The Story of Sheikh Sanān in Mantiq-ut-Tayr of Attār:A Mythical Criticism Based on the Theory of Rite of Passage

"Rite of passage " refers to rituals such as birth, puberty, initiation, death, etc. in ancient societies that have a mythical structure. The theorists of ‘rite of passage’ believe that the mythical structure of these rituals follows a single pattern. By using analytical-descriptive method, the present article attempts to investigate the degree of conformity of the structure of ritual myths with the spiritual journey (Suluk) and behavior of Sheikh Sanān in Mantiq-ut-Tayr of Attār. Emphasizing the ritual nature of Sufism, the present study, while offering a psychoanalytic interpretation of each stage of Sheikh Sanan's mystical passage, shows that the narrative structure of the story is consistent with the four-stage model of theory of "rite of passage" (separation, crisis, transition and reincorporation).