What is the ruling on lying about the Prophet (peace be upon him) with the intention of warning against an evil, and does this include distorting Prophetic hadiths with the intention of simplifying them for the general public?

Narrating a Hadith by its meaning is not permissible for everyone; it has specific conditions. It is not considered a lie against the Prophet (peace be upon him). Therefore, you are not allowed to narrate a Hadith by its meaning unless you meet the conditions and ensure that the meaning has not been altered. It is advisable to alert the one who errs about violating the Sharia and the necessity of repentance, and to mention the sayings of scholars regarding this.