In Section 23 of the Hadiqat al-Haqiqah, Sanai addresses the necessity of spiritual struggle (mujahadah) to overcome the conditioning of worldly habits. He introduces the metaphor of the mother of habit (madar-e khu), urging the seeker to leave the comfort of familiar, mechanical behaviors, which nurture the lower self much like a mother nurses her child. To break free, the seeker must embark on the 'silent path' (rah-e bi-faryad) of spiritual exertion, guided by the intellect (khirod).

Sanai employs several supporting metaphors to illustrate the danger of habitual attachments:

• Wealth and Wine (mal o mal): Attachment to worldly riches and pleasures bends the seeker's upright posture (from an 'alif' to a 'dal') and breeds constant anxiety and humiliation.
• The Sheep and the Wolf: A seeker who fails to feed their own 'sheep' (the spiritual heart or soul) with divine knowledge becomes passive 'fodder' (alaf) for the wolf of carnal desires and annihilation....