In Attar's Conference of the Birds, within the tale of Moses seeking a secret from Iblis, Iblis imparts a profound Sufi warning: never say 'I' (assert the ego). He explains that self-assertion and the desire for worldly success or a 'good name' on the spiritual path lead to arrogance and disbelief, mirroring his own downfall. True servitude requires the complete annihilation of the self, as claiming any spiritual achievement or personal will merely breeds new forms of pride and distances the seeker from the Divine.