What is the meaning of the Hadith reported in Sahih al-Bukhari on the authority of Abu Hurayrah: "I have memorized two vessels of knowledge from the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. One of them I have propagated, and the other, if I were to propagate it, this throat would be cut"? And why did Abu Hurayrah conceal this knowledge?

What Abu Hurairah, may Allah be pleased with him, concealed of knowledge pertained to news of tribulations, evil rulers, names of hypocrites, and the changes that would occur at the end of time. His concealment of these matters was for an overriding benefit, out of fear of people falling into tribulation or his being harmed. This was also because these narrations were not among the legal rulings whose concealment is impermissible, unlike the narrations of lawful and unlawful matters, which he was keen to transmit.