Sheikh San'Aan, an old man, is highly devout and the leader of his people. He has lived in Kaaba for about fifty years, accepting disciples and praying and fasting continuously. He has performed the Hajj fifty times and discovered many spiritual secrets.

One day, he has a dream that he is settled in Rûm and bowing to an idol. This dream repeats over several consecutive nights. He travels to Rûm with his disciples, where he meets a Christian woman and falls in love with her, spending over a month begging for her acceptance. The woman comes up with four conditions for the sheikh:bow to the idol, burn the Quran, start drinking wine and abandon the faith.

In the center of the rug design, the old man's powerlessness and helplessness can be seen, begging the beautiful girl to accept his love. The companions of this disciple who see his disability are very sad and is depicted in the left part of the picture.

This story is a romantic narrative written by the renowned Iranian poet Farid ud-Din Attar, also known as Attar of Nishapur (Attar Nyshaburi). He is one of the most famous and influential poets in Persian literature. Attar's works, especially "The Conference of the Birds" (Mantiq al-Tayr), have had a significant impact on Sufi literature and Persian poetry. His storytelling weaves together themes of mysticism, love, and spiritual enlightenment, often using allegory and symbolism to explore the soul's journey toward the divine.