Manhaj.Com | Takfir and the Excuse of Ignorance: Shaykh Saalih al-Fawzaan (3)

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 Salih al-Fawzan on takfir of the Raafidah

In the Shaykh's workAt-Ta'leeq al-Mukhtasar alaa al-Qaseedah al-Nooniyyah (3/1329-1330):

Question: May Allah be benevolent to you, possessor of excellence, are the Raafidah who live amongst Ahl al-Sunnah disbelievers as individuals or are they excused due to ignorance? And are they declared disbelievers specifically (in person) or not? I wish for clarification.
Answer: Whoever adopts this madhhab and persists upon it he is judged with the judgement upon the group (as a whole). As for the one who is ignorant and does not know the reality of their madhhab, then the truth is explained to such as one, if he accepts, then all praise is due to Allaah and if he persists, he is judged with the (same) judgement of the people of this madhhab.

The Shaykh does have other speech that suggests the excuse of ignorance does not apply (in matters treated as "known by necessity" or "through conveyance of the Qur'an" etc.), however the intent here is to show that this view has been held by the Shaykh (and that there is differing about it between the Scholars) and this is a silencing of the Haddaadiyyah who are using this issue to ascribe Irjaa' to many of the Salafi Scholars who affirm the excuse of ignorance and they include Scholars of Tawhid from Najd in what has passed and likewise the contemporary Scholars, al-Albani, Ibn al-Uthaymin, Abdul-Muhsin al-Abbaad and so on.