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السيوطي:١٩٨٣٩a

"مَثَلُ مَا بَعَثَنِى اللهُ بهِ مِنَ الْهُدَى وَالْعِلْمِ، كَمَثَلِ الْغَيثِ الْكَثِيرٍ، أَصَابَ أَرْضًا، فَكَانَ مِنْها نَقِيَّةٌ قَبِلَتِ الْماءَ فأَنْبَتَتِ الْكَلأَ والْعُشْبَ الْكَثِيرَ، وَكَانَتْ مِنْهَا أَجَادِبُ أَمْسَكَتِ الْماءَ فَنَفَعَ اللهُ بِهَا النَّاسَ، فَشَربُوا مِنْهَا وَسَقَوا وَزَرَعوا، وَأَصابَ طَائِفَةً مِنْهَا أُخْرى إِنَّما هى قِيعَانٌ لَا تُمْسِكُ مَاءً، وَلَا تُنْبِتُ كَلأ، فَذلِكَ مَثَلُ مَنْ فَقُهَ فِي دِينِ اللهِ ونَفَعَهُ مَا بَعَثَنى اللهُ بِهِ فَعَلم وَعَلَّمَ، ومَثَلُ مَنْ لَمْ يَرْفَعْ بِذلِكَ رَأْسًا، وَلَمْ يَقْبَلْ هُدَى اللهِ الَّذِي أُرسلْتُ بِهِ".  

[خ] البخاري [م] مسلم عن بريد بن عبد الله عن أَبي بردة عن أَبي موسى

See similar narrations below:

Collected by Bukhārī, Muslim, Aḥmad, Ibn Ḥibbān, Nasāʾī's Kubrá
bukhari:79Muḥammad b. al-ʿAlāʾ > Ḥammād b. Usāmah > Burayd b. ʿAbdullāh > Abū Burdah > Abū Mūsá

The Prophet ﷺ said, "The example of guidance and knowledge with which Allah has sent me is like abundant rain falling on the earth, some of which was fertile soil that absorbed rain water and brought forth vegetation and grass in abundance. (And) another portion of it was hard and held the rain water and Allah benefited the people with it and they utilized it for drinking, making their animals drink from it and for irrigation of the land for cultivation. (And) a portion of it was barren which could neither hold the water nor bring forth vegetation (then that land gave no benefits). The first is the example of the person who comprehends Allah's religion and gets benefit (from the knowledge) which Allah has revealed through me (the Prophets and learns and then teaches others. The last example is that of a person who does not care for it and does not take Allah's guidance revealed through me (He is like that barren land.)"  

البخاري:٧٩حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْعَلاَءِ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا حَمَّادُ بْنُ أُسَامَةَ عَنْ بُرَيْدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ عَنْ أَبِي بُرْدَةَ عَنْ أَبِي مُوسَى

عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ قَالَ مَثَلُ مَا بَعَثَنِي اللَّهُ بِهِ مِنَ الْهُدَى وَالْعِلْمِ كَمَثَلِ الْغَيْثِ الْكَثِيرِ أَصَابَ أَرْضًا فَكَانَ مِنْهَا نَقِيَّةٌ قَبِلَتِ الْمَاءَ فَأَنْبَتَتِ الْكَلأَ وَالْعُشْبَ الْكَثِيرَ وَكَانَتْ مِنْهَا أَجَادِبُ أَمْسَكَتِ الْمَاءَ فَنَفَعَ اللَّهُ بِهَا النَّاسَ فَشَرِبُوا وَسَقَوْا وَزَرَعُوا وَأَصَابَتْ مِنْهَا طَائِفَةً أُخْرَى إِنَّمَا هِيَ قِيعَانٌ لاَ تُمْسِكُ مَاءً وَلاَ تُنْبِتُ كَلأً فَذَلِكَ مَثَلُ مَنْ فَقِهَ فِي دِينِ اللَّهِ وَنَفَعَهُ مَا بَعَثَنِي اللَّهُ بِهِ فَعَلِمَ وَعَلَّمَ وَمَثَلُ مَنْ لَمْ يَرْفَعْ بِذَلِكَ رَأْسًا وَلَمْ يَقْبَلْ هُدَى اللَّهِ الَّذِي أُرْسِلْتُ بِهِ قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ قَالَ إِسْحَاقُ وَكَانَ مِنْهَا طَائِفَةٌ قَيَّلَتِ الْمَاءَ قَاعٌ يَعْلُوهُ الْمَاءُ وَالصَّفْصَفُ الْمُسْتَوِي مِنَ الأَرْضِ  

muslim:2282Abū Bakr b. Abū Shaybah And ʾAbū ʿĀmir al-Ashʿarī And Muḥammad b. al-ʿAlāʾ Wa-al-Lafẓ Lʾabī ʿĀmir > Abū Usāmah > Burayd > Abū Burdah > Abū Mūsá

