What is considered backbiting and what is not

Question:
Does speaking about the government, the rulers, or other officials if any error or injustice is seen from them fall under backbiting? And how can we offer them advice?

Answer:
The obligatory thing in such a case is to offer advice to the rulers and to supplicate for their guidance, just as one says, “O Allah, guide me,” or one supplicates for their guidance. Because spreading the faults of officials or scholars means evil, it means corruption, and it means breaking the unity of the community and causing fitnah (trial, discord or temptation). However, one should supplicate for their guidance, success, the rectification of their intentions and actions, and the rectification of their inner circle. One should also write to or contact other officials regarding the munkar (what is wrong) that one has seen, so that they may strive to remove it. This is done while warning people from the munkar and its practice, such as not committing riba (usury or interest) and not watching what Allah has forbidden of sins. One should advise his brothers whom he sees falling into munkar. As for spreading the faults of people, or the faults of the ruling officials, this causes the breaking of the community’s unity, fitnah, and the division of people. We ask Allah for safety from it. Yes.