Hadith #514
Arabic Text
وَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ إِنَّ مَثَلَ مَا بَعَثَنِي اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ بِهِ مِنْ الْهُدَى وَالْعِلْمِ كَمَثَلِ غَيْثٍ أَصَابَ الْأَرْضَ فَكَانَتْ مِنْهُ طَائِفَةٌ قَبِلَتْ فَأَنْبَتَتْ الْكَلَأَ وَالْعُشْبَ الْكَثِيرَ وَكَانَتْ مِنْهَا أَجَادِبُ أَمْسَكَتْ الْمَاءَ فَنَفَعَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ بِهَا نَاسًا فَشَرِبُوا فَرَعَوْا وَسَقَوْا وَزَرَعُوا وَأَسْقَوْا وَأَصَابَتْ طَائِفَةً مِنْهَا أُخْرَى إِنَّمَا هِيَ قِيعَانٌ لَا تُمْسِكُ مَاءً وَلَا تُنْبِتُ كَلَأً فَذَلِكَ مَثَلُ مَنْ فَقُهَ فِي دِينِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ وَنَفَعَهُ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ بِمَا بَعَثَنِي بِهِ وَنَفَعَ بِهِ فَعَلِمَ وَعَلَّمَ وَمَثَلُ مَنْ لَمْ يَرْفَعْ بِذَلِكَ رَأْسًا وَلَمْ يَقْبَلْ هُدَى اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ الَّذِي أُرْسِلْتُ بِهِ
English Translation
And the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: 'The likeness of the guidance and knowledge with which Allah عز وجل sent me is that of rain that falls upon the earth. One part of the earth was fertile and absorbed the water, and it produced vegetation and grass in abundance. Another part was hard ground that held the water, and Allah عز وجل benefited people thereby — they drank, grazed [their animals], watered, and cultivated. And it struck another part that was barren flatland — it neither held water nor produced vegetation. That is the likeness of one who gains understanding in the religion of Allah عز وجل, and what Allah عز وجل sent me with benefits him, so he learns and teaches. And the likeness of one who does not raise his head to it and does not accept the guidance of Allah with which I was sent.'
Quran References
Reference: Musnad Ahmad, Book 36, Hadith 514
Sunnah.com ref: Musnad Ahmad 18752
Islam.wiki ID: IWH-55142