Others have said:

“Fundamental matters are those supported by conclusive evidence, while subsidiary matters are those not supported by conclusive evidence.”

The others replied:

“This distinction is also mistaken. Many practical matters are supported by evidence that is conclusive to those acquainted with it, while others are unaware of it. Some are conclusive by consensus, such as the prohibition of forbidden acts and the binding nature of evident obligations. Yet if someone denies them out of ignorance and on the basis of a mistaken interpretation, he is not declared a disbeliever until the proof has been established against him. Thus, during the time of ʿUmar, a group of people, including Qudāma, considered drinking wine lawful and believed it was permissible for them. The Companions did not declare them disbelievers before explaining their error to them, whereupon they repented and recanted. During the Prophet’s lifetime, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, some people ate after dawn had broken until they could distinguish a white thread from a black thread. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, did not deem them sinful, let alone declare them disbelievers, although their error was beyond doubt.

“Likewise, Usāma ibn Zayd killed a Muslim man, and his error was beyond doubt. The same applies to those who found a man among his sheep. He said, ‘I am a Muslim,’ but they killed him and took his property. Their error was beyond doubt. Likewise, Khālid ibn al-Walīd killed members of Banū Jadhīma and took their property; he was unquestionably mistaken. The same applies to those who performed dry ablution up to their armpits, and to ʿAmmār, who rolled in the dust because he was in a state of major ritual impurity, just as an animal rolls. Indeed, those who entered a state of major ritual impurity and neither performed dry ablution nor prayed were also unquestionably mistaken. In our own time, if some people in a remote region embraced Islam and did not