Persian literary texts serve as a mirror reflecting Iranian cultural attitudes toward animals—one that portrays both the virtues and vices of human-animal relations, while also prescribing a distinct ethical framework. While the human being, regarded as the noblest of creatures, is endowed with both reason and soul (nafs), the animal is typically considered to possess only the soul, lacking intellect and spirit. Nevertheless, the soul or life-force itself is not a trivial matter; in Persian literature, the mere possession of life is deemed sufficient and significant for preserving the dignity of animals. While the spirit is considered independent of the body, the soul is intrinsically tied to it, both in origin and in continuity. Persian thinkers appear to identify the most tangible criterion for recognizing the animal soul in that part of the body which accentuates the resemblance between human and animal—namely, the animal’s human-like eye. An animal that gazes directly into the eyes of a human compels the observer to perceive it as akin to themselves, to feel a sense of shame before it, and consequently to inflict less harm.