The Ruling on Criticizing the State and Its Scholars, and Praising Those Who Deviate

Question:
A questioner says: The criticism of some preachers has fallen upon this state and its scholars, claiming that they are compromising and are scholars of the regime, and that they do not understand reality. Meanwhile, they praise some states that claim to apply the Shari'ah, while overlooking the major violations that occur in them. They also praise some preachers, innovators, and those who deviate from the methodology of the Salaf. What is your opinion and your response to these people?

Answer:
I do not like any of this. I do not like it for the Muslims, especially in this land, except for menstruation and advice and exaltation, because they were upon a clear, correct methodology, upon a correct call. They were one group; they were one group, their methodology was one, their creed was one.
Their path is one; they do not differ on this. So why do we create this confusion and this commotion for which Allah has not sent down any authority? Our society, and to be honest, praise be to Allah, is the best of societies in terms of its leadership, its scholars, and its people. They are the best of those existing, praise be to Allah. We do not say that they are perfect; we say that they are the best of those existing. Fairness requires this. That we have not succeeded is due to the grace and favor of Allah upon us. This is disbelief in the blessing.
Praise be to Allah, we have scholars, and praise be to Allah, we have upright rulers who do not have a socialist ideology, or a Ba'athist ideology, or an ideology contrary to Islam. They are upon the creed of tawhid (the oneness of Allah), and this is the religion of Islam. They pray, and their creed is free from shirk (associating partners with Allah), and they only choose. They establish attendance. Of course, they are lenient with what is right. They enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong, and they rule by the Book of Allah. They opened up every migration, and every village, and every occupied city, or near it, and they made people judge by the Shari'ah of Allah in them. If there is shortcoming on their part, but the good is greater, praise be to Allah. The good with us is greater, praise be to Allah. And mistakes exist, but the good is greater. And it is obligatory upon us to give advice and to supplicate for them with guidance, and to advise them in private and to convey the truth to them. What is obligatory upon us? And supplicating for them is what is obligatory upon us. Do we want this society to disintegrate? Do we want this society to fall into conflict? Do we want this society to lose its security, so that people do not feel safe in their wealth, or their homes, or their sacred rights, or their lives? They do not travel; they are prevented from traveling because of fear. Do they want the removal of this blessing? Fear Allah, O servants of Allah. Give thanks for this blessing, and do not be deceived by the preachers of misguidance who mock us, and who look for mistakes, and spend on them, and forget—meaning they look at the splinter in others, but do not look at the beam in their own eyes. They forget their own faults and busy themselves with the faults of people. We must fear Allah, for this is a religion, and this is a trust, and this is a responsibility before Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He. We have not worked, and we have not thanked the wronged, any trader.
If you were grateful, I would have given you more; and if you were ungrateful, then My punishment is severe. Compare this land with the middle lands. If you have minds, compare and you will see the difference and know what the reason is? The reason is the good in this land, praise be to Allah. The correct creed in it. The ruling by the Book of Allah, Mighty and Majestic, in it. The enjoining of what is right, and Allah knows the forbidding of what is wrong, in it. If there is shortcoming in it and deficiency, but its shortcoming exists, praise be to Allah. These are great blessings. If we disbelieve in them and deny them, and we reject them by looking for faults and mistakes and blowing on them, this is not the affair of advising Muslims.