In his Elahi Nameh, Farid al-Din Attar retells the story of three Muslim captives—an Alawite, a scholar, and a marginalized, effeminate man (hayiz)—who are ordered by the Roman ruler to bow to an idol or face death. Drawing on an earlier narrative by Hakim Sanai, Attar uses this allegory to subvert traditional social and religious hierarchies. The scholar justifies outward apostasy through legal loopholes, and the Alawite relies on the intercession of his noble lineage. In contrast, the marginalized man is the only one who displays true, uncompromising sincerity, demonstrating that authentic faith transcends formal religious status.