"Shaikh San'an and the Christian Maiden", Folio 22v from a Mantiq al-Tayr (Language of the Birds) 1575 - 1625

This painting is a page from Farid al-Din `Attar's "Language of the Birds," a Sufi allegory exploring spiritual enlightenment. The story of Shaikh San'an, a respected Muslim cleric, and his infatuation with a Christian maiden, unfolds against a backdrop of medieval religious and cultural interactions. The image captures a pivotal moment: the Shaikh lies prostrate, seemingly in a state of religious and emotional surrender, before the maiden. His followers look on in dismay. Here we see a subversion of traditional hierarchies, where religious authority is upended by personal desire, and the perceived purity of faith is challenged by the allure of the ‘other’. Attar, writing in a time of considerable cultural exchange, uses this narrative to explore themes of devotion, sacrifice, and the transcendence of religious boundaries. How are we to understand the Shaikh's emotional journey? Does his submission represent ultimate devotion, or a tragic loss of self? This painting challenges us to confront our own preconceptions about love, faith, and identity.