Concept

The Allegory of the Gnat and the Wind in Attar's Asrar Nameh

In Attar's Asrar Nameh, the tale of the gnat complaining to Prophet Solomon about the wind serves as a profound Sufi allegory. When Solomon summons the wind to answer the gnat's accusations, the gnat is immediately blown away and flees. Solomon observes that the wind is not inherently unjust; rather, the gnat simply lacks the strength to withstand the wind's sheer force. Symbolically, the gnat represents the fragile, illusory human ego, while the wind symbolizes the overwhelming presence of Divine Reality. The narrative teaches that just as the gnat cannot exist in the presence of a gale, the transient self and its worldly complaints vanish completely when confronted with the majesty of Absolute Truth.

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Updated 2026-07-04

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Humanities

Literature

Persian Literature Prerequisite Course