9وَجَعَلنا مِن بَينِ أَيديهِم سَدًّا وَمِن خَلفِهِم سَدًّا فَأَغشَيناهُم فَهُم لا يُبصِرونَMuhammad Asadand We have set a barrier before them and a barrier behind them,1 and We have enshrouded them in veils so that they cannot see:Sc., "so that they can neither advance nor go back": a metaphor of utter spiritual stagnation.