Hadith: The similitude of guidance and knowledge that Allah has sent me with is like heavy rain that fell on a land. Some spots had good soil; they absorbed the water and brought forth much grass and herbs

عن أبي موسى الأشعري رضي الله عنه مرفوعاً: «إنَّ مَثَلَ مَا بَعَثَنِي اللهُ بِهِ مِنَ الهُدَى والعِلْمَ كَمَثَلِ غَيْثٍ أَصَابَ أَرْضًا فكانتْ مِنها طَائِفَةٌ طَيِّبَةٌ، قَبِلَتْ الماءَ فَأَنْبَتَتِ الكَلَأَ والعُشْبَ الكَثِيرَ، وكَان مِنها أَجَادِبُ أَمْسَكَتِ الماءَ فَنَفَعَ اللهُ بها النَّاسَ، فَشَرِبُوا مِنْهَا وسَقَوا وَزَرَعُوا، وأَصَابَ طَائِفَةً مِنها أُخْرَى إنَّما هِي قِيعَانٌ لا تُمْسِكُ مَاءً ولا تُنْبِتُ كَلَأً، فذلك مَثَلُ مَنْ فَقُهَ في دِينِ اللهِ وَنَفَعَهُ بِما بَعَثَنِي اللهُ بِهِ فَعَلِمَ وعَلَّمَ، ومَثَلُ مَنْ لم يَرْفَعْ بِذَلِكَ رَأْسًا ولم يَقْبَلْ هُدَى اللهِ الذي أُرْسِلْتُ بِهِ».
[صحيح] - [متفق عليه]

Abu Mūsa al-Ash‘ari (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "The similitude of guidance and knowledge that Allah has sent me with is like heavy rain that fell on a land. Some spots had good soil; they absorbed the water and brought forth much grass and herbs. Other spots were solid; they held the water. Allah thus made them useful to people: they drank, watered, and grew plantation. Some of the rain, however, fell on plane spots that retained no water and produced no herbage. Such is the likeness of the one who understood the religion of Allah and benefited from what Allah has sent me with; he learned and taught others. It is also the likeness of the one who did not raise his head to it (meaning that he was too arrogant to learn and benefit) and thus did not accept Allah's guidance with which I was sent."
[Authentic hadith] - [Narrated by Bukhari & Muslim]

Explanation

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) likens the divine guidance and knowledge that were revealed to him to heavy rain that fell on land. The land was of three kinds. Some spots were good enough to absorb water and grow plants, so the people made use of them; other spots did not grow plants but served as containers of water, so the people made use of the water by drinking, watering their animals, and irrigating their plants; and further spots neither held water nor produced plants. Likewise, people receive what Allah sent the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) with of knowledge and guidance in different ways. Some of them understand the religion, so they learn and teach others. These are useful to themselves and to others. Other people carry knowledge without having insight into it, so they benefit others but do not profit themselves. And yet other people do not pay any heed to what the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) came with of knowledge and guidance, and they turn away from it and disregard it. So they neither profit from what the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) came with nor benefit others.