If a person's error is clearly manifest and established by solid evidence, then it is not wrong to warn people against the error and clarify the truth. However, that correction must be carried out appropriately, in a gentle manner that does not drive people away. The mistake itself should be corrected without delving into anything beyond that. For example, the person who made the mistake should not be accused of having bad intentions or an evil motive.

Al-Dhahabî, speaking about the mistakes of the scholars, said the following: [Siyar al-A`lâm al-Nubalâ' (14/374)]:

If we were to discredit every person who made mistake in judgment or declare those people as innovators – people who are essentially of good faith and sincerely seek the truth – then scarcely would any of our scholars be spared.

He was one who asserted human free will to the extent of denying Divine Decree over human actions. We ask Allah to protect us from such ideas. On the other hand, no one ever doubted his honesty in the least, or his integrity, or the strength of his memory. It is quite possible that Allah forgives the likes of him for falling into certain innovated ideas with no other intention but to glorify Allah and to hold Him far above (the bad deeds that people commit.) Allah is the judge who is just and merciful towards His servants. He is not to be asked about what He does.

We should keep in mind that people of knowledge, intelligence, integrity, and piety – who are meticulous in investigating matters and who are quite often correct in their conclusions – they are to be pardoned when they err in their judgment on occasion.

Their good qualities and good work should not be dismissed. Of course, we do not follow what is shown to be wrong, regardless of who the mistake came from. However, we do not use it to discredit the good that a person has done.