The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was the best educator. He often used to give simple yet eloquent likenesses through which the ideas that he wanted to convey would be transmitted and take root in people’s minds. In this hadith, he likened guidance, the ways that lead to Allah, and Islamic knowledge that is based on the Book of Allah (may He be exalted) and the Sunnah of His Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) to abundant rain that falls on different types of land. The first type is fertile land that is free of nuisance insects and worms that destroy crops. This land receives the water and absorbs the rain, then it produces abundant vegetation. This is the likeness of the knowledgeable person who has deep understanding of the religion of Allah, acts upon what he knows, and teaches others. This is the highest level of guidance. The second type is barren land that retains [but does not absorb] the water. This is solid land on which vegetation does not grow, so it is like huge reservoirs which collect and hold the water, and become a source for others. The people benefit from it, as they drink, give water to their livestock and irrigate fertile land with this water. Even though this land does not benefit from the rain itself, it benefits others, humans, animals and other types of land. This is the likeness of people who are able to memorize, but their minds are not sharp enough to derive meanings and rulings, and they do not strive to put what they learn into practice. Thus they memorize and preserve information until people of knowledge come along who are able to benefit from it, so they learn it from them and thus benefit others through what they convey to them. And it was said that the likeness of this land is that of the knowledgeable person who teaches others, but does not act upon his knowledge himself, so he is like a candle which gives light to others but burns itself. The third type is the plains, which are vast tracts of flat land. It was also said that it is smooth land, or land that has no vegetation. This is what is referred to in the hadith: salt flats in which nothing grows and which do not retain water. Thus they do not benefit from the rain themselves, nor do they benefit any other land, because they are flat and have no vegetation. This is the worst type of land; it is the likeness of the ignorant Muslim, or the knowledgeable Muslim who does not act upon his knowledge or teach anyone else. This is what is meant by the words “who pays no attention to it.” Or it may refer to the disbelievers who do not enter Islam in the first place, and this is what is meant by the words “[he] does not accept the guidance of Allah.” This hadith highlights the virtue of one who learns, acts upon his knowledge and teaches it to others. It also indicates that it is blameworthy to turn away from knowledge..