In Attar's Mosibat Nameh (Book of Affliction), the story of Majnun holding a burning ember in the severe winter serves as an allegory for the intense suffering and all-consuming nature of mystical love. When asked about his beloved Layla, Majnun expresses his agony that she is unaware of his soul's torment, and he grasps a live coal until it turns to ashes. This act symbolizes how the true lover is entirely consumed by the fire of love, rendering physical pain insignificant compared to the spiritual anguish of separation from the Divine (represented by Layla).