What is the ruling on those who describe Muslims as backward or terrorists?

Question:
May Allah reward you, Honorable Shaykh. This questioner says: What is the ruling on those who describe Muslims as backward, conservative, terrorists, or corrupt, and what is the ruling on the one who describes Muslims with these terms?

Answer:
This is the speech of the people of the pre-Islamic age of ignorance. We have not seen a people like these of ours, more eager for bravery, more steadfast in compulsion, and more beautiful in the encounter. Allah the Exalted said: So you are also among those who say this statement about the Muslims. This is apostasy from the religion of Islam. However, if he says that the Muslims are negligent in learning crafts and preparing their equipment, and that there is negligence on their part, this is correct. But if he says that they are backward because of Islam, meaning that he sees Islam as the cause of their backwardness and that they are lagging behind because of Islam, this is forbidden. If his intention is that this matter does not benefit, then it is not beneficial. But if his intention is that they are negligent in what is obligatory upon them regarding learning and preparing their equipment, this is correct; the Muslims are negligent, and it is not beneficial.