108 - People’s classes in their attitude to divine revelations

عن أبي موسى الأشعريِّ، عن النبيِّ ﷺ قال:«مَثَلُ ما بعَثَني اللهُ به من الهُدى والعِلم، كمَثَل الغَيث الكثيرِ أصاب أرضًا: فكان منها نَقِيَّةٌ، قبِلَت الماءَ، فأنبتَت الكَلَأَ والعُشبَ الكثير، وكانت منها أجادبُ، أمسكت الماءَ، فنفعَ اللهُ بها الناسَ، فشَرِبوا وسَقَوْا وزرعوا، وأصابت منها طائفةٌ أخرى، إنما هي قِيعانٌ لا تُمسِك ماءً ولا تُنبتُ كلأً، فذلك مثَلُ مَن فَقُه في دِين الله، ونفَعه ما بعَثَني الله به فعَلِم وعَلَّم، ومَثلُ مَن لم يرفَعْ بذلك رأسًا، ولم يَقبَلْ هُدى الله الذي أُرسِلْتُ به» متفق عليه.

Abu Mūsā al-Ash‘arī narrated that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said:

1. The guidance and knowledge God, Mighty and Exalted, has sent me with is like a rain that has fallen on a certain land.  

2. A portion of it was fertile: it absorbed the water and produced much vegetation and grass.  

3. Another portion was hard, retaining the water. God enables people to benefit by it, using the water to drink, give others and cultivate their land.  

4. The rain fell on yet another portion that is flat and barren. It neither retains the water nor produces vegetation.  

5. This is comparable to one who acquires good understanding of the divine faith and benefits by the message God has given me: he learns and teaches, contrasted to the one who pays no attention to it, rejecting God’s guidance with which I am the Messenger’. 

Related Quranic Verses

Good land brings forth its vegetation in abundance, by its Lord’s leave, but from the bad land only poor and scant vegetation comes forth. Thus do We expound Our revelations in various ways for the benefit of those who are grateful.

(7: 58)

I will turn away from My revelations those who, without any right, behave arrogantly on earth: for, though they may see every sign, they do not believe in it. If they see the path of righteousness, they do not choose to follow it, but if they see the path of error, they choose it for their path; because they disbelieve in Our revelations and pay no heed to them.

(7: 146)

The case of the two parties is like that of the one who is blind and deaf and the one who sees and hears. Can the two be deemed equal? Will you not take heed?

(11: 24)

He sends down water from the sky, so that riverbeds flow according to their measure, and the torrent bears a swelling foam. Likewise, from what people smelt in the fire to make ornaments or utensils, rises similar foam. Thus does God illustrate truth and falsehood. The scum is cast away, while that which is of benefit to mankind abides on earth. Thus does God set forth His parables.

(13: 17)

He who turns away from My message shall have a straitened life and We shall raise him up blind on the Day of Resurrection. (124) ‘Lord’, he will say, ‘why have You raised me up blind, while I was endowed with sight?’ (125) He will reply: ‘Thus it is: Our revelations were brought to you, but you were oblivious to them. So today shall you be consigned to oblivion’.

(20: 124-126)

Such are the comparisons We draw for people’s benefit, but none will grasp their meaning except the people of knowledge.

(29: 43)

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