In Attar's 'Conference of the Birds', the story of Alexander acting as his own disguised messenger serves as an allegory for the hidden presence of the Divine in the world. Because the people lacked true vision ('eyes like Alexander's'), they failed to recognize the king even when he stood right before them. This narrative illustrates a fundamental Sufi teaching: the ultimate Truth or spiritual sovereign is intimately present and accessible to the receptive heart, yet remains unrecognized by those who are 'misguided' and rely solely on superficial appearances.