In Chapter 23, Poem 8 of the Mokhtar Nameh, Attar explores the spiritual state of being suspended between fear and hope (خوف و رجا). The poem uses the metaphor of a game piece landing on a board (مهره چون بنشیند) to illustrate the fundamental uncertainty of the soul's ultimate destiny. Whether the seeker sits in sorrow or in hope of a guide, they remain trapped in this impasse until the very end of their journey, emphasizing that one's spiritual outcome is only truly revealed at the final moment.