If Your Intention Is Advice, You Are Not Backbiting
Question :
A friend of mine wanted to hire a person for a job a person who I knew was unqualified for the job, from many different angles. Can I inform my friend about some of this person's shortcomings or is that considered backbiting?
Answer:
If your intention is to be sincere to your friend's welfare, then you are not backbiting, for the Prophet ﷺ said:
"The religion is sincere advice."
He was asked, "To whom, O Messenger of Allah." He said:
"To Allah, to His Book, to His Messenger, to the Muslim leaders, and to the general population of Muslims."
In the Two Sahihs, it is recorded that Jarir bin 'Abdullah Al- Bajali, may Allâh be pleased with him, said, "I pledged to the Prophet ﷺ-to pray, to pay the Zakah, and to be sincere to every Muslim"
There are many other sayings of the Prophet ﷺ that are similar in meaning.
Source:
Ibn Baz
Fatawa Islamiyah, Vol. 8 Pages 289-290