Farid al-Din Attar
Description
Faridoddin Abu Hamed Mohammad Attar Nishapuri, better known by his pen-names Faridoddin (فریدالدین) and Attar of Nishapur, or simply Attar, was a Persian poet, theoretician of Sufism, and hagiographer from Nishapur who had an immense and lasting influence on Persian poetry, on poet Rumi, and on Sufism. He wrote a collection of lyrical poems and number of long poems in the philosophical tradition of Islamic mysticism, as well as a prose work with biographies and sayings of famous Muslim mystics. The Conference of the Birds, Book of the Divine, and Memorial of the Saints are among his best known works.
Facts
| Born | c. 1145, Nishapur, Seljuk Empire |
| Died | c. 1221 (aged 75–76), Nishapur, Khwarezmian Empire |
| Resting place | Mausoleum of Attar, Nishapur, Iran |
| Venerated in | Islam, and especially by Sufis |
| Influences | Ferdowsi, Sanai, Khwaja Abdullah Ansari, Mansur Al-Hallaj, Abu-Sa'id Abul-Khayr, Bayazid Bastami |
| Influenced | Rumi, Hafez, Jami, Ali-Shir Nava'i and many other later Sufi Poets |
| Tradition or genre | Mystic poetry |
| Major works | Memorial of the Saints, The Conference of the Birds |
Life & work in brief
Summarised by section — one row per topic, for fast reading.
| Topic | Summary |
|---|---|
| Biography | Information about Attar's life is scarce and has been mythologised over the centuries. |
| Teachings | The thoughts depicted in Attar's works reflect the whole evolution of the Sufi movement. |
| Poetry | According to poet Sholeh Wolpe, the best known translator of Attar's poetry, "His poetry, a luminous reimagining of the mystical path, weaves together themes of divine love, self-discovery, and the connection between the earthly and the transcendent. |
| Legacy | Attar is one of the most famous mystic poets of Iran. |
Prophecies
Key prophetic utterances and visions attributed to Farid al-Din Attar, with sources.
| Prophecy / vision | Source |
|---|---|
| Thirty birds (si-morgh) reach the Simorgh — themselves reflected as the king | Mantiq al-Tayr |
| Seven valleys of the quest: quest, love, knowledge, detachment, unity, bewilderment, annihilation | Mantiq al-Tayr |