quote:

And many from the Imaams of the Salaf, from the most renown and virtuous of them is Ibn Taymiyyah (rahimahullah), who holds the opinion that (the person) is excused due to ignorance even in acts of shirk (polytheism) and kufr (disbelief), if he is in fact ignorant. So if he falls into shirk or he falls into disbelief; however, he is (totally) ignorant that this is shirk or kufr and no knowledge or legislative text has reached him (about these matters) that would clarify to him that this is shirk or kufr then this individual is excused. For example he abandons the prayer. This person (i.e. who abandons the prayer), with the majority of the Sahaabah (Companions) and People of Hadeeth, is a kaafir (disbeliever) and this (act) is a nullifier from the nullifiers of Islaam. However, the information about the obligation of the prayer or obligation of fasting or other than them hasn't come to him. He accepted Islaam, but no one informed him about anything. He loved the religion of Islaam and as a result accepted it; however, no one informed him that this (prayer) is a pillar from the pillars of Islaam and that it is from the mandatory affairs (that must be carried out), then he is excused and the truth must be clarified to him (at this time), may Allah bless you. Now if he persists upon rejecting the prayer and saying that it is not from Islaam (and so on), then he is a renegade disbeliever.