Is a person excused for his ignorance of the fundamentals of belief?
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Question:
Is a person excused for his ignorance of the fundamentals of belief?
Answer:
This is not a place for excuse. The fundamentals of religion are a matter of scholarly consensus; they are not a place for excuse due to ignorance if one is among the Muslims. Allah said: [Al-An'am: 19], and He said: [Ibrahim: 52].
So if the Qur'an reaches him, and the Sunnah reaches him, and he is among the Muslims, he is not excused by ignorance if he falls into shirk (associating partners with Allah), atheism, communism, or idolatry, or if he insults the religion. He is not excused. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said in the authentic hadith narrated by Muslim:Sahih Muslim 153, he said: , and he did not say "does not understand." So if he hears the news, and the news of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) reaches him, and the Qur'an reaches him, that is sufficient. Except if he is in a distant land where he does not know or realize, and the Qur'an does not reach him, and the Sunnah does not reach him, then his ruling is the ruling of the people of the period of ignorance (ahl al-fatra). The correct view regarding them is that they will be tested on the Day of Resurrection, and they will be commanded and forbidden. If they obey, they will be saved, and if they disobey, they will perish, as the Exalted said: [Al-Isra: 15].
Is a person excused for his ignorance of the fundamentals of belief?
Answer:
This is not a place for excuse. The fundamentals of religion are a matter of scholarly consensus; they are not a place for excuse due to ignorance if one is among the Muslims. Allah said:
And this Qur'an was revealed to me that I may warn you thereby and whomever it reaches.
وَأُوحِيَ إِلَيَّ هَذَا الْقُرْآنُ لِأُنْذِرَكُمْ بِهِ وَمَنْ بَلَغَThis is a message to the people
هَذَا بَلَاغٌ لِلنَّاسِSo if the Qur'an reaches him, and the Sunnah reaches him, and he is among the Muslims, he is not excused by ignorance if he falls into shirk (associating partners with Allah), atheism, communism, or idolatry, or if he insults the religion. He is not excused. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said in the authentic hadith narrated by Muslim:
By Him in Whose hand is the life of Muhammad, he who amongst the community of Jews or Christians hears about me, but does not affirm his belief in that with which I have been sent and dies in this state (of disbelief), he shall be but one of the denizens of Hell-Fire.
والذي نفسي بيده لا يسمع بي أحدٌ من هذه الأمة: يهودي ولا نصراني، ثم يموت ولم يؤمن بالذي أُرسلتُ به إلا كان من أهل النارHe does not hear it.
لا يسمعAnd never would We punish until We sent a messenger.
وَمَا كُنَّا مُعَذِّبِينَ حَتَّى نَبْعَثَ رَسُولًا
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.