Some writers criticized Rashid Rida for his fatwa ruling in favor of English laws in India, and we hear you praising him. What is your opinion of him?
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The questioner : For example, Rashid Rida (may Allah have mercy on him) and his fatwa regarding the English rule in India, applying English laws in India, because some writers, of course, criticized him for this fatwa, and we hear you always praising him.
The Shaykh : Yes, there is no doubt that he has a virtue in spreading the Sunnah that no one can deny, and in combating the sectarian fanaticism that was dominant in the Muslim world. But this does not mean that he had no errors. I am among those who, since thirty years ago, have shown that he erred in many matters and retracted from some of them. For example, he used to deny the belief in the descent of Isa and the emergence of the Mahdi, and he held that imitating the disbelievers in foreign, disbeliever clothing was permissible. He would answer some questions, such as whether there is any objection to wearing a hat or a beret, by saying it is permissible.
The student : May Allah reward you.
The Shaykh : Then he retracted from some of these things and met the Qadiyyah in some of their ideas, even though he used to refute them very strongly.
The student : Yes, our Shaykh.
The Shaykh : Therefore, my answer is the same answer: we must know the man's knowledge, his righteousness, and his struggle in the path of da'wah until the end. After that,
The student: Peace be upon you.
The Shaykh : And upon you be peace, and the mercy of Allah and His blessings. After that, we can judge whether he is an innovator or not an innovator, but rather that he is a mujtahid.
The Shaykh : Yes, there is no doubt that he has a virtue in spreading the Sunnah that no one can deny, and in combating the sectarian fanaticism that was dominant in the Muslim world. But this does not mean that he had no errors. I am among those who, since thirty years ago, have shown that he erred in many matters and retracted from some of them. For example, he used to deny the belief in the descent of Isa and the emergence of the Mahdi, and he held that imitating the disbelievers in foreign, disbeliever clothing was permissible. He would answer some questions, such as whether there is any objection to wearing a hat or a beret, by saying it is permissible.
The student : May Allah reward you.
The Shaykh : Then he retracted from some of these things and met the Qadiyyah in some of their ideas, even though he used to refute them very strongly.
The student : Yes, our Shaykh.
The Shaykh : Therefore, my answer is the same answer: we must know the man's knowledge, his righteousness, and his struggle in the path of da'wah until the end. After that,
The student: Peace be upon you.
The Shaykh : And upon you be peace, and the mercy of Allah and His blessings. After that, we can judge whether he is an innovator or not an innovator, but rather that he is a mujtahid.
Source
www.al-albany.com
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