Consider whether Hafez’s praise of worldly pleasures (e.g. eroticism, drinking, celebration) complicate his apparent asceticism or if it can somehow be reconciled with it.
According to Hafez, worldly pleasures do not refrain an individual from reconciling with the apparent asceticism. He appears to highlight the importance of relationship with God and worldly pleasures that may lead to one’s own self discovery. Hafez’s unique poetry explicitly demonstrated that it is possible to be connected with God while one is under the influence of alcohol. His views on religion and worldly pleasures constantly have been criticized by others because religious ecstasy and reconciliation with God is only supposed to obtained by following certain norms. Hafez also discussed the humanly love vs. divine love in his poems, “Plant friendship’s tree” and “Thanks be to God” (Vol B 363-365) and through these poems, Hafez conveyed that worldly pleasures do not complicate the appearant asceticism.
Yes, at least for Hafez, earthly pleasures can be reconciled with apparent asceticism. It is evident that Hafez finds himself in harmony with the world when consuming wine. As soon as drinking wine makes him happy that is a good sign for Sufi man who values happiness highly.
I definitely agree with your point. I also believe that he used those worldly pleasures to achieve some sort of earthly divinity. Using something he could find in the physical world to make him feel spiritual.