The Ruling on Publicly Criticizing the Ruler

Question:
Honorable Shaykh, is publicly criticizing the ruler in front of people considered rebellion against him?

Answer:
It is not permissible to criticize the ruler in front of people, because there is no benefit in that. Rather, if the ruler has errors, he should be advised in private, either by speaking to him directly if one can reach him face-to-face, or by writing to him, or by instructing someone who has access to the ruler to convey this error to him. As for speaking about them in the mosques, or in lessons or lectures, this is excluded from the conditions.
It is more harmful than the benefit of forbidding evil. In fact, this forbidding of evil is not permissible if it leads to a greater harm. It is not permissible, and this leads to a greater harm, because even if it is not rebellion against him, it leads to rebellion. It leads to rebellion, so it is a means to rebellion. It creates doubt in people's hearts regarding the ruler, and they do not see his authority, or the matter may end up with them rebelling against him because of this whisperer and this instigator. This is what the enemies of Islam want. They insert people among the Muslims in the name of religion and in the name of da'wah, and they stir up trouble between the shepherd and the flock so that they hate and repel one another, and then the matter ends up with the breaking of the stick of obedience and the disintegration of the community. This is a very serious matter. It is not permissible to speak about the authority of affairs, but rather one speaks to them. Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, said to Musa and Harun: He said to him, he said to him, meaning face-to-face, a gentle word, face-to-face and direct to whoever is able to do so, and it should be gentle, without harshness, without accusing or denouncing, so that it becomes a path of advice and gentleness, because this is more likely to be accepted. Yes.