Discussion of the second place where backbiting is permissible, which is providing information, and mentioning the evidence for this, and clarifying that what is mentioned in the hadith falls under this category.

The Shaykh : And providing information is what is before us now, and there are many examples. The Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) asked some of the Companions from Banu Salim: They said: "Jadd ibn al-Qays". He was asking them to get to know him, and they answered by describing him to him (peace and blessings be upon him), saying: "We will describe him to you". A clearer example than this is when a woman came, and two men had proposed to her. She came to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and said: "O Messenger of Allah, so-and-so and so-and-so have proposed to me." He said: "As for Abu Jahm... a man from the Companions, and Mu'awiyah ibn Abi Sufyan, each of them has proposed to me." It is as if she was saying: "I am confused; do you think I should agree to this one or that one?" And it is as if she was saying to the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him): "Advise me, O Messenger of Allah, tell me this one or that one." The Messenger did not say to her... because women's tastes, purposes, and goals differ. So what was required of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) was only to describe each of the suitors to the woman who was being proposed to. Therefore, he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Here we find that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) told us about the flaw of each of the suitors for that woman so that she would be fully informed. The scholars mentioned in their interpretation of the words of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) regarding Abu Jahm, and his saying that he is a man who does not put the stick down from his shoulder, that its meaning is one of two things: either it is an allusion that he is known for his oppression of women and his beating of them, because not putting the stick down from his shoulder means he is ready to beat the woman for the slightest sin, laziness, negligence, or the like. Another meaning of not putting the stick down from his shoulder is that he is a frequent traveler... But the first meaning is the most correct, as it became clear to the scholars. As for Mu'awiyah, a man who is a vagabond, it means a poor man. And if we reflect on these two descriptions, we will find that neither of the two men would be pleased to be described, especially by the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), with what is in them. Abu Jahm did not want to be exposed before the women, especially before his prospective bride, as a man who beats women. And Mu'awiyah likewise, it is not fitting for him to be said and known by the women that he is a poor vagabond with no status and no value in society. This is backbiting... But the benefit of advice, as he (peace and blessings be upon him) said in explaining the right of a Muslim over a Muslim: So one person came and asked his neighbor or friend: "What do you think of so-and-so? May Allah reward you with good, I want to partner with him." The one who knows that he is a traitor and that he is a deceiver and that he is such-and-such must mention what is in him, because this religion is advice. He does not say: "This is backbiting." No, this is not from the forbidden backbiting. "O so-and-so, what do you think of so-and-so? May Allah reward you with good, he is a suitor from our side." Then you must clarify his flaws so that if there is an agreement on the proposal, they are fully informed of the matter, so they do not deceive them and say: "This is forbidden backbiting." This description and providing information, even if it includes backbiting, is not forbidden. "Casting a stone is not backbiting in six cases: *** The aggrieved and the one providing information"