The ruling on mentioning virtues when criticizing erring individuals

Question:
The questioner says: Honorable Shaykh, is it obligatory to mention the virtues of some individuals when criticizing them, especially those who have fallen into matters of creed, or is it sufficient to mention only these errors? What is the correct methodology when criticizing these matters? May Allah reward you with good.

Answer:
Yes, this issue occupies the minds of the brothers who ask about it. Regarding the virtues of the one being refuted, there is a distinction here. If the one being refuted has errors in creed, then his virtues are not mentioned, because if you mention his virtues, you promote his errors and cause people to think well of him. So if his errors are in creed, mention only his errors and do not mention his virtues, because that promotes his errors and makes people think well of him, and they do not pay attention to the errors he has in creed. As for if his errors are in matters of fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence), the matter is easy. If a person errs in a fiqh issue, you refute him, but you mention that he has virtues and a standing in Islam, but he erred in secondary issues. There is no harm if the errors are in the branches; there is no harm in mentioning his virtues so that people do not think ill of him. You defend his honor as long as he is a follower of the Sunnah and his creed is sound, but he erred in some fiqh issues. So you mention his virtues so that people do not think ill of him, especially the ignorant and the uninformed. As for the person who has errors in creed or who has bid'ah (religious innovations), it is not permissible to mention his virtues, because this leads to misleading people, misleading those who do not know the truth. Yes.