In this allegory from Attar's Mosibat Nameh, the story of the tyrant Hajjaj ibn Yusuf is used to demonstrate that external oppression is a reflection of the people's inner spiritual state and character before God. Hajjaj asserts that his tyrannical rule is a divine consequence of the people's own moral corruption. The poem then contrasts intellect (aql) with love (ishq), explaining that while intellect is the domain of worldly dualities like tyranny and justice, divine love transcends these limitations and purifies the seeker's attributes to achieve unity with the Beloved.