In Farid al-Din Attar's The Conference of the Birds, the story of the man who repeatedly breaks his vows of repentance and falls back into sin illustrates a central Sufi concept: the boundlessness of divine mercy. Despairing of his inability to remain steadfast, the man is comforted by a divine voice (Hatef) indicating that God's door of forgiveness remains open to those who turn back in sincerity. This concept teaches that remorse and the acknowledgment of one's weakness are crucial stages in spiritual progress, preventing the seeker from falling into absolute despair.