For this reason the scholars were apprehensive of such situations, fearing that the level of ijtihād required might not, in fact, have been attained in that particular case.

These are indeed sins; yet the punishment attached to a sin befalls only the one who does not repent, and it can be erased by seeking forgiveness, performing good deeds, enduring hardships, the intercession of others, or divine mercy.

Excluded from this discussion is the person whom passion overcomes so completely that he supports what he knows to be false, as well as the one who pronounces a view to be right or wrong with absolute certainty while having no knowledge of the proofs for or against it. These two are in the Fire, as the Prophet ﷺ said: “Judges are of three kinds: two are in the Fire and one is in Paradise. The one in Paradise is a man who knew the truth and judged by it. The two in the Fire are: a man who judged for the people in ignorance, and a man who knew the truth but ruled contrary to it.” (1)

The same applies to anyone who issues legal opinions. Nevertheless, the application of this threat to a specific individual is also subject to the mitigating factors we have already mentioned.

Accordingly, were one to suppose that some measure of this occurred with respect to certain individual scholars whom the community universally esteems—though such a supposition is remote, if not altogether unfounded—it would not