Q 3: People have talked a lot these days about one of the well-known scholars who supported this religion. This scholar is Muhammad Nasir Al-Din Al-Albany. They accused him of having no knowledge and that he aroused chaos among people. Some people said "I began to hate him for the sake of Allah." Did the works of this great Shaykh serve Islam and Muslims? I am not biased towards anyone except whoever is on the right side. What can we say to the people who say that people die in Syria and Afghanistan and he is still talking about the weak and authentic Hadith? I would like to know your last word about the Shaykh.

A: It is well-known that this man was a virtuous scholar who protected and served the Sunnah. He was one of the supporters of the Madh-hab (School of Jurisprudence) of Ahl-ul-Sunnah wal-Jama`ah (adherents to the Sunnah and the Muslim mainstream) in warning against fanaticism and blind imitation. His books are very useful. But he is like any other scholar in being right and wrong in his views. We hope that he will receive double reward if he is right and one reward for his Ijtihad (juristic effort to infer expert legal rulings) if he is wrong. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, If a judge gives a verdict according to the best of his knowledge and his verdict is correct (i.e. agrees with Allah and His Messenger’s verdict) he will receive double the reward, and if he gives a verdict according to the best of his knowledge and his verdict is wrong, (i.e. against that of Allah and His Messenger) even then he will get one reward. We ask Allah to grant us and you success and to keep you and us firm on the truth away from delusive temptation. (Part No. 12; Page No. 225) May Allah grant us success. May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and Companions.