Concept

The Allegory of the Tailor and the Turk in the Masnavi

The story of the tailor and the Turk in Book Six of the Masnavi serves as a Sufi allegory for how worldly delusions and pleasures distract the soul, leading to the loss of spiritual life. The Turk represents the gullible seeker or idler who is overconfident in his own self-control, while the tailor represents the deceitful world (or the ego) that uses amusement and jokes (representing worldly desires) to blind the seeker (shutting the Turk's eyes in laughter). Each fit of laughter allows the tailor to steal pieces of the satin, representing the precious moments of one's life. Ultimately, the seeker's life is wasted on frivolous amusement, leaving them with a 'tight coat' or a spiritually impoverished state.

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Updated 2026-07-04

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Persian Literature Prerequisite Course