The zealot is the uncle of Baybars, the man who incited the mob against Desert Rose and whipped Suleiman nearly to death. The zealot comments on the “ungodly” state of Konya and how he sees it as his duty, as well as the duty of Baybars, to right the madness. The zealot sees the Sufis as a major part of the downfall of the city.

The night before Shams meets Rumi, Shams thinks about the meeting to come. He remarks upon the importance of knowing oneself because knowing oneself brings one closer to God. He thinks of himself as a conduit between the underbelly of the world and Rumi, and destined to represent the world to Rumi.

Riding through the streets on horseback, Rumi is approached by Shams. Shams asks Rumi to name which person was more holy—a famous mystic or the Prophet Muhammad. Rumi is taken aback by the question but the two debate before the crowd and come to equally respect one another. Rumi suddenly realizes that Shams is the man from his dream but instead of feeling joy, he is struck with a sense of dread.