In this passage from Attar's The Conference of the Birds, a pious man compares his thirty years of continuous selflessness to the brief, absolute surrender of Ismail at the moment of his intended sacrifice. The poem emphasizes the stark contrast between an individual's outward appearance and their hidden inward reality. Attar employs the metaphor of a candle to illustrate this dichotomy: onlookers appreciate the pleasant light (the mystic's outward demeanor), while remaining entirely oblivious to the consuming fire within (the intense inner spiritual torment and yearning). This narrative highlights the Sufi principle that true spiritual annihilation (fana) involves profound, unseen suffering and dedication that cannot be comprehended by superficial, external observation.