Back to search
The question

What is the ruling on the saying: "There is no excuse for ignorance in Muslim lands," and does it contradict the saying: "A person is excused for his ignorance"?

Share this answer

Source: FtawySummary from Ftawy's records · added here Sep 2, 20261 min readAlso available in العربية
The answer

Ignorance is not an absolute excuse; rather, it is specific to matters whose knowledge has not become widespread. As for what is known by necessity in the religion, there is no excuse for ignorance of it for one who lives in Muslim lands.

The ignorance of people is not an excuse for learned individuals to abandon their teaching. Rather, it is incumbent upon the people of knowledge to clarify the truth to people, for concealing knowledge leads to damnation.

Striving to teach people and enlighten them about the rulings of the Sacred Law is among the greatest acts of closeness to Allah. A Muslim should strive diligently in acquiring knowledge and teaching it to people, and clarifying the truth to them.

Summary from Ftawy's records · added here

Reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.

Read the full answer on Ftawy
Where this answer came from
Source platform
Ftawy
Original fatwa ID
165067
Added here
. This is when the answer was added to El Fatwa, not the fatwa's date.
Text
Summary from Ftawy's records, reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
Read the full ruling
Read the full answer on Ftawy