In Book 3 of Jalaluddin Rumi's Masnavi, the deceased sorcerer answers his children in a dream, providing a decisive test to determine whether Moses is a mere magician or a genuine prophet. He instructs them to attempt to steal Moses's staff while he sleeps. The father explains the metaphysical distinction between human magic and divine miracles: a sorcerer's power relies on conscious effort and cunning, which cease during physical sleep. He compares a sleeping sorcerer to a sleeping shepherd whose flock is left vulnerable to wolves. Conversely, if Moses is a true messenger, his power is perpetually sustained by God. Because God is the eternal, unsleeping guardian, the staff remains fiercely protected regardless of the prophet's physical state. Rumi uses this narrative to illustrate that divine miracles are rooted in the Ultimate Reality, transcending human limitations and conscious exertion.