So Allah sets forth parables for men, in order that they may receive admonition.
So Allah sets forth parables for men, in order that they may receive admonition. (14:24) This verse must be understood in light of the fact that Allah’s word is different from the word of the human being. According to a radiant expression of Amir al-mu’minin ‘Ali (AS) in Nahj al-Balagha , Allah’s words are His very creations. He A says: ‘ And surely His speech is the action that He originates...’ [^9] Therefore when we speak of kalima tayyiba we refer to a pleasant and good being.
And among the fundamental requisites of such an entity, as depicted in the above verse, is a firm and powerful origin. One who is born to parents of firm knowledge and action, would always inhabit the skies of spiritual elevation, and benefit others every moment by the permission of their Lord.
In a tradition Imam al-Baqir (AS) says the following about the aforementioned verse: ...نَحْنُ الشَّجَرَةُ الَّتِيْ قال الله تَعاَلىَ أَصْلُهَا ثَابِتٌ وفَرْعُهَا فِي السَّماَءِ،نَحْنُ نُعْطي شِيعَتَنَا مَا نَشَاءُ مِنْ عِلْمِنَا We are the tree about which Almighty Allah said “ ...whose root is firmly fixed, and its branches (reach) to the heavens **” (14:24).** We are the ones who give our Shi’as what we want from our knowledge...[^10] Imam Amir al-mu’minin ‘Ali (AS) alluding to the reality that the fruit depends on the water of the plant says: ...وَاعْلَمْ أَنَّ كُلَّ عَمَلٍ نَبَاتٌ، وَكُلَّ نَبَاتٍ لاَ غِنَى بِهِ عَنِ الْمَاءِ، وَالْمِيَاهُ مُخْتَلِفَةٌ، فَمَا طابَ سَقْيُهُ طابَ غَرْسُهُ، وَحَلَتْ ثَمَرَتُهُ، وَمَا خَبُثَ سَقْيُهُ خَبُثَ غَرْسُهُ، وَأَمَرَّتْ ثَمَرَتُه.
...and know that every action is a plant, and every plant is not needless of water, and waters are of different kinds. And if the water of a plant is pure and pleasant, its growth would be pleasant and its fruit sweet.
And if the water of a plant is dirty and unpleasant, its growth would be unpleasant and its fruit bitter.[^11] Alluding to the fundamental importance of the land where the plant grows, the Holy Qur`an says: وَالْبَلَدُ الطيِّبُ يَخْرُجُ نَبَاتُهُ بِإِذْنِ رَبِّهِ وَالَّذِي خَبُثَ لاَ يَخْرُجُ إِلاَّ نَكِدًا The good land its vegetation comes out by the permission of its Lord, and as for that which is bad, it does not come out except sparsely.
(7:58) In a well-known Ziyarat when addressing the Imams of the Baqi’ cemetery in Madina we say: ...طبْتُمْ وَطابَ مَنْبِتُكُم...