In this hadith, Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that he learned two different types of knowledge from the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). The first type was Islamic knowledge having to do with beliefs and rulings, which he spread and conveyed. As for the other type, if he had conveyed it and narrated it to the people, he would have been slaughtered like a sheep, with his throat cut. The word used in the original Arabic refers to cutting the oesophagus. Perhaps this knowledge had to do with bad rulers or tribulations, such as the murder of ‘Uthman and al-Husayn (may Allah be pleased with them both). Someone may say: how could he regard it as permissible to withhold a hadith of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) when he said, “Convey from me”? And how could the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) have said something that, if it was mentioned, the one who narrated it would be killed? How could the Muslims, namely the Sahabah and Tabi‘in, regard it as permissible to kill someone who narrated from the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)? The answer is that what he withheld did not have to do with Islamic teachings, which it is not permissible to withhold or conceal. Abu Hurayrah himself said – as was narrated from him by al-Bukhari –: Were it not for a verse in the Book of Allah, I would not have narrated to you. That verse is: {Indeed, those who conceal what We sent down of clear proofs and guidance after We made it clear for the people in the Scripture - those are cursed by Allah and cursed by those who curse, Except for those who repent and correct themselves and make evident [what they concealed]. Those - I will accept their repentance, and I am the Accepting of repentance, the Merciful} [al-Baqarah 2:159-160]. So how can anyone think that he withheld anything having to do with the teachings of Islam after this verse, and after the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) issued instructions to convey from him, and he used to say to them: “Let those of you who are present convey to those who are absent”? Rather what was concealed was words such as: So-and-so is a hypocrite; or, You will kill ‘Uthman; or, “My ummah will be doomed at the hands of some young men of Quraysh,” the clan of So-and-so. If he had stated their names openly, they would have declared him to be a liar and killed him. This hadith highlights the virtue of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him). It also indicates that the one who seeks to enjoin what is right and proper may speak in ambiguous terms if he fears for his life were he to speak clearly. .