Yā Sīn: (9) And We have placed before them a barrier...

...to complete the meaning of God making them shackled. For His saying: {And We have placed before them a barrier} indicates that they do not follow the path of righteousness. It is as if He is saying: They do not see the Truth to follow it because of the barrier, nor do they follow you (O Prophet) so that they may see the Truth and follow it because of the shackles and the faith that brings certainty. Either they follow the Messenger first, and then the truths become clear to them second, or the matters become clear first, and they follow the Messenger second. They do not follow the Messenger first because they are shackled, so the Truth does not become clear to them second. Nor does the Truth become clear to them first because they are caught behind the barrier, so they do not follow the Messenger second.

There is another interpretation: The impediment (to faith) is either internal (in the self) or external to it. They possess both impediments to faith. As for the internal one, it is the shackles (in the necks). As for the external one, it is the barrier. They do not look at themselves to see the signs within themselves, as the Almighty said: {We will show them Our signs in the horizons and within themselves} (Fussilat: 53). This is because one whose nose is restrained (like a camel being led) does not see himself, nor does his gaze fall upon his hands. Nor does their gaze fall upon the horizons because those who are between two barriers do not see the horizons, so the signs in the horizons do not become clear to them. Based on this, His saying: {Indeed, We have placed on their necks} and {And We have placed before them a barrier} points to their lack of guidance regarding the signs of God in the self and the horizons.

Regarding the interpretation of the Almighty's saying: {And We have placed before them a barrier}, there are several issues:

Issue 1: The Barrier Before Them

The benefit of mentioning the barrier before them is apparent, as they are moving forward in this world and should be following the straight path. {And behind them a barrier}—so what is the benefit of mentioning the barrier behind them?

The answer is in several ways:

1. Man has innate guidance, which the disbeliever abandons, and intellectual guidance, which the disbeliever has not attained. It is as if the Almighty is saying: {We have placed a barrier before them} so they do not return to the innate guidance (which is the primordial nature).
2. Man originates from God and his destiny is to Him. Thus, the blindness of the disbeliever prevents him from seeing what is before him—his return to God—and what is behind him—his entry into existence through God's creation.
3. If a traveler must follow a path, and the path ahead is blocked, he misses his goal but he can turn back. But if the path ahead and the path behind are both blocked, the place where he is standing is not a place of residence because it is ruinous. Thus, His saying: {And We have placed before them a barrier and behind them a barrier} indicates their ruin.

Issue 2: The Conjunction 'Fa' (Then) in {Then We have covered their eyes}

The use of the particle fa (then) in {Then We have covered their eyes} implies that the covering is connected to the placing of the barrier, and the covering is consequent upon the placing of the barrier. How is this so?

This is explained in two ways:

1. It is an explanation of successive matters where one causes the other. It is as if the Almighty said: {Indeed, We have placed shackles on their necks}, so they do not see themselves due to their restraint. {And We have placed before them a barrier and behind them a barrier}, so they do not see what is in the horizons. Following this, they might still see the sky and what is to their right and left. Therefore, He said after all of that: {And We have placed over their eyes a covering}, so they do not see anything at all.
2. It explains that the barrier is so close to them that it becomes like a covering over their eyes. If a barrier is placed behind them and before them, adhering to them, such that they remain stuck between these two adhering barriers, their eye will be on the surface of the barrier, and they will see nothing. As for what is not the barrier, it is due to the veil (covering). As for the eye being on the barrier itself, it is because a condition for sight is that the object seen is not extremely close to the eye.

Issue 3: Mentioning Barriers Before and Behind, But Not to the Right and Left

What is the wisdom in mentioning the barriers before and behind, but not to the right and left?

1. If we adhere to the interpretation that it refers to innate and intellectual guidance, this is clear.
2. Otherwise, we say that what has been mentioned achieves generality and prevents them from following the straight paths. For if they intend to move towards the right or the left, they are facing something and turning away from something else. What they face becomes what is before them, so God places the barrier there, preventing them from proceeding. Thus, however the disbeliever turns, God places a barrier before him.
3. Another, better explanation: Since We established that placing the barrier caused the covering of the eyes, the barrier adheres to him, and he adheres to the two barriers, so he has no ability to move right or left. Therefore, there is no need to mention a barrier to the right and left.

His saying {Then We have covered their eyes, so they do not see} can mean that they do not see anything at all, or it can mean that the disbeliever is obstructed and the path of Truth is blocked to him, yet he does not see the barrier and is unaware of the obstruction, thus thinking he is on the straight path and not misguided.

7 < { And it is all the same to them whether you warn them or do not warn them; they will not believe. } > 7