Farid Ud Din Attar - Icon Profile | Alexandria
Farid ud-Din Attar (c. 1145-1221 CE), whose full name was Abu Hamid bin Abu Bakr Ibrahim, stands as one of Persian literature's most influential mystical poets and Sufi theorists. Known simply as Attar ("the perfumer"), a reference to his profession as a pharmacist and perfume seller in Nishapur, Iran, he transformed the landscape of Sufi poetry through his masterful allegorical works that continue to captivate readers across centuries.
The earliest reliable accounts of Attar's life emerge from 12th-century Nishapur, though the precise details of his biography remain shrouded in mystery. This period marked a golden age of Persian Sufi literature, occurring against the backdrop of mounting political tensions that would eventually culminate in the Mongol invasions. Contemporary chronicles suggest that Attar's pharmacy served as a gathering place for mystics and philosophers, where the poet's early spiritual transformation likely took root.
Attar's magnum opus, "The Conference of the Birds" (Mantiq ut-Tair), revolutionized allegorical poetry through its tale of birds embarking on a perilous journey to find their king, the Simorgh. This work, along with his other major compositions including "The Book of Divine" (Ilahi-nama) and "The Memorial of the Saints" (Tadhkirat al-Awliya), established a new paradigm for expressing complex spiritual concepts through accessible metaphors. His influence extended far beyond his era, inspiring later poets such as Rumi, who allegedly met Attar as a child and received his blessing along with a copy of his "Book of Mysteries."
The legacy of Attar resonates powerfully in contemporary spiritual and literary discourse, with his works being continuously reinterpreted through modern translations and adaptations. His exploration of the soul's journey toward divine truth speaks to current questions about self-discovery and spiritual authenticity. The mysterious circumstances of his death—reportedly during the Mongol invasion of Nishapur—add a final layer of poignancy to his life's narrative, leaving scholars to ponder the full extent of his uncollected works and teachings. How many of Attar's insights, one might wonder, still lie waiting to be discovered in the depths of his multilayered allegories?