religion, and to be cautious, and he is not excused in this. If he calls upon the dead, or seeks aid from the dead, or makes a vow for the dead; this is major shirk, and merely uttering the two testimonies is not sufficient for him while he is practicing shirk, worshipping the dead, seeking aid from them, making vows for them.. and the like. Rather, this is from major shirk, and he is not excused in it. Rather, it is obligatory for him to purify worship for Allah alone, and to avoid shirk, and to guard against it from all angles.
Abandoning prayer is kufr (disbelief). The one who does not pray is a disbeliever, as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Ignorance is only an excuse in obscure matters, such as some rulings that may be hidden from a person, or the people of the period of interruption (ahl al-fatra) who do not have Islam, to whom Islam did not reach, to whom the coming of Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) did not reach. These are called the people of the period of interruption. They will be tested on the Day of Resurrection. If they succeed in the test; they will be saved, and if they do not succeed; they will perish. Allah will test them, and command them and forbid them. If they obey Him; they will enter Paradise, and if they disobey Him; they will enter the Fire on the Day of Resurrection. These are the people of the period of interruption to whom Islam did not reach, nor did the Qur'an reach them, nor did the sending of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) reach them.
Allah (Exalted and Majestic is He) says: [Al-An'am: 19] Whoever the Qur'an has reached, and the Messenger has reached; it is obligatory for him to learn and understand the religion, and he is not excused by turning away, ignorance, and negligence. We ask Allah for safety. And Allah says in the Qur'an: [Ibrahim: 52] Yes.

The presenter: May Allah reward you—Your Eminence—and bless you!