In Attar of Nishapur's Mokhtar Nameh (Chapter 34, Poem 25), the poet illustrates the paradoxical and capricious cycle of divine intimacy (uns) and exile (hagr), characterized by the alternating 'pull and push' of the Divine Beloved.

Key Concepts

• Alternation of Favor and Rejection: The Beloved first welcomes the lover out of grace (lutf), but subsequently drives them away when 'intoxicated' (mast). This reflects the volatile spiritual states of union (wasl) and separation (firaq) that a Sufi wayfarer must endure.
• The Unpredictability of Divine Sovereignty: The sudden shift of the Beloved's attitude—calling the lover back just as they depart in anger—demonstrates that divine grace is not governed by human logic or merit, but by absolute divine sovereignty and whimsy (naz).
• The Lover's Passive Submission: The lover's emotional response (anger) and physical movement (departing) are ultimately rendered insignificant, as their spiritual statio...