In Attar's Elahi Nameh, both the Tale of the Elder and the Tale of Abu'l-Fadl Hasan explore the theme of ultimate spiritual humility through deathbed burial requests. However, they approach this rejection of self-righteous pride in different ways:

1. The Elder's Choice: Acknowledging his confused faith, the elder requests to be buried in the liminal space between Muslim and non-Muslim cemeteries, asserting he belongs fully to neither group. This represents a state of honest self-suspension and fear of claiming unearned holiness.
2. Abu'l-Fadl Hasan's Choice: Despite his esteemed status, Hasan requests to be buried near a tavern alongside sinners, thieves, and gamblers. This choice is an active, radical identification with the marginalized and sinful, completely effacing his spiritual reputation.

Both narratives critique religious pretension and highlight the Sufi requirement of absolute self-effacement before the Divine at the end of life.