FOUR TYPES OF PEOPLE
Khalil Ibn Ahmad said that there are four types of people:
رجل يدري ويدري أنه يدري فذلك عالم فاتبعوه
Those who KNOW and KNOW that they KNOW; they are the learned, so follow them.
ورجل يدري ولا يدري أنه يدري فذلك نائم فأيقظوه
Those who KNOW and DON’T KNOW that they KNOW; they are asleep, wake them up.
ورجل لا يدري ويدري أنه لا يدري فذلك مسترشد فارشدوه
Those who DON’T KNOW and KNOW that they DON’T KNOW; they desire to learn, so teach them.
ورجل لا يدري ولا يدري أنه لا يدري فذلك جاهل فارفضوه
Those who DON’T KNOW and DON’T KNOW that they DON’T KNOW; they are ignorant, avoid them.
{Ihyaa Uloom Ad-Deen, 1/74}