Sheikh Yasser Al-Dosari (حفظه الله) mentioned in one of his lectures that Imam Ash-Shafi’i (رحمه الله) said:

“Knowledge has four parts.”

When a person enters the first part, he thinks he knows more than everyone else. The beginner is in the first part.

This happens in all fields of study—you’ll notice it. Even in worldly subjects, when someone starts learning a field, he may think he knows more than everyone else.

When he enters the second part, he realizes he is missing some knowledge. He begins to feel that there are things he does not know.

When he enters the third part, he realizes that what he does not know is far greater than what he does know.

When he enters the fourth part, he says:
“I am the most ignorant person,”
as he comes to see how vast knowledge truly is.

End quote.

May Allah ﷻ grant us beneficial knowledge.

Aameen!