What is the scholars' opinion of Sheikh Al-Albani, may Allah have mercy on him? Is he considered a faqih? And has he reached the rank of ijtihad?

Nasir al-Din al-Albani served the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah, distinguishing its authentic parts from its weak ones, and dedicated himself to spreading the creed of the righteous predecessors. Despite his knowledge and virtue, he held some jurisprudential opinions that deviate from what is correct, such as prohibiting women from wearing circular gold jewelry, deeming I'tikaf (spiritual retreat) permissible only in the two Holy Mosques and al-Aqsa Mosque, and mandating the trimming of any beard length exceeding a fist-length. Nevertheless, his errors are few and overshadowed by the abundance of his correct views. One should refrain from speaking ill of people of knowledge and virtue, and beware of slandering scholars, because disparaging them leads to disparaging the religion itself.