Overview

In Chapter 47, Poem 28 of the Mokhtar Nameh, Attar of Nishapur explores the spiritual necessity of accepting separation (hajr) from the divine Beloved to avoid the absolute destruction that comes with union.

Overwhelming Divine Beauty

Attar describes how any heart encountering such supreme, divine Beauty is bound to diminish and face decline, even if it possesses the grandeur and brilliance of the sun.

The Metaphor of the Moth and Candle

Using the classic Sufi allegory of the moth (parvaneh) and the candle (shama), the poem illustrates the danger of ultimate proximity:

• Union as Destruction: While the moth passionately seeks union (visal) with the candle's flame, that very union burns it miserably, leading to self-extinction.
• Reconciliation with Separation: Recognizing that direct union brings immediate annihilation, the lover consciously chooses to make peace with separation (hajr), accepting the pain of distance over the total destruct...