The proofs of this principle are numerous and belong in another discussion. It is established by the Quran, the Sunnah and consensus that anyone whom the Prophet’s message has reached, yet who does not believe in him, is an unbeliever. His appeal to independent judgment is not accepted as an excuse, because the proofs of the message and the signs of prophethood are clear.

This is also because being excused for error is a ruling of the revealed law. Just as sins are divided into major and minor sins, and obligations into essential pillars and obligations that are not pillars, so too errors are divided into those that are forgiven and those that are not. The scriptural texts establish exemption from accountability for error specifically for this community.

That being so, someone who errs concerning some of these matters must be classed either with the unbelievers among the polytheists and the People of the Book, despite differing from them on most of the foundations of faith, or with those who err concerning matters of obligation and prohibition, even though these too belong to the foundations of faith. Indeed, believing that the clear obligations established by mass transmission are obligatory, and that the clear prohibitions established by mass transmission are forbidden, is among the greatest foundations of faith and principles of religion. Whoever denies them is an unbeliever by consensus. Yet someone who exercises independent judgment concerning some of them is, by consensus, not an unbeliever despite his error.

Since he must be classed with one of these two groups, it is evident that he more closely resembles those believers in Allah and His Messenger who err than he does the polytheists and the People of the Book