Assalamoalaikum Mufti Faisal, is Yusuf Al Qardawi a reputable scholar? I see many Muslims in the west use his fatwa for buying houses on conventional bank mortgages.
Bismillahi Ta’ala
Walaikum Assalam Warahmatullah
Sheikh Yusuf al-Qardawi rahimahullah alayh was indeed a prominent and reputable scholar. There is no question in this. However, it is not always the case that every stance of every reputable scholar is equally acceptable. To understand the difference, and amicably recognize where not to take the fringe opinion of a reputable scholar is equally a demand of astuteness in religious academia.
Sh. Yusuf Qardawi rh. had a few of such stances which the general academia and Muhaqqiq scholars of repute did not accept, despite maintaining respect for him.
Consider the statement of Hazrat Mufti Taqi Uthmani, a contemporary of Sh. Yusuf rh. saying, “It is as though we are part of one family; he loves me and I love him. I respect him; he is like a teacher.” and still we know of all the places where the academia demands from Hazrat Mufti Taqi Saheb to maintain his own stance in these same issue of mortgages from conventional bank, along with a few other issues.
This is by far the best reconciliation of such differences. We maintain convinced of our stance establishing the difference, while maintaining the respect with others.
This is also the temperament I have seen from my teacher Hazrat Mufti Ebrahim Desai rahimahullah as well.
Wallahu A’lam
And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best
Mufti Faisal al-Mahmudi