It says...

It says: “… But of them are some who wrong themselves, and of them are some who follow the middle course, and of them are some who outstrip (others) through good deeds, by Allah’s leave. That is the great (Divine) favour!” The apparent of the verse indicates that these three groups among ‘the elected ones of Allah’ are the inheritors and bearers of the Book of Allah.

In a more clear meaning, Allah has given the protection of this heavenly Book, after His Messenger, upon this Ummah, the ones who are elected by Allah, but there are different groups among them. Some of them fail to fulfil their great duty in protecting this Book and performing its ordinances and, in fact, they did injustice to themselves. These are the extension of “Some who wrong themselves”.

Another group did a considerable amount of this duty concerning the act of protection and practicing on this Book, [^1] Nu-r-uth-Thaqalayn, Vol. 4, P. 361 on although they had some faults and shortcomings in their deeds, too. These are the extension of “Some who follow the middle course”. And, finally, there are some distinguished persons who fulfil their heavy duties very well and, in this race-field they outstrip others.

This group, who are foremost in good deeds, are the same ones whom in the above mentioned verse have been rendered into: “Some who outstrip (others) through good deeds, by the leave of Allah.” The Qur’a-nic phrase: /sa-biqun bil xayra-t/ (outstrip through good deeds), in many traditions narrated from Ahl-ul-Bayt (a.s.) has been interpreted into Imam and the Immaculate ones; and the phrase: /za-lim-un-linafsihi-/ has been rendered into the ones who have not knowledge unto Imam (a.s.); while the term /muqtas?id/ is used for those who know Imam (a.s.) and follow him.[^1] These interpretations are clear verifications upon what was said in the commentary of the whole verse, and it does not matter that these three groups can exist among the inheritors of the book of Allah.

Perhaps it is not necessary to mention that the interpretations in the above mentioned traditions are from the kind of the statement of clear extensions; that is the immaculate Imam is in the first row of “Some who outstrip (others) through good deeds”, and scholars, learned men, and protectors of the divine religion are in other rows.