The questioner : There is a report from 'Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) that says: "Speak to people in a way they can understand; do you wish that Allah

The questioner: There is a report from 'Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) that says: "Speak to people in a way they can understand; do you wish that Allah and His Messenger be denied?" Al-Hafiz Ibn Hajar transmitted a statement from Malik that the meaning of this is the hadiths of the attributes; is this report authentic? And if it is not authentic, what is the meaning of this matter? ... And if it is authentic.

The Shaykh: The hadith is authentic, or this report is authentic as a mawquf (stopping at) 'Ali (may Allah be pleased with him), for al-Bukhari narrated it with a connected chain to 'Ali (may Allah be pleased with him), so it is authentic without doubt. As for the intended meaning, it is that it is obligatory that we do not speak to the general public about something their minds cannot bear. It is not of this type, as was mentioned from Malik, that we speak to people about the verses of the attributes and the hadiths of the attributes; because the meaning of this is that we do not speak to people about the verses of the attributes. This is not something said by someone far below Malik in rank, let alone by Imam Malik, the Imam of the City of Migration.
Especially since the fitrah (innate natural disposition) of people, the general public, is closer to the Salafi creed in this issue than the intellectuals influenced by the science of kalam; because the creed of the Salaf is, by the admission of the Khalaf (the later generations), the safest. So how can it be said that it is not befitting for us to speak to the general public about the creed that is the safest? This example for this report does not match it, nor is it the intended meaning of it. Rather, we take as an example for it what al-Bukhari himself narrated - I think it is in this chapter - that Mu'adh (may Allah be pleased with him) was riding behind the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), and he said to him: . He said: "Yes, O Messenger of Allah." He said: . Mu'adh said: "O Messenger of Allah, should I not give the people good news?" He said: .
, so the saying of the Messenger (peace be upon him) to Mu'adh and his giving him good news about the virtue of this testimony, this good word, that whoever says it sincerely from his heart, Allah has forbidden his body from the Fire, may be understood by some people - as is the reality in many countries, especially among us in Syria - that it is salvation, as long as he testifies that there is no god but Allah, he has entered Paradise "tranzit," no reckoning and no punishment, whereas the intended meaning of this testimony that has that virtue is not that whoever says it with mere speech, Allah saves him from the Fire, but rather he must believe in it, and then believing in it must be preceded by knowing its meaning. And we - with great regret - are still arguing with the masses of Muslims to make them understand the meaning of this good word, for they interpret it - they still do! - with an incomplete interpretation, saying: the meaning of "La ilaha" is: there is no Lord. And this interpretation is deficient, and I do not want to enter into this topic, but the meaning is "La ilaha" meaning: there is no deity worthy of worship in truth except Allah. So if the Muslim knows the correct meaning of this good word, and then believes in it firmly from his heart; this is undoubtedly, as he (peace be upon him) said in another hadith: , but among the implications of this good word is to act in accordance with its requirements, and its requirement is to act at least with the pillars. So whoever acts with the implications of this testimony, Allah has forbidden his body from the Fire absolutely. This is the correct, complete meaning. But if he falls short in a little or a lot of acting with the implications of this testimony; his affair is left to Allah, as our Lord (Blessed and Exalted is He) said in His Book: , so if this monotheist who says and believes in this testimony dies, it saves him from eternal abode in the Fire, but it does not prevent him from entering the Fire because of sins he had committed or done, if Allah wills He will punish him and if He wills He will forgive him. So understanding this text, many people do it wrongly. Therefore, when Mu'adh asked the Messenger of Allah for permission to give the people good news, he said to him: .
So this is a true example of the report of 'Ali: "Speak to people according to their understanding." So the people or individuals who understand from you if you give them this Prophetic good news contrary to the correct meaning; it is not befitting for you to speak to them about it, except that you speak to them and explain the meaning to them fully; so that this testimony, when they know it, increases their faith upon their faith, and their righteousness upon their righteousness.