Why do many preachers not focus on the issues of tawhid (the oneness of Allah) in their sermons, but rather focus on the branches?

The questioner : In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
His EminenceThe Shaykh : Of course, O Shaykh, the focus on creed and da'wah (calling others to Islam) is as in the hadith of Mu'adh when the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) sent him to Yemen, he said: So the first thing he started with was tawhid (the oneness of Allah). And many preachers, O Shaykh, go out and want to call people, meaning they need to focus on prayer...

The Shaykh : No, the preachers now in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia do not focus much on the aspect of tawhid (the oneness of Allah) because the people, praise be to Allah, are on a good creed, there is no disagreement. And perhaps if they opened up some of the disagreements in creed and the science of kalam (theology), they might open doors that are closed. Therefore, they focus on practical matters rather than creedal matters. Because if you came to an old woman from among the old women of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and asked her about questions regarding the essence of Allah (Mighty and Majestic) or His attributes, you would find that she has a verified understanding of tawhid (the oneness of Allah). So this is the reason they call to the branches where there is shortcoming. As for the sending of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) of Mu'adh to Yemen, he sent him to a people who were disbelievers, he said: Disbelievers, so they start with tawhid (the oneness of Allah). For every occasion has its own speech. Therefore, look at the man who came to the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) and said: He repeated it many times, saying "Do not get angry." He did not advise him to fear Allah, nor did he advise him regarding his parents, nor did he advise him regarding wisdom, even though these are important matters. Allah the Exalted said: And Allah the Exalted said regarding Islam and tawhid (the oneness of Allah): And He said: So the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) turned away from all of this to his saying: Because this is what is appropriate for the man's condition. It is as if the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) knew that this man was quick-tempered, so he advised him to leave anger. So the brothers who call in the Arabian Peninsula do not focus much on tawhid (the oneness of Allah) because, praise be to Allah, the matter is clear for the general people. The students of knowledge in the Peninsula are those who have opened up and known what some scholars have opposed regarding pure tawhid (the oneness of Allah). So these are good. Perhaps if you sat with students of knowledge, we would discuss with them tawhid (the oneness of Allah) and its verification, the names and attributes, and so on. But the general people, for example, if you come to a mosque and say, "O people, it is obligatory upon us to take the texts at their apparent meaning and affirm what Allah has affirmed for Himself or what His Messenger has affirmed for Him, without distortion, denial, asking how, or likening," this is foreign language for the general people. What is this talk? But if you say, "Establish the prayer, purify yourself, complete the wudu' (ablution), face the qiblah (direction of prayer), cover the 'awrah (nakedness)," they understand. For every occasion has its own speech. Yes, for example, if we were in a country where they venerate graves and swear by other than Allah and make vows for the dead and the like, then yes, it is obligatory that we start them with this before everything else and focus on it. And the most important thing for me now is that we leave delving into politics because it is of no benefit at all. And we should direct the energies of the youth to the Islamic sciences, to what Allah said and what His Messenger said. As for politics, it has its own concern, it has its people, it has men who stay up over it. But it is obligatory upon us, if I see a mistake, to act in the way that achieves the objective. And there are channels that can convey matters to the authorities. If they are guided, that is what is required. And if they are not guided, it is obligatory upon us to ask Allah for their guidance, not to enrage the hearts against them and fill the hearts of people with hatred against them. Because in this there are harms that only Allah knows. We ask Allah for their guidance, and the hearts are in the hand of Allah. Indeed, Allah the Exalted is able to turn the heart that is the hardest of hearts until it becomes softer than foam. "Be, and it is." This was the nobleman from the Banu 'Abd al-Ashhal in Medina in the Battle of Uhud, who was known for opposing Islam and the people of Islam. And when the battle took place, Allah put Islam in his heart, so he went out and fought at Uhud and was killed. His people and the people were looking for their dead, and they found him killed. But he had not died. They said, "What brought you, Uhud, to your people, or a desire for Islam?" He said, "By Allah, it was a desire for Islam." Then he asked them to convey the salam (greeting) to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). So this man, in an instant, his disbelief turned into faith, and he who was expected to fight against the Muslims became a fighter with the Muslims. So it is obligatory upon us to ask Allah for guidance for our rulers and that Allah rectify their conditions and their inner circle. No one is free from shortcoming, neither the rulers nor the subjects. Even the subjects have great shortcoming in the obligations, much negligence in the forbidden things, and much violation. If you go down to the market, you would find lying, cheating, and swearing to sell goods and so on. So why do we not look into the disease of the society, which is the disease of the rulers? The disease of the societies and the disease of the rulers are close. And as it came in the athar (narration): "As you are, you will be ruled over" And the wisdom of Allah (Mighty and Majestic) requires it to be so, that the rulers are like the people. It is said that a man came to 'Ali ibn Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him), and 'Ali ibn Abi Talib had been afflicted by the Khawarij (an early sect that declared sinners disbelievers) who rebelled against him and fought him. So a man from them came to him and said to him, "O 'Ali, look at what the Commander of the Faithful said. He was too proud to say 'O Commander of the Faithful,' but rather 'O 'Ali.' Why were the people with Abu Bakr and 'Umar loyal to them and obeyed them, and you are in this state, they rebelled against you and fought you?" 'Ali said to him, "Because the men of Abu Bakr and 'Umar are me and those like me, and my men are you and those like you." A word. And likewise, 'Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan, when he saw from the people some roughness and distance, gathered the nobles of the people and preached to them and spoke to them. He said to them, "Do you want us to be to you like Abu Bakr and 'Umar? If you want that, then be like the men of Abu Bakr and 'Umar." And this is correct.
So the important thing, in summary: It is obligatory upon us to advise the rulers by the ways that achieve the objective, not by the ways that have no benefit except enraging the hearts and filling the hearts with hatred and enmity for the rulers. Then after that, if they are guided, it is for us and for them, and if they are not guided, it is for us and against them. Then we come to the second rank, and it should be the second and the first, which is supplicating for them with rectitude and reform.

The questioner : ...

The Shaykh : That is enough, that is enough.

The questioner : Your Eminence, the Shaykh.

The Shaykh : That is enough, we have commented on your first statement. Yes.

The questioner : Your Eminence, the Shaykh