What is the refutation of the sedition of declaring a person who excuses by reason of ignorance in major shirk to be a disbeliever, which has recently spread?

Scholars generally consider ignorance to be an excuse that prevents the specific individual from being declared a disbeliever. However, they differ on the specific issues for which ignorance is excused. The correct position is that this disagreement cannot be denied, nor can a consensus on the absence of excuse be claimed. Similarly, it is not permissible to declare someone a disbeliever if they hesitate to declare an ignorant person a disbeliever due to a doubt they possess. The correct view is that the rule stating that whoever does not declare a disbeliever to be a disbeliever is himself a disbeliever, applies specifically to disbelief that is known to be an essential part of the religion by necessity. It does not apply to a Muslim who commits an act of disbelief due to ignorance or doubt before the evidence has been established against him.

Therefore, it is not correct to base the issue of excuse on dividing matters into fundamentals and branches, as this division has no basis in Islamic law.

Shaykh Al-Sa’di clarified that there is a difference between the disbelievers among the People of the Book and those who believed in the Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him, then fell into disbelief out of ignorance or misinterpretation. The latter is not declared a disbeliever by his action due to the presence of an impediment. Likewise, Shaykh Al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah and Imam Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab explicitly stated that ignorance is an excuse in some cases of polytheism due to the prevalence of ignorance and scarcity of knowledge.

Dr. Muhammad Al-Wuhaibi concluded that the evidence for excusing ignorance is general and comprehensive, covering the agreed-upon fundamental principles. This is the understanding of the imams of Ahl al-Sunnah, such as Shaykh Al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah, Imam Ibn al-Qayyim, and Imam Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab. The summary of their madhhab is to excuse ignorance of clear rulings and the fundamentals of creed for those who are new to Islam or grew up in an environment where polytheism is widespread. As for someone who denies any of that in the abode of Islam and is aware, he becomes a disbeliever by that.