Muslim

Hadith Commentary:
Vocabulary of the Hadith:
(1)
al-Kala’:
Fresh and dry herbage.
(2)
al-‘Ushb:
Fresh herbage.
(3)
Ajadib:
Plural of jadb,
stony land that does not absorb water.
(4)
Qī‘ān:
Plural of qā‘,
flat and barren land,
which neither absorbs water nor does water collect on it.
(5)
Fiqh:
To develop understanding and insight within oneself.

Benefits and Issues:
In this hadith, the religion and Shari‘ah brought by the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) is likened to rain,
whose benefit and blessing is general for all,
but to benefit from it, capability and aptitude are required.
Whoever does not possess
the capacity and ability to benefit from it,
cannot benefit from it. The Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) has described three types of land that benefit from rain:
The first type of land is that which has the ability to absorb rainwater and benefit from it,
meaning it is fertile land,
which absorbs water,
so fresh herbage grows in it from the rainwater.
In this way, the land itself benefits from the rain and also benefits others.
Similarly, a group of people benefit from the Shari‘ah and guidance of the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam),
they learn it and act upon it,
derive rulings from it,
and benefit others through teaching, instruction, writing, and propagation.
The second type of land is
that which is stony,
does not absorb water and thus does not benefit itself,
but it retains the water,
from which people drink themselves,
and give to their livestock and crops.
In this way, there are some people who acquire knowledge,
preserve it,
and convey it to others,
but do not have the ability to derive rulings. The third piece or type of land is that upon which rain falls,
but it is barren,
neither absorbs water nor retains it,
thus it neither benefits from the rain nor benefits others.
Similarly, the third type of people are those who hear the matters of religion and Shari‘ah,
but do not even try to remember them,
thus they can neither benefit themselves nor convey it to others.
The Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) combined the first two types and mentioned the third type separately,
because both of the first two benefited from knowledge and guidance in some way,
but the third type did not benefit at all,
neither did they acquire anything themselves nor did they inform others.

Explanation:
From Hadith (78), Imam Bukhari rahimahullah derived that Musa alayhis salam undertook a great journey in pursuit of knowledge. The story narrated by some that Khidr alayhis salam learned Hanafi jurisprudence (fiqh) and then taught it to Qushayri is entirely false. Likewise, the notion held by some that Isa alayhis salam or Imam Mahdi will be followers (muqallid) of the Hanafi school is completely baseless and contrary to reason. Mulla Ali Qari rahimahullah has thoroughly refuted this. Imam Mahdi will be a staunch Ahl al-Hadith, a true bearer of the knowledge of the Book and the Sunnah.

Hadith Commentary:
1.
Imam Bukhari rahimahullah establishes the above heading in such a way that just as the best type of land is that which benefits itself and also benefits others, similarly, the most virtuous scholar is the one who himself benefits from the fruits of knowledge and also provides opportunities for others to benefit.
(Sharh al-Kirmani: 2/59)

2.
In this hadith, three types of land are mentioned:
One is that which absorbs water and brings forth vegetation.
The second is that which, instead of absorbing water, preserves it, from which animals and humans benefit.
The third is that which neither absorbs water nor retains it within itself.
Similarly, there are three types of people of knowledge:
Some are those who have heard the hadiths and derived rulings from them, such as Imam Bukhari rahimahullah and others.
The second are those who, after hearing the hadiths, preserved them but did not derive rulings from them, such as the transmitters of hadith.
The third are those who neither preserved the hadiths nor acted upon them, such as rulers and the ignorant, etc.
Thus, there are three examples and three referents, i.e., there is complete correspondence between them.

3.
The point of similarity in this analogy is revival, i.e., just as in the world of causes, the life and death of the land is connected to water—when rain falls, the land receives new life, and greenery and freshness prevail—similarly, when the blessings of knowledge descend upon hearts, they too receive new life.
(Fath al-Bari: 1/232)

4.
The objective of the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam was to benefit and to be benefited from, which is why, in the end, the first two types—those who absorbed water and those who, instead of absorbing, preserved it—were counted as one, because both are equal in benefit. Although in the first type there is both benefiting and being benefited, since both are quenched by the rain of knowledge, the nature of the benefit is different.
And in the third type, there is neither benefiting nor being benefited, which is why, in the end, it was mentioned separately, and by this are meant the disbelievers and the ignorant.

