Attar

Farid al-Din Attar of Nishapur, known as Attar, was born in Nishapur, and his life was connected with pharmacy, medicine, poetry, and mystical practice. The exact dates of his birth and death are not certain, but most scholars consider him one of the major figures of the sixth and early seventh centuries AH. The title "Attar" refers to his profession as a perfumer and herbalist.

Attar was among the greatest mystical poets of Persian literature, and his works played an important role in developing the symbolic language of Iranian mysticism. His most famous work, "The Conference of the Birds," is an allegorical poem about the birds' journey toward the Simurgh, presenting stages of spiritual progress through poetic narrative. Other important works attributed to him include "The Book of Affliction," "The Divine Book," "The Book of Secrets," and his collected poems.

His prose work "Tazkirat al-Awliya" is a collection of accounts and sayings of Sufi masters and is an important source for understanding mystical traditions and the religious-experiential language of Persian Sufism.

Attar's thought centers on love, annihilation of the self, liberation from self-centeredness, moving beyond calculating reason, and direct experience of truth. Through stories, allegories, and poetry, he transformed complex mystical ideas into a vivid and influential expression.