M3:4149 — من ترا غمگین و گریان زان کنم / تا کت از چشم بدان پنهان کنم

This couplet comes from a section where God is speaking directly to the seeker, explaining the nature of the trials and tribulations they face. The 'sorrowful and weeping' state is presented not as an affliction for its own sake, but as a protective veil. In Sufi thought, spiritual progress and divine favor can attract the 'evil eye' (چشم بد), which represents envy, malice, or even the subtle spiritual harm from those who are not aligned with the path of truth. By casting the seeker into a state of apparent sadness or difficulty, God makes them less conspicuous, less enviable, and thus shields them from these negative influences. It's a profound reinterpretation of suffering, transforming it from a punitive measure into an act of divine mercy and safeguarding. The 'wicked' (بدان) here are not necessarily overtly evil people, but anyone whose gaze might inadvertently bring harm to the spiritually ascending soul.