Likewise, those who found a man among his sheep and heard him say, “I am a Muslim,” but then killed him and seized his property—their error was indisputable. Likewise, Khālid ibn al-Walīd was indisputably mistaken when he killed the Banū Judhayma and seized (1) their property. The same applies to those who performed tayammum up to their armpits, and to Ammār, who rolled about in the dust because of major ritual impurity [as an animal rolls about; indeed, also to those who entered a state of major ritual impurity but neither performed tayammum nor prayed] (2). They were indisputably mistaken.

In our own time, if a people in some remote region embraced Islam without knowing that Hajj was obligatory or that wine was forbidden, they would not be punished for that. The same would apply if they had grown up in a place where ignorance prevailed.

During Umar’s time, a woman committed illicit sexual intercourse. When she admitted it, Uthmān (3) said, “She speaks of it with the openness of one who does not know (4) that it is forbidden.” When it became clear to the Companions that she was unaware of its prohibition, they did not subject her to the prescribed punishment. Yet deeming illicit sexual intercourse lawful is indisputably erroneous.

If a man swears to something, believing it to be as he has sworn, but it subsequently proves otherwise, then he is indisputably mistaken, yet by consensus he bears no sin. Likewise, according to the majority, he owes no expiation.

If someone eats believing that dawn has not yet broken, but then learns that he ate after dawn, he is indisputably mistaken, yet he bears no sin; scholars disagree over whether he must make up the fast. The same applies to someone who believes that the sun has set, only to discover otherwise. There are many such examples.