The Response to Those Who Permit Riba and Prohibit Plural Marriage

Question:
What is the ruling in Islam regarding what Shaykh Muhammad 'Abduh held in permitting riba (usury or interest) and abolishing plural marriage?

Answer:
Permitting riba (usury or interest) is a serious matter; only a disbeliever permits riba (usury or interest). But who said that it is permissible? Who said that plural marriage is prohibited? This requires reviewing his books. It is not our concern with the individuals, but rather with the ruling, the ruling of Allah (Exalted and Majestic is He). As for the individuals, everyone makes mistakes and hits the mark; everyone errs except whom Allah protects and grants well-being. Otherwise, the sons of Adam are exposed to error and mistakes.
And Muhammad 'Abduh has mistakes, and others have mistakes, but the point is that riba (usury or interest) is never permissible for people to permit. And whoever permits it intentionally, with full awareness that he knows it is riba (usury or interest), and then permits it, defies Allah and contradicts the command of Allah; thus, he becomes a disbeliever—we seek refuge in Allah—like the one who permits zina (unlawful sexual intercourse) or permits khamr (intoxicants); he becomes a disbeliever.
As for if he errs, and exercises independent legal reasoning (ijtihad) in some types of riba (usury or interest), and sees that this is permissible for such and such a reason, and it is ambiguous to him; then he has the ruling of those who exercise independent legal reasoning (ijtihad). If he hits the mark, he has two rewards; and if he errs, he has one reward.
Likewise, regarding plural marriage, many Christian Orientalists, and others from the Jews, and others, have written about it and criticized Islam! And they criticized the Shari'ah (Islamic sacred law) in plural marriage! They are the ones who err, they are the critics, and they are the misguided, and many of them know that, but it is defiance, envy, and tyranny. Otherwise, many of them know that what the Shari'ah (Islamic sacred law) brought regarding plural marriage is the truth, and it is the solution to people's problems. And the fair-minded among them, men and women, have written about it and acknowledged that what Islam brought regarding plural marriage is the truth and guidance, and it is the way to save humanity from the corruption in morals that it has fallen into. But they deny this at times, either out of fear of their leaders and their arrogance, or for the sake of a benefit they take from there, fearing that it will be lost to them, or out of envy of the Muslims, and tyranny against the Muslims, and aggression against the Muslims—we seek refuge in Allah. This is the way of the disbelievers. Otherwise, the fair-minded among them know that plural marriage has many benefits, and it has much good, and it is one of the causes of solving the existing problems in the age, such as the prevalence of fornication, zina (unlawful sexual intercourse), and lewd acts.
And many of these Christians who claim that plural marriage is an abomination take one wife, and take with her dozens of concubines and fornicatresses. So what is the difference between this and that?
The Muslim takes Muslim wives, he takes wives whom Allah has made lawful for him. And those take fornicatresses, adulteresses, and lewd women. There is a difference between the Muslim and these people. So the Muslim is in great good if he marries two, or three, or four according to the law of Allah, for Allah has made that lawful for him. And if he is just, he is in great good. And those ignorant, unjust people criticize Islam in plural marriage, while they—may Allah protect us from that—enjoy the adulteresses and lewd women without a number that can be counted. We ask Allah for well-being.