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The_Foundations_of_the_Islamic_Belief, page : 57
The learned people of this science should confine their instruction to men who have the three
following
traits: The first is devotion to knowledge and passion for it; for the working man is prevented by
his
work from mastering the subject completely and from dispelling doubts when they arise.
The second trait is sagacity, intelligence, and eloquence, because those with lessor intellect do
not
benefit by his understanding and the dull one does not gain by his argument. On the contrary such a
person is injured by disputation and should not expect any good from it.
The third trait is that the man should by nature be good, religious, and pious; he should not be
dominated by passions, because the sinful man would stray from Religion at the least provocation.
Passions would do away with all deterrents and remove the barrier which stands between him and
worldly pleasures. He would not be keen on dispelling anything questionable, but rather would seize
upon it to free himself from any obligation. The things which such a student will spoil would be
greater
than those which he would reform.
following
traits: The first is devotion to knowledge and passion for it; for the working man is prevented by
his
work from mastering the subject completely and from dispelling doubts when they arise.
The second trait is sagacity, intelligence, and eloquence, because those with lessor intellect do
not
benefit by his understanding and the dull one does not gain by his argument. On the contrary such a
person is injured by disputation and should not expect any good from it.
The third trait is that the man should by nature be good, religious, and pious; he should not be
dominated by passions, because the sinful man would stray from Religion at the least provocation.
Passions would do away with all deterrents and remove the barrier which stands between him and
worldly pleasures. He would not be keen on dispelling anything questionable, but rather would seize
upon it to free himself from any obligation. The things which such a student will spoil would be
greater
than those which he would reform.