In Book 3 of the Masnavi, Rumi tells the story of a tablecloth belonging to Anas bin Malik that, when thrown into a flaming oven, does not burn but instead becomes beautifully clean. Anas reveals that the Prophet Muhammad had previously wiped his hands and mouth with it. Rumi employs this narrative to illustrate a profound spiritual principle: just as the physical touch of a holy figure imbued the cloth with immunity to earthly fire, achieving spiritual proximity to the Divine grants the soul protection from the fires of spiritual punishment and hell. It emphasizes the transformative and protective power of associating with the holy.