Al-Imām al-Bukhārī narrates: Muḥammad ibn al-‘Alā’ narrated to us; he said: Ḥammād ibn Usāmah narrated to us, from Burayd ibn ‘Abdullāh, from Abū Burdah,

from Abū Mūsā (may Allāh Almighty be content with him), that the Prophet ﷺ said: “The example of the guidance and knowledge with which Allah has sent me is like abundant rain that falls upon the land. Some land is fertile: it absorbs the water and produces much vegetation and grass. Some land is barren but holds the water; Allāh benefits people through it—they drink from it, give water to their animals, and cultivate crops with it. And some land is flat and hard: it neither retains water nor produces vegetation. This is the likeness of one who gains understanding (fiqh) in the religion and benefits from what Allah sent me with of guidance and knowledge—so he learns and teaches. And it is the likeness of one who does not pay attention to it and does not accept the guidance of Allāh with which I was sent.”

Imām Abū ‘Abdullāh (al-Bukhārī) said: Isḥāq said: Some land absorbs the water. “Qā’” means: land upon which water remains and spreads. “Aṣ-Ṣafṣaf” means: level, flat ground.