al-Imām ash-Shāfiʿī (رحمه الله تعالى) said:
لو عذر الجاهل، لأجل جهله لكان الجهل (خيرا) من العلم (إذ) كان يحط عن العبد أعباء التكليف (ويريح) قلبه (من) ضروب التعنيف، فلا (حجة) للعبد في جهله (بالحكم) بعد التبليغ والتمكين، (لِئَلَّا يَكُونَ لِلنَّاسِ عَلَى اللَّهِ حُجَّةٌ بَعْدَ الرُّسُلِ)
If the ignorant one were to be excused due to his ignorance, then ignorance would be better than knowledge. Since it would relieve the servant of the burdens of religious obligations and ease his heart from various forms of reprimand. Therefore the servant has no valid excuse in his ignorance of the ruling after the message has been converyed and access to knowledge has been made possible. (And Allāh said:) So that mankind will have no argument against Allāh after the messengers. المنثور في القواعد (2/17)
