In Attar's The Tale of Shibli and the Baker, the narrative contrasts true spiritual devotion with superficial affection. The baker claims to be an ardent lover of the famous mystic Shibli based purely on his reputation. However, when an unrecognized Shibli takes a single loaf of bread from his shop, the baker snatches it back angrily. The anecdote demonstrates that theoretical or proclaimed love is meaningless if it cannot withstand the simplest test of material detachment and sacrifice, revealing the hollowness of devotion that relies solely on hearsay without inner transformation.