عَنْ جَمِيلٍ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ اَبَا عَبْدِ اللهِ ع يَقُولُ يَغْدُو النَّاسُ عَلَى ثَلَاثَةِ صُنُوفٍ عَالِمٍ وَ مُتَعَلِّمٍ وَ غُثَاءٍ فَنَحْنُ الْعُلَمَاءُ وَ شِيعَتُنَا الْمُتَعَلِّمُونَ وَ سَائِرُ النَّاسِ غُثَاءٌ.
The narrator (Jameel) said: I heard Imam Abu Abdillah al-Sadeq (peace be upon him) say,
“People are of three kinds: Scholar (teacher), student and garbage. So, we are the scholars, our follower (Shiahs) are the students and the rest of the people are garbage.”
References:
1. Basaaer al-Darajaat, vol. 1, p. 8, H. 1
2. Al-Kaafi, vol. 1, p. 34, H. 4
3. Al Khesaal, vol. 1, p. 123, H. 115
4. Wasaael al-Shiah, vol. 27, p. 18, H. 33094
5. Behaar al-Anwaar, vol. 1, p. 194, H. 8
6. Fragrance of Mastership H. 21