Central concept

The tale presents physical space as transformed by the lover's perception. Separation from Joseph makes Zulaykha's spacious home feel narrower than a prison, while proximity to him would make even an ant-sized prison cell preferable to a hundred gardens.

Literary significance

Jami uses spatial reversal to express the intensity of longing: comfort depends not on material surroundings but on nearness to the beloved. In a mystical reading, the contrast also suggests that presence with the beloved can turn confinement into spiritual freedom, whereas separation makes the whole world a prison.