In Farid al-Din Attar's Mosibat-Nameh, the tale of Joseph in prison being visited by Gabriel serves as a Sufi allegory for the necessity of absolute reliance on God (tawakkul). When Joseph asks the cupbearer to mention him to the king (the Aziz of Egypt) to facilitate his release, Gabriel reproaches him for seeking assistance from a mortal rather than the Divine. The narrative teaches that relying on worldly means or created beings is a spiritual lapse for the seeker, who must recognize God as the ultimate and sole source of deliverance.