—and whom Allah enables (1) to benefit from that with which He has sent me; and the likeness of one who does not so much as raise his head toward it and does not accept the guidance with which I have been sent.” (2)

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ thus likened the knowledge he brought to rainfall, for each of them is a source of life: rain sustains bodies, whereas knowledge sustains hearts.

He also compared hearts that are receptive to knowledge to land that receives rain—just as Allah, exalted be He, compares hearts (3) to valleys in His words, “He sent down water from the sky, and the valleys flowed according to their measure” (4).

Now, just as the earth is of three kinds in the way it receives rain, the first is a pure, fertile soil that both drinks in the water (5) and supports vegetation; when the rain reaches it, it soaks it up and then brings forth every delightful kind of plant (6).

This (7) is the likeness of the pure, intelligent heart: by its acumen it absorbs knowledge, and by its purity it produces the various fruits of sound judgment and the religion of truth. It is therefore receptive to knowledge and fruitful in bringing forth its obligations, its understanding, and the hidden treasures contained within it.