In Attar's Mosibat Nameh, the tale of Zuleikha encountering Joseph on his journey serves as an allegory for the intense, transformative power of mystical love (eshq) and the profound pain of separation. When Zuleikha, reduced to the state of a destitute beggar in the dust, heaves a sorrowful sigh from her burning heart, the fire of her passion physically ignites the whip in Joseph's hand. This narrative illustrates the Sufi theme that the inner fire of a true lover possesses a potent, consuming reality that transcends the physical world and ultimately touches the Beloved.