Investigating the role of allegory in individual-social protests of Rumi's Masnavi complaints Kolsoum Tabkhkar Hasankiyadeh 1 , Mohsen Izadyar *2 , Shahrokh Hekmat 3 Abstract Human nature is innately compatible with allegory and storytelling. Hence, one of the teaching and rhetorical methods that has been used in the heavenly books and consequently mystical books is sending proverbs. Because the proper use of this method causes a better effect and reduces the dryness and boredom of teaching and preaching, followed by a deeper and deeper impact on the mind and conscience of the audience. Among Persian- speaking speakers, few can be found who, like Rumi, have understood the role of allegory in understanding and conveying concepts to the audience and have used it in the most intelligent way. The importance of allegory in Masnavi is such that if we separate proverbs and anecdotes from it, nothing will remain but "the milk of the dream and the tail and the tears". (Zamani, 1385: 859) Protest against the moral and social disorders of the society is one of the moral issues that seriously entered the field of literature due to some injustices and discrimination. Complaints and grievances are dedicated to Rumi trying to make his protest against the unrest more vivid and prominent by using the allegory. In the present article, which has been done by descriptive-analytical method, based on the method of library studies, the role of allegory in the individual and social protests of Masnavi has been studied. What is the role and importance of allegory in expressing protest concepts in Masnavi and Rumi has used a trick for this purpose are the main questions of the present study. The purpose of this study was to investigate the critical attitudes and protests of Rumi in Masnavi based on allegory and explain the role and effect of allegory and allegorical stories in the reflection of individual and social anomalies in the spiritual Masnavi. The results of the research indicate that Masnavi allegories have caused a better effect of Rumi's protests. Also, a large part of Masnavi's protests is dedicated to social issues, and attention to society and its pains has always been one of Rumi's main concerns. Keywords: protest, allegory, theme, complaint, spiritual Masnavi. 1- Ph.D Student of Persian Language and Literature, Islamic Azad University, Arak Branch, Arak, Iran. 2- Assistant Professor of Persian Language and Literature, Islamic Azad University, Arak Branch, Arak, Iran. 3- Associate Professor of Persian Language and Literature, Islamic Azad University, Arak Branch, Arak, Iran. Please cite this article as (APA): Tabkhkar hasankiyadeh, K., Izadyar, M., Hekmat, S. (2022). Investigating the role of allegory in individual-social protests of Rumi's Masnavi complaints. Journal of Pedagogic and Lyric in Persian Language and Literature Studies Quarterly, 14(52): 41-67. http://dorl.net/dor/ 20.1001.1.2717431.1401.14.52.3.1. Creative Commons: CC BY-SA 4.0 DOR: 20.1001.1.2717431.1401.14.52.3.1 Publisher: Islamic Azad University Bushehr Branch / No. 52 / Summer 2022 Received: 30 June 2022 Received in revised form: 05 August 2022 Accepted: 03 August 2022 Published online: 03 August 2022