What is your opinion on circulating pamphlets that insult the state?

The questioner : In these days, Shaykh, some pamphlets have been found that do not serve, I mean, the public interest.
We have heard from you, Shaykh (may Allah preserve you), a ruling on the prohibition of circulating such things, and by Allah, I have not come across this ruling. I ask you to speak on it.

The Shaykh : Take it from the brother Musa.

The questioner : I ask you to speak on this matter, Shaykh?

The Shaykh : We have spoken about it before. We said: These pamphlets that are circulated, which contain insults to the government, some of it is lies and some of it is true. Circulating them is forbidden and is one of the major sins. The one who circulates them is undoubtedly sinful, because the least of what is in them is backbiting. And Allah the Exalted said: .
Imam Ahmad (may Allah have mercy on him) explicitly stated that backbiting is one of the major sins. If it is added to that that it is lies, it becomes slander, backbiting and slander. This is regarding the backbiting of ordinary people, the man in the street. How much more so is the backbiting of the ruler or the scholar? This is more severe and greater. Because if the rulers are backbitten, their status drops in the eyes of the people, chaos ensues, and their orders become disliked by the people even if they contain good. And people strive to track down their faults.
And it indicates that the intent behind these pamphlets is harm, and Allah knows the intentions best, that what was correct is not mentioned alongside these errors.
The government, praise be to Allah, has many things that are correct, good, and beneficial for the Muslims. So at least, if a person is fair.
I mean, if we suppose a person is asked: What do you say about the government? If he is fair, he must mention the faults and the good points. This is if he is asked and compelled. But for a person to come and publish the faults of the government on a wide scale, there is no doubt that he has upon him sin that he deserves. And there is no doubt that those who assist him in publishing these pamphlets have upon them sin that they deserve.
Therefore, we warn against circulating these pamphlets and publishing them. We see that the one who does so has committed a major sin, and I seek refuge in Allah. Major sins are not expiated by prayer or charity. Because when the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: , he said: , and he said: . And these are major sins, great among the major sins. You now, if someone wrote about your faults and published them among the people, what would you say about it? Backbiting or not backbiting? It is backbiting and aggression against you. So why is it backbiting and aggression against one of the people walking in the street, even if his status drops, he only harms himself, and it is not backbiting of the rulers, whom people must obey in other than disobedience, that is not a major sin? This is more severe. And unfortunately, some people think that this is a right. Some of them may even think it is a means of drawing near to Allah. Between us and them is the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of the Messenger: .
And the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) was asked about backbiting? He said: . Then, the Salaf (may Allah have mercy on them) it was not their custom to backbite the rulers ever. This method is contrary to the method of the Salaf. The Salaf, whoever among them wanted to speak about the ruler, would speak to him in his presence, so that it would not be backbiting, and so that this imam could defend himself if he was right, or retract if he was wrong. But from behind the wall, and also fabricating things that are not true, lies. What is permissible of this? The Qur'an and the Sunnah are in our hands, praise be to Allah, and returning to them is obligatory. Yes, and in any case, there are words before that, yes.