The film is based on a Philosophical treatise on human nature written in the 12th century. A baby alone on a remote island is suckled by a deer. He grows up, covers his body in imitation of animals, makes a weapon from a tree branch to defend himself, and discovers fire with lightning. He thinks of the sky and knows the world as a living body.

From then on, he watered the trees and rescued the helpless animals until a man named Absal came to the island. Absal teaches him the words and Hayy ibn Yaqdhan tells him his observations, Absal takes him from that island to save the people of his land, the people of the city do not understand his words and they are busy appearing and collecting property. When Hayy ibn Yaqdhan realizes his homelessness among those people, he returns to his island.