What is incumbent upon one who had been involved in matters that take one out of the fold of Islam, without his knowledge, and he now believes that he holds a correct creed after abandoning seeking help from the dead, but he sometimes finds that he has significant doctrinal flaws?
A Muslim must acquire deep understanding of religious matters, especially Tawhid (monotheism), for it is the foundation of the religion. The Prophet, peace be upon him, advised Mu'adh to first call the People of the Book to the Oneness of God. One should also delve into the details of the branches of faith, disbelief, and hypocrisy, and understand minor and major polytheism, so that a servant may be reassured about their faith.
To be safe from polytheism due to ignorance, a Muslim should frequently recite the supplication: "O Allah, I seek refuge in You from associating anything with You knowingly, and I seek Your forgiveness for what I do not know."
If a person was raised far from scholars and later discovered that they had committed polytheistic acts due to their prior ignorance, they must immediately abandon them and repent. They are excused for their past ignorance, because among the conditions for declaring someone a disbeliever is the absence of ignorance and the establishment of proof against them. This is evidenced by the hadith of the man who ordered himself to be burned and scattered in the wind, and Allah forgave him due to his fear.
A final piece of advice is to strive for righteousness, accompany the People of the Sunnah and the Community, and continue seeking knowledge.
Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026
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