What should an ordinary person do if they are faced with conflicting fatwas from scholars they trust on a religious issue, such as the issue of denial (juhud)? And is it obligatory for them to verbally acknowledge what they denied, or is their repentance accepted by reciting the Shahadatayn without such an acknowledgment?

The repentance of an apostate who denies a matter of faith differs. If he denies it secretly without declaration, then his repentance is between him and Allah Almighty, and uttering the two testimonies (Shahadatayn) suffices him. However, if people become aware of his apostasy, or his matter reaches the judge, his repentance is accepted by Allah. Yet, among people, it is not accepted except by verbally affirming what he denied, because they do not know the unseen. The disagreement among the imams is regarding the acceptance of their repentance in apparent worldly rulings, but there is no dispute concerning Allah Almighty's acceptance of it inwardly.