Malfuzat - Volume VIII — Page 211
26 December 1905 211 In other words, there should be such people who are well versed in religion; that is, they should be able to deeply study the reli- gion taught by the Holy Prophet, may peace and blessings of Allah be upon him. It should not be that it is learned by rote, like a parrot, and the person altogether fails to employ the habit of reflecting and contemplating over it. The purpose that the Holy Prophet, may peace and bless- ings of Allah be upon him, desired cannot be fulfilled in this way, and that very purpose is what I have in mind; that is, the person should be able to respond according to the situation and occasion. He should be able to debate. However, since everyone cannot be like that, it is not said that everyone should become like this, but rather it is said that there should be one man from each community and group so that a group of such people comes into being who can carry out the work of preach- ing and disseminating [the message of Islam]. Three Grades of Human Beings This is also because not everyone has such a nature and disposi- tion. Allah the Exalted has Himself divided human beings into three types. 1 ْمُهْنِم ٌمِلاَظ ٖهِسْفَنِّل١ۚ َو ْمُهْنِم ٌدِصَتْقُّم١ۚ َو ْمُهْنِم ٌۢقِباَس ِتٰرْيَخْلاِب ْمُهْنِم ٌمِلاَظ ٖهِسْفَنِّل١ۚ َو ْمُهْنِم ٌدِصَتْقُّم١ۚ َو ْمُهْنِم ٌۢقِباَس ِتٰرْيَخْلاِب That is, there are three types of people. Those who are called ٖ نَفْسِه ِّ ظَالِم ٌ ل ٖ نَفْسِه ِّ ظَالِم ٌ ل [ z a limun linafsih i ]. Their condition is such that the desires of the ego prevail over them, and it is as if they are caught 1. And of them are some who are breaking down their own selves by suppressing their desires , and of them are some who keep to the right course, and of them are some who excel others in acts of goodness ( S u rah F at ir, 35:33). [Publisher]