[2:114] And who does greater evil than he who bars God's places of worship, so that His Name be not invoked in them, and strives to ruin them?; such men might never enter them, save in fear; for them in this world is degradation; and in the Hereafter a mighty chastisement.
The allusion in it is that the one who does evil is one who ruins the homelands (aw?ān) of worship by carnal passions - and the homelands of worship are the selves of the worshippers (nufūs al-ʿābidīn). He ruins the homelands of knowledge by desires and attachments - and the homelands of knowledge are the hearts of the knowers (qulūb al-ʿārifīn). He destroys the homelands of love by worldly concerns and familiar things - and [the homelands of love] are the spirits of the ecstatics (arwāḥ al-wājidīn). He ruins the homelands of witnessings by turning attention to acts of drawing near and [the homelands of witnessings] are the innermost selves of those who declare oneness (asrār al-muwaḥḥidīn).
For them in this world is degradation; and in the Hereafter a mighty chastisement For the people of allusion the degradation of this world is the ignominy of the veil and the punishment of the Hereafter is being held back in degrees.