To what extent is a person afflicted by sorcery (masḥūr) accountable for the sins and transgressions they commit, given the differing opinions regarding their legal responsibility (taklīf) if they are aware of what they are saying but cannot control themselves? What is the ruling on someone who, due to sorcery, has become in a state resembling an imbecile? Is it obligatory to adhere to a single fatwa, or should one seek out different fatwas when they vary? What is the definition of "the bewildered/astounded" (al-madhhūl), and is he held accountable in Islamic law?
There is no contradiction between the two fatwas, because legal obligation (taklif shar'i) requires intellect and free will. Thus, one who has lost their intellect or is under duress is not obligated, based on the Prophet's (peace be upon him) saying: "Indeed, Allah has overlooked for my Ummah their mistakes, their forgetfulness, and what they are coerced into." And whoever asks a scholar trustworthy in their religion and knowledge is permitted to follow their fatwa. As for the "madhhul," its meaning is "abandoned" or "forgotten," and there is no scientific definition for it. The ruling on what one does due to magic, whether under duress or lacking awareness, is that they are not held accountable for it; their ruling is like that of one who forgets. However, what they do while aware and by choice, they are held accountable for.
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