Backbiting in Islam means speaking about a Muslim in his absence and saying things that he would not like to have spread around or mentioned.

It is permissible to backbite a non-Muslim if he is a Harbi (one who is at war with the Muslims) because Prophet Muhammad used to command Hassan to lampoon the pagans. Backbiting a non-Muslim is impermissible if he is a Dhimmi because Prophet Muhammad said ‘Whoever makes a snide comment to a Dhimmi has earned Hell.’