In Book 3 of Jalaluddin Rumi's Masnavi, as Daquqi steps forward to lead the spiritual congregation in prayer, Rumi transforms the ritual of Islamic prayer (salat) into a profound metaphor for spiritual sacrifice and the Day of Judgment. Rumi explains that the opening declaration, the takbir ('Allahu Akbar'), signifies the slaughter of the carnal soul (nafs) before God, comparing the physical body to Ishmael and the soul to Abraham. The physical postures of the prayer further symbolize the soul's accounting on the Day of Resurrection. Standing (qiyam) represents rising before God to answer for how one spent their life and physical senses. The subsequent bowing (ruku') and prostration (sujud) embody the worshipper's overwhelming shame, awe, and inability to stand upright under the intense weight of divine questioning. Through this narrative, Rumi illustrates that true prayer is an intense, ego-annihilating encounter with the Divine.