Attