Manhaj.Com | Takfir and the Excuse of Ignorance: Shaykh Ibn Uthaymeen (2)

In this series of articles we present the statements of the Scholars of Ahl al-Sunnah which clarify and explain the issue of (العذر بالجهل), the excuse of ignorance, and also (المعلوم من الدين بالضرورة), that which is known from the religion by necessity. There is much confusion and speculation about this issue, despite the fact that it is very clear in the speech of the Scholars. One should also be aware of factions of the Takfiris, Qutbis who allege that the Scholars of Ahl al-Sunnah such as Imaam Ibn Baz, Imaam Ibn Uthaymin, Imaam al-Albaani, Shaykh Abd al-Muhsin al-Abbaad and many other contemporary Scholars are "revisionists," a charge levelled because these Scholars did not agree to their methodologies and positions (of mass takfir of nations and societies or takfir of certain rulers). Hence, they extended this claim of revisionism beyond the issue of the takfir of the rulers into other issues (such as the excuse of ignorance and that which is known from the religion by necessity) in order to discredit these Scholars and make the people not take from them and instead to drive the people towards the Harakiyyeen and their figureheads. These Qutbis and Takfiris are ignorant people, they are pretenders to knowledge, and they employ much deception. Instead of being honest and saying that difference in this issue can be found right through the history of the da'wah of Tawhid in Najd, and varying sayings can be found amongst the Scholars of the da'wah, they opted for their usual trait of deception and lies and tried to attack those Scholars who spoke against their Qutbi da'wah by accusing them of being "revisionists" merely because they held the view of granting the excuse of ignorance in matters of kufr and shirk within certain circumstances. Addressing their falsehood and their conniving in detail is for another place. Here we want to systematically document the sayings of the scholars for the purposes of building a record and at a later time, we will inshaa'Allaah, discuss some of these issues with the purpose of clarification.

Shaykh Ibn Uthaymin and the excuse of ignorance

Shaykh Ibn al-Uthaymin (rahimhallaah) explained the following benefit in his tafsir of Surah al-An'am (Tafsir al-Qur'an al-Karim, Dar Ibn al-Jawzee, 1433, p. 39):

The second benefit: That this judgement is for the one upon whom the proof has been established by the truth coming to him. As for when he does not know the truth, then he is (one of) two types (of people): He could be following the religion of truth, but he does not know it, so he prays, gives zakah, fasts and and makes Hajj, but he seeks rescue from the dead. We judge this one with Islam when the proof has not been established upon him. And he could be following a false religion and does not ascribe to the true religion, thus he does not follow the religion of Islam to begin with and the proof has not reached him and he does not know that he is upon misguidance. However, he follows a religion other than that of Islam. This one is treated by us as a disbeliever. Thus, if anyone died now from the non-Muslims and the da'wah of Islam had not reached him, then we do not pray over him, nor do we ask for mercy for him because he follows a religion other than Islam. As for the Hereafter, then his affair is with Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic. And if he had been a Muslim, following the deen of Islam, and says, "I testify that none has the right to be worshipped but Allaah and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allaah" and establishes the prayer, gives zakah but brings major shirk, not knowing it is major shirk, then we treat him as a Muslim, we wash him, shroud him, pray over him and bury him with us so long as the proof has not been established upon him.

Note: The new wave of extremist Haddadis, from them Abdullah al-Jarboo' treat the above saying as being worse than the position of Jahm bin Safwan in the issue of imaan and consider this as a defence and aid of the deen of the mushrikeen and to be a revival of the ways of Dawud Ibn Jarjees (grave worshipper refuted by the grandsons of Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Abd al-Wahhaab).

Translated by Abu Iyaad.