two reported positions in many matters of fiqh, as becomes evident, for example, upon consulting al-Muqniʿ.

In the second case—when he explicitly states that he has retracted—then the matter is clear. We previously gave the example of Imam Ahmad regarding the divorce pronounced by an intoxicated person: at first, he held that the intoxicated person’s divorce takes effect; then he said, “I examined it and found that, if I deem it effective, I have adopted two [objectionable] implications, whereas if I do not deem it effective, I have adopted only one.”

As for the third case, in which he confines his position to the latter view, an example may be drawn from the case of Abu al-Hasan al-Ashʿari. At the beginning of his life, he followed the Muʿtazilite school, supporting and defending it, and he remained upon this for nearly forty years. But whomever Allah wills to guide, He guides. He then associated with Abdullah ibn Saʿid ibn Kullab, who was far better than the Muʿtazilites. He learned from him and was influenced by him, abandoning the Muʿtazilite school. Finally, in his book al-Ibanah—which was the last book he authored—he stated that his position was confined to the school of Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal. For he said: “If someone were to ask, ‘What do you hold?’ we would say: ‘We hold to the position of Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal.’” This means that he retracted what had preceded, although he did not expressly say, “And I retract.” Yet when he abandoned the Muʿtazilite school, he explicitly declared his retraction from it, and began censuring them and exposing their defects. May Allah have mercy on him.

We have discussed this issue because it is truly beneficial for the student of knowledge. A student of knowledge must return to the truth once it becomes clear to him. At times, the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, would issue a legal verdict, then revelation would come to him and he would retract what he had ruled—and he was the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him. When a man came to him and asked what martyrdom expiates, he replied, “It expiates everything.” Then the man left, and then