The similitude of that guidance and knowledge with which Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, has sent me is that of rain falling upon the earth. There is a good piece of land which receives the rainfall (eagerly) and as a result of it there is grown in it herbage and grass abundantly. Then there is a land hard and barren which retains water and the people derive benefit from it and they drink it and make the animals drink. Then there is another land which is barren. Neither water is retained in it, nor is the grass grown in it. And that is the similitude of the first one who develops the understanding of the religion of Allah and it becomes a source of benefit to him with which Allah sent me. (The second one is that) who acquires the knowledge of religion and imparts it to others. (Then the other type is) one who does not pay attention to (the revealed knowledge) and thus does not accept guidance of Allah with which I have been sent.  

مسلم:٢٢٨٢حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ وَأَبُو عَامِرٍ الأَشْعَرِيُّ وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْعَلاَءِ وَاللَّفْظُ لأَبِي عَامِرٍ قَالُوا حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو أُسَامَةَ عَنْ بُرَيْدٍ عَنْ أَبِي بُرْدَةَ عَنْ أَبِي مُوسَى

عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ قَالَ إِنَّ مَثَلَ مَا بَعَثَنِي اللَّهُ بِهِ ﷻ مِنَ الْهُدَى وَالْعِلْمِ كَمَثَلِ غَيْثٍ أَصَابَ أَرْضًا فَكَانَتْ مِنْهَا طَائِفَةٌ طَيِّبَةٌ قَبِلَتِ الْمَاءَ فَأَنْبَتَتِ الْكَلأَ وَالْعُشْبَ الْكَثِيرَ وَكَانَ مِنْهَا أَجَادِبُ أَمْسَكَتِ الْمَاءَ فَنَفَعَ اللَّهُ بِهَا النَّاسَ فَشَرِبُوا مِنْهَا وَسَقَوْا وَرَعَوْا وَأَصَابَ طَائِفَةً مِنْهَا أُخْرَى إِنَّمَا هِيَ قِيعَانٌ لاَ تُمْسِكُ مَاءً وَلاَ تُنْبِتُ كَلأً فَذَلِكَ مَثَلُ مَنْ فَقُهَ فِي دِينِ اللَّهِ وَنَفَعَهُ بِمَا بَعَثَنِي اللَّهُ بِهِ فَعَلِمَ وَعَلَّمَ وَمَثَلُ مَنْ لَمْ يَرْفَعْ بِذَلِكَ رَأْسًا وَلَمْ يَقْبَلْ هُدَى اللَّهِ الَّذِي أُرْسِلْتُ بِهِ  

ahmad:19573

The similitude of that guidance and knowledge with which Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, has sent me is that of rain falling upon the earth. There is a good piece of land which receives the rainfall (eagerly) and as a result of it there is grown in it herbage and grass abundantly. Then there is a land hard and barren which retains water and the people derive benefit from it and they drink it and make the animals drink. Then there is another land which is barren. Neither water is retained in it, nor is the grass grown in it. And that is the similitude of the first one who develops the understanding of the religion of Allah and it becomes a source of benefit to him with which Allah sent me. (The second one is that) who acquires the knowledge of religion and imparts it to others. (Then the other type is) one who does not pay attention to (the revealed knowledge) and thus does not accept guidance of Allah with which I have been sent. (Using translation from Muslim 2282)   

أحمد:١٩٥٧٣

وَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ إِنَّ مَثَلَ مَا بَعَثَنِي اللهُ ﷻ بِهِ مِنَ الْهُدَى وَالْعِلْمِ كَمَثَلِ غَيْثٍ أَصَابَ الْأَرْضَ فَكَانَتْ مِنْهُ طَائِفَةٌ قَبِلَتْ فَأَنْبَتَتِ الْكَلَأَ وَالْعُشْبَ الْكَثِيرَ وَكَانَتْ مِنْهَا أَجَادِبُ أَمْسَكَتِ الْمَاءَ فَنَفَعَ اللهُ ﷻ 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 اللهِ ﷻ وَنَفَعَهُ اللهُ ﷻ بِمَا بَعَثَنِي بِهِ وَنَفَعَ بِهِ فَعَلِمَ وَعَلَّمَ وَمَثَلُ مَنْ لَمْ يَرْفَعْ بِذَلِكَ رَأْسًا وَلَمْ يَقْبَلْ هُدَى اللهِ ﷻ الَّذِي أُرْسِلْتُ بِهِ  

ibnhibban:4ﷺ In

The similitude of that guidance and knowledge with which Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, has sent me is that of rain falling upon the earth. There is a good piece of land which receives the rainfall (eagerly) and as a result of it there is grown in it herbage and grass abundantly. Then there is a land hard and barren which retains water and the people derive benefit from it and they drink it and make the animals drink. Then there is another land which is barren. Neither water is retained in it, nor is the grass grown in it. And that is the similitude of the first one who develops the understanding of the religion of Allah and it becomes a source of benefit to him with which Allah sent me. (The second one is that) who acquires the knowledge of religion and imparts it to others. (Then the other type is) one who does not pay attention to (the revealed knowledge) and thus does not accept guidance of Allah with which I have been sent. (Using translation from Muslim 2282)   

