Dean,
Prior to our conversation last night, I think it is understandable that there are some type of backbiting which are permissible. If I may quote one of the stories when Urwa Az-Zubair reported that Aishah (r.a) informed him of the following: A man asked permission to see the Prophet (saw) and he said: "Give him authorisation to enter. What an evil brother or a son of his people!" When he entered upon him, he talked to him in a moderate manner.
I (Urwa) said: Messenger of Allah! You have said what you want to have said about him, then you talked to him moderately.
He replied: "Aishah! The worst people in the sight of Allah is he whom people leaves and deserts for fear of his obscene language or speech."
