We say the act is an act of Kufr, but we do not declare this person to be a Kāfir, nor are the implications of Kufr applicable to him in this Dunya. As for his
21 December 2023 • 1.21K views
* As for one who has the Ḥujjah established on him, but he rejects and persists upon Kufr, then he is not to be excused, but rather he is to be declared a Kāfir.
* And we don't say that it's impossible for one to be ignorant in the modern era due to the Internet and spread of social media.
POINT 5. If the Ḥujjah is apparent and manifest; the Qur’ān is recited and the Sunnah can be heard. So the issue is not absence of evidence in that place, but it's carelessness on this person's part.
Hence the excuse of ignorance is not applicable if he guilty of turning away from acquiring/understanding the evidences.
{وَمَنۡ أَظۡلَمُ مِمَّن ذُكِّرَ بِـَٔایَـٰتِ رَبِّهِۦ فَأَعۡرَضَ عَنۡهَا وَنَسِیَ مَا قَدَّمَتۡ یَدَاهُۚ إِنَّا جَعَلۡنَا عَلَىٰ قُلُوبِهِمۡ أَكِنَّةً أَن یَفۡقَهُوهُ وَفِیۤ ءَاذَانِهِمۡ وَقۡرࣰاۖ وَإِن تَدۡعُهُمۡ إِلَى ٱلۡهُدَىٰ فَلَن یَهۡتَدُوۤا۟ إِذًا أَبَدࣰا}
“And who does more wrong than those who, when reminded of their Lord’s revelations, turn away from them and forget what their own hands have done? We have certainly cast veils over their hearts—leaving them unable to comprehend this ˹Quran˺—and deafness in their ears. And if you ˹O Prophet˺ invite them to ˹true˺ guidance, they will never be ˹rightly˺ guided.” [Sūrah Al-Kahf: 57]
POINT 6. The two points of differing amongst Ahlus-Sunnah concerning the issue of العذر بالجهل:
THE FIRST. Is there an ignorant person who has not received proof in this day and age?
We say that the Sharī'ah rulings is suitable for all times and places, and this is an issue that existed before the introduction of these modern means, and we have already stated that: If there is someone who the proof has not yet reached them, the excuse of (العذر بالجهل) applies to him, and Allāh knows best goes on His earth.
THE SECOND (and this is of greater importance and more controversial than the first):
Whoever complies with aspects of Islām while being ignorant of other aspects of it because the proof has not reached him, or it has not been explained to him, or he commits acts of Kufr unknowingly...?
The brothers disagreed concerning the ruling as it relates to this Dunya while being in agreement that in the afterlife his affair is with Allah.
• Some of them said: He has committed Kufr, so he is adjudged to be an apostate, but we excuse him in terms of the penal punishment.
• And some of them said: The act of Kufr was done out of ignorance - not stubbornness, or turning away. So there is no disagreement between us with regards to the action being an act of Kufr; But he is not declared to be Kafir until the Ḥujjah is established against him. Once the Ḥujjah is established, he is declared a Kafir. And this opinion is more correct!