In The Name of Allaah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy.

Al-Allaamah Abdur-Rahmaan Bin Yahyah Al-Mu’allimee [may Allaah have mercy upon him] spoke about this affair that the sincere ones fall into some mistake as a trial for others, as to whether they will follow the truth and abandon his speech, or be deceived by his virtuousness and lofty (status)! He (i.e. this sincere scholar) is excused; rather he is rewarded for his Ijtihaad and intention for good, and he is not degraded. However, the one who follows him (out of being) deceived by his great (status) without turning towards the true evidences in Allaah’s Book and the Sunnah of His Messenger [peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him], he is not excused; rather he is upon a great danger. (1)

The Shaikh also stated regarding some of the obstacles in the presence of the one who is struggling to accept the truth: “It may be that a person is upon ignorance or falsehood, then another person comes along and clarifies the proofs for him, so he sees that by acknowledging such proofs, it would necessitate that he is lacking (in understanding) and that it was that person who guided him. And due to this we find that it is not difficult for some of those attributed to knowledge to acknowledge their mistakes when it becomes manifests to them in their researches and studies, but it becomes difficult for them if it was others who clarified such mistakes. When another person clarifies the truth for him, he sees that by acknowledging such truth it would necessitate an acknowledgement of the clarifier’s virtue, knowledge and correctness due to that clarification, and thus that becomes great in the eyes of the people and many people follow him [i.e. the person who clarified the truth]. So you will find some of those attributed to knowledge being eager to prove the mistakes of other scholars even if that is done by way of falsehood due to envy and seeking to diminish their status amongst the people. To oppose desires for the sake of the truth -in affairs of knowledge and creed- can indeed be difficult to accomplish, therefore it requires (sincere) research and contemplation. And in this regard, one is in need of asking the scholars and benefiting from them, adhering to fear of Allaah, seeking the Tawfeeq of Allaah and guidance”. (2)

[Ref 1: Raf’ul Ish’tibaah. pages 152-153]

[Ref 2: An excerpt from ‘At-Tankeel Bimaa Fee Ta’need Al-Kawthariy Minal Baatil’ 2/180-181 with the checking of Imaam Albaanee (rahimahullaah)]