Hadith Authentication (Takhrij al-Hadith):
[صحيح بخاري 79],
[صحيح مسلم 5953]

Jurisprudence of the Hadith (Fiqh al-Hadith):
➊ Two types of people are successful:
Those who memorize the Qur’an and Hadith and teach them, and those who, through understanding (tafaqquh) of the Qur’an and Hadith, live their lives according to the religion of Islam.
➋ A scholar with correct beliefs (sahih al-‘aqidah) has superiority over common people, provided that he acts upon the Book and the Sunnah, and is neither ostentatious nor greedy.
➌ Assisting Muslim brothers and being of service to them is a sign of the people of faith.
➍ By tafaqqah is meant acting upon the Qur’an, Hadith, and consensus (ijma‘) in the light of the understanding of the pious predecessors (salaf salihin). Some of the people of opinion (ahl al-ra’y) who oppose the Book and the Sunnah consider themselves jurists (fuqaha), whereas in reality they are far removed from true jurisprudence and understanding.
◄ Imam Bukhari’s teacher, Imam ‘Ali ibn al-Madini rahimahullah, says:
«التفقه فى معاني الحديث نصف العلم، ومعرفة الرجال نصف العلم»
“Understanding (tafaqquh) the meaning of Hadith is half of knowledge, and recognizing the names of narrators (asma’ al-rijal) is half of knowledge.” [المحدث الفاصل بين الراوي والواعي ص32 ح222 و سنده صحيح]
◄ There was a jurist named Walid ibn Hammad al-Lu’lu’i, whom Hafiz Ibn Hibban mentioned in Kitab al-Thiqat [9؍226]. About him, Abu Ja‘far Muhammad ibn ‘Ubayd ibn ‘Utbah al-Kufi (trustworthy and truthful) says:
«وكان من البكائين، ثقة فقيه، لا يفتي بالرأي»
“He was among those who wept much, was a trustworthy jurist, and did not give fatwas based on opinion.” [صحيح ابي عوانه ج1 ص9 ح12، وسنده صحيح]
◄ Regret is for those who, despite having knowledge of the Book and the Sunnah, knowingly issue fatwas contrary to the Qur’an and Hadith, and consider themselves “jurists”!
◄ In an authentic hadith, it is reported that the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, between the two prostrations (sujud), used to say:
«رَبِّ اغْفِرْلِيْ رَبِّ اغْفِرْلِيْ»
“O my Lord! Forgive me, O my Lord! Forgive me.” [سنن ابي داود : 874، سنن النسائي : 1070، 1146، مسند ابي داود الطيالسي : 416 وسنده صحيح]

Note (Tanbih):
The Noble Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam is absolutely pure and infallible from sins. He recited this supplication for the instruction of the ummah, or its meaning is: O Allah! Place a veil between me and sins. See: [ميري كتاب الاتحاف الباسم فى تحقيق موطا امام مالك رواية عبدالرحمٰن بن قاسم ح483]
◄ According to the majority of hadith scholars, the trustworthy narrator Imam Mak’hul al-Tabi‘i rahimahullah used to say between the two prostrations:
«اللهم اغفرلي وارحمني واجبرني وارزقني»
“O Allah! Forgive me, have mercy on me, strengthen me, and grant me provision.” [مصنف ابن ابي شيبه نسخه جديد محققه ج2 ص534 ح8922 و سنده صحيح]
◄ In contrast, in the book “al-Jami‘ al-Saghir” attributed to Muhammad ibn al-Hasan ibn Farqad al-Shaybani, it is written:
«وكذلك بين السجدتين يسكت»
“And likewise, he will remain silent between the two prostrations.” [ص 88]
In the margin, ‘Abd al-Hayy Lakhnawi writes:
«هذا مخالف لما جاء فى الاخبار الصحاح . . .»
“What is mentioned in the authentic hadiths is contrary to this!” [شرح الجامع الصغير ص88]