Isa said: I heard Imam Sha’bi, may Allah have mercy on him, say: Only a person who possesses two qualities will seek this knowledge: intelligence and worship. If he is devoted in worship but not intelligent, he will say: Only intelligent people can acquire this (knowledge), and he will abandon its pursuit. And if he is intelligent but not devoted in worship, he will say: Only worshippers can acquire this thing, so he will abandon its pursuit. Imam Sha’bi, may Allah have mercy on him, said: I fear that those who are seeking knowledge today may not possess either of these two qualities—neither intelligence nor devotion in worship.