Then a wall (Sur) is placed against them, which is the knowledge of the outward religious laws ('Ilm zawahir al-shara'i') which they used to seek refuge in while belying the people of realities (Ahl al-Haqa'iq) and inward meanings (Al-Bawatin). Thus, the Wall is the outward knowledge, and it has a door; it is the Gate of Gates (Bab al-Abwab) who categorized every science and gnosis—he is Al-Sayyid Salman, the Inward knowledge ('Ilm al-Batin), who manifested therefrom to the people of the Realities (Al-Haqa'iq); it is that which contains mercy within, while its outward—from which comes punishment—is the knowledge of the Outward (Al-Zahir) of the religious laws. This is because when they reached the knowledge of the Inward realities (Al-Bawatin), they apostatized from it and belied its people; thus, they did not attain the light of faith in this world. Similarly, upon the manifestation of the Qa’im (The Riser), their faces shall turn black, and they will know they were not upon the Truth.

Al-Sayyid al-Janan—peace be upon him—favored us by clarifying this meaning in his book titled Clarification of the Lamp (Idah al-Misbah), saying: "We mention regarding this that the disbeliever has had his heart locked and his intellect (lubb) stripped away; he has been veiled from acquiring the lights, and barred from seeking wisdom and grasping expertise. Thus, a wall was placed before him, having a door, its interior containing mercy, but on its outside is punishment."