Explanation of the words of Imam al-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) regarding what he quoted: "

The Shaykh : In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
The author (may Allah have mercy on him) stated, in what he quoted from Abu Musa al-Ash’ari (may Allah be pleased with him), regarding this parable struck by the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), saying: The rain means: the rainfall. So this land was of three types: Another type was low-lying ground that held the water, and the people benefited from it, drinking from it and watering their livestock. The third type was salty land that swallowed the water and did not produce grass. So people are like this in relation to what Allah sent the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) with, of knowledge and guidance. Some of them understood the religion of Allah, so they learned and taught, and the people benefited from their knowledge, and they benefited from their knowledge. This is like the land that produced grass and vegetation, so the people ate from it and their livestock ate from it. The second type, or the second parable, is of people who carried the guidance but did not understand anything of this guidance, meaning that they were narrators of knowledge and hadith, but they did not have jurisprudence. So their example is like the land that preserved the water, and the people drew water from it and drank from it, but the land itself did not produce anything. Because these people narrate hadiths and transmit them, but they do not have jurisprudence or understanding in them. The third type, or the third section, is of those who did not lift their heads with what the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) brought of knowledge and guidance, and they turned away from it and did not care about it. So this person did not benefit from what the Prophet (may Allah’s prayers and peace be upon him) brought, and he did not benefit others. So his example is like the land that swallowed the water and did not produce anything. And in this hadith is evidence that whoever understands the religion of Allah and knows from the Sunnah of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) what he knows, he is the best of the types. The best of the types is the one who learned and understood, so that he may benefit and benefit the people. Next to him is the one who learned but did not understand, meaning he narrated the hadith and carried it, but did not understand anything from it, and he is only a narrator. So this is the second type, or this is in the second rank among the people of knowledge and faith. The third type has no good in it; a man who received water, who received what he received of the knowledge and guidance that the Prophet (may Allah’s prayers and peace be upon him) brought, but he did not lift his head with it, did not benefit from it, and did not teach it to the people. So, may Allah protect us, he is like the salty land that swallowed the water and did not produce anything for the people, and the water did not remain on its surface for the people to benefit from it. And in this hadith is evidence of the goodness of the teaching of the Messenger (may Allah’s prayers and peace be upon him), and that is by striking parables. Because striking tangible parables brings closer the intellectual meanings, meaning: what is perceived by the intellect is brought closer by what is perceived by the senses. And this is observed. Many people, for example, you explain to them and teach them, but they do not understand. So if you strike for them a tangible parable, they understand and benefit. For this reason, Allah the Exalted said: And He the Exalted said: So striking parables for learners is one of the best methods of teaching and means of knowledge. And Allah is the One who grants success.