I asked my Sheikh Abu al-Fath Muhammad—may God have mercy on him—and he said: I asked my Sheikh Abu al-Hasan al-Muqri regarding the words of the Mighty and Sublime: {"And what you harvest leave in its spikes"}1. He replied: He intends what you have harvested of the sciences of God and learned from the reliable sources. "Leave it in its spikes": its meaning is hide it within yourselves, leave it in your hearts, and conceal it as much as you possibly can.
{"Except a little from which you eat"}2. That is: that which does not constitute a breach of the fence of Dissimulation. This is the "little from which you eat," which is that through which you interact with God alongside your brothers during your mutual study (mudhakara).
(542) Our Master al-Sadiq—exalted be his glory—said: "Indeed, a single report that you narrate and understand is better than a thousand reports that you narrate but do not understand."
A group related regarding His saying: {"And what you harvest leave in its spikes"}3 that the believers remained during the time of the Master Yusuf under Dissimulation until the time of Musa—exalted be his glory—arrived. That was because the Call of Falsehood—may God curse it—was manifest and established, being the "seven lean ones." This lasted from the occultation of our Lord Yusuf—exalted be his glory; glory be to Him who does not vanish—until God sent Musa to Pharaoh, at which point the Call of Truth appeared and the interval (al-fatra) ended.
It was related that the seven green spikes are the Power manifested by our Lord Yusuf—peace be upon us—through His manifestation in Essence.
{"Then will come after that a year in which the people will be given help and in which they will press [grapes]"}4. There are several aspects to this, among them: the manifestation of our Master al-Rida Ali ibn Musa—exalted be his glory. It was [also] said: the manifestation of Lord Abu Shu’ayb—peace be upon him.