Why some groups defend Rasheed Ridha & his books ?

وقال العلامة ربيع المدخلي حفظه الله: ((وأنا قلت إن محمد رشيد رضا على انحرافه وتأثره بمحمد عبده كان له مجلة تخدم السنة، وقام عليها جماعات في الشرق والغرب، يعني فكر محمد عبده الذي كان قد ينشره في مجلته كان لا يتأثر به الناس، وكانوا يثأثرون بكتاباته في توضيح السنة والعقيدة السلفية ومحاربته الخرافات والتقليد الباطل التقليد الأعمى يحاربه حربًا لا هوادة فيها؛ ولهذا نشأ جماعات في مصر وفي السودان وفي شرق آسيا في الهند على كتاباته)) ([2]).

([2]) الذريعة إلى بيان مقاصد كتاب الشريعة (3/391-392). Did Rasheed Ridha repent ? رحمه الله

17] Question: What do you say with regard to the two tafseer books Fath-ul-Bayaan and Tafseer Al-Manaar?

Answer: The tafseer book "Al-Manaar" is more beneficial than Fath-ul-Bayaan. And it deals with many of the problems the Muslims are facing today. It has sections of research on sociological, political and historical issues that are not found in the books of Tafseer that are well known from the past. Rather, they cannot even be found in the books of contemporary authors. This is because Sayyid Rasheed Ridaa was a big scholar as well as an enlightened Muslim politician. However, at the same time, the book contains some aversions from the Sunnah in many places, such as the reports of 'Eesaa, the Dajjaal and the Mahdee. Likewise, it has some fataawaa (legal rulings) of his concerning wearing European hats and clothes, which he issued in his early years, but from which he excused himself (some time afterward).

[Al-Asaalah, Issue #10]

Shaykh Al Albaani Rahimahullah said

Let us picture that the issue is one of Ijtihad, I assume of Sayyid Rashid Ridaa -- and he serviced Al-Islam a great service -- we assume of him that his joining of the Masons was out of mistaken Ijtihad by him, and it was not out of self interest, as many of those who have no religious good in them do. So attributing misguidance to him because a mistake and misguidance came from him -- I believe that this is an unpraiseworthy expansion [in the use of] labeling this man with misguidance; he who, in my belief, is to be owed gratitude over many of Ahl Al-Sunnah in this time . . . due to this, I see that this [issue of calling Sayyid Rashid Ridaa rahimahu Allah misguided] has in it extremism . . . [this speech] is not befitting of coming from our brother -- i.e. the one who called Sayyid Rashid Ridaa rahimahu Allah misguided.

Ref: Silsilah Al-Huda Wal-Nur, no. 42