ابن حبّان:٤

وَقَالَ ﷺ «إِنَّ مَثَلَ مَا آتَانِي اللَّهُ مِنَ الْهُدَى وَالْعِلْمِ كَمَثَلِ غَيْثٍ أَصَابَ أَرْضًا فَكَانَتْ مِنْهَا طَائِفَةٌ طَيِّبَةٌ قَبِلَتْ ذَلِكَ فَأَنْبَتَتِ الْكَلَأَ وَالْعُشْبَ الْكَثِيرَ وَأَمْسَكَتِ الْمَاءَ فَنَفَعَ اللَّهُ بِهَا النَّاسَ فَشَرِبُوا مِنْهَا وَسَقَوْا وَزَرَعُوا وَأَصَابَ مِنْهَا طَائِفَةٌ أُخْرَى إِنَّمَا هِيَ قِيعَانٌ لَا تُمْسِكُ مَاءً وَلَا تُنْبِتُ كَلَأً فَذَلِكَ مَثَلُ مَنْ فَقُهَ فِي دِينِ اللَّهِ وَنَفَعَهُ مَا بَعَثَنِي اللَّهُ بِهِ فَعَلِمَ وَعَمِلَ وَمَثَلُ مَنْ لَمْ يَرْفَعْ بِذَلِكَ رَأْسًا وَلَمْ يَقْبَلْ هُدَى اللَّهِ الَّذِي أُرْسِلْتُ بِهِ»  

nasai-kubra:5812al-Qāsim b. Zakariyyā b. Dīnār > Ḥammād b. Usāmah > Burayd b. ʿAbdullāh from his grandfather Abū Burdah > Abū Mūsá

The similitude of that guidance and knowledge with which Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, has sent me is that of rain falling upon the earth. There is a good piece of land which receives the rainfall (eagerly) and as a result of it there is grown in it herbage and grass abundantly. Then there is a land hard and barren which retains water and the people derive benefit from it and they drink it and make the animals drink. Then there is another land which is barren. Neither water is retained in it, nor is the grass grown in it. And that is the similitude of the first one who develops the understanding of the religion of Allah and it becomes a source of benefit to him with which Allah sent me. (The second one is that) who acquires the knowledge of religion and imparts it to others. (Then the other type is) one who does not pay attention to (the revealed knowledge) and thus does not accept guidance of Allah with which I have been sent. (Using translation from Muslim 2282)  

الكبرى للنسائي:٥٨١٢أَخْبَرَنَا الْقَاسِمُ بْنُ زَكَرِيَّا بْنِ دِينَارٍ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا حَمَّادُ بْنُ أُسَامَةَ قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي بُرَيْدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللهِ عَنْ جَدِّهِ أَبِي بُرْدَةَ عَنْ أَبِي مُوسَى

عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ قَالَ «إِنَّ مَثَلَ مَا بَعَثَنِي اللهُ بِهِ مِنَ الْهُدَى وَالْعِلْمِ كَمَثَلِ غَيْثٍ أَصَابَ الْأَرْضَ فَكَانَتْ مِنْهَا طَائِفَةٌ قَبِلَتِ الْمَاءَ فَأَنْبَتَتِ الْكَلَأَ وَالْعُشْبَ الْكَثِيرَ وَكَانَتْ مِنْهَا أَجَادِبُ أَمْسَكَتِ الْمَاءَ فَنَفَعَ اللهُ بِهَا النَّاسَ فَشَرِبُوا مِنْهَا وَرَعَوْا وَسَقَوْا وَأَصَابَ طَائِفَةٌ مِنْهَا أُخْرَى إِنَّمَا هِيَ قِيعَانٌ لَا تُمْسِكُ مَاءً وَلَا تُنْبِتُ كَلَأً فَذَلِكَ مَثَلُ مَنْ فَقُهَ فِي دِينِ اللهِ فَنَفَعَهُ مَا بَعَثَنِي اللهُ بِهِ وَنَفَعَ بِهِ فَعَلِمَ وَعَلَّمَ وَمَثَلُ مَنْ لَمْ يَرْفَعْ بِذَلِكَ رَأْسًا وَلَمْ يَقْبَلْ هُدَى اللهِ الَّذِي أُرْسِلْتُ بِهِ»