Mishkat al-Masabih

Abu Musa reported God's messenger as saying, “I and the message with which God has entrusted me are just like a man who came to a people and said, "I have seen the army with my own eyes, and I am a simple warner, so flee, flee.' A section of his people obeyed him, and setting off at nightfall, went away without hurry and escaped. But a section of them did not believe him and stayed where they were, and the army attacked them at dawn, destroying and extirpating them. That is a comparison with those who obey me and follow my message, and with those who disobey me and disbelieve the truth I have brought.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Abu Huraira reported God’s messenger as saying, “I may be likened to a man who kindled a fire, and when it lit up the neighbourhood the insects and these creeping things which fall into a fire began to fall into it. He began to prevent them, but they got the better of him and rushed into it. Now I am seizing your girdles to pull you from hell, but you are rushing into it.” This is Bukhari's version, and Muslim has one similar, but at the end of it he quotes him as saying, “You and I may be likened to that. I am seizing your girdles to pull you from hell. Come away from hell! Come away from hell! But you are getting the better of me and rushing into it.”

Abu Musa reported that God’s messenger said, “The guidance and knowledge with which God has commissioned me are like abundant rain which fell on some ground. Part of it was good, and absorbing the water, it brought forth abundant herbage and pasture; and there were some bare patches in it which retained the water by which God gave benefit to men, who drank, gave drink and sowed seed. But some of it fell on another portion which consisted only of hollows which could not retain the water or produce herbage. That is like the one who becomes versed in God’s religion and receives benefit from the message entrusted to me by God, so he knows for himself and teaches others ; and it is like the one who does not show regard to that and does not accept God’s guidance with which I have been commissioned.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)