In Farid al-Din Attar's Mosibat-Nameh, the tale narrated by Shibli about the shoemaker's poor son falling in love with a city's prince (referred to as the Joseph of Canaan of the city) represents the theme of spiritual love ('ishq) overcoming social divisions and material poverty. The shoemaker's son represents the sincere, impoverished seeker who is consumed and melted like a candle by the beauty of the Divine (represented by the prince's peerless beauty). This allegory illustrates how intense love for the beloved renders the seeker entirely selfless, purifying their soul through the heat of spiritual passion.