In Poem 49 of the Mokhtar Nameh, Attar of Nishapur explores the profound impact of divine union on the human intellect and the perception of existence.

The Failure of Rationality and Ecstasy

Attar begins by stating that both the 'mad' (those who have lost their reason in ecstasy) and the 'wise' (those who rely on rational intellect) are ultimately lost in the Divine. This indicates that human faculties, whether intellectual or ecstatic, are inadequate to comprehend the absolute reality of God. In this transcendent state, the 'thread of every single particle'—the true essence and source of all individual components of the universe—is found only in the Divine.

Annihilation in Mystical Union

The quatrain's second half describes the experience of mystical union (visal), which dawns in the seeker's heart. This spiritual awakening initiates a double process of annihilation (fana):

1. Dissolution of the Universe: Both worlds (the physical and spiritual realms) lose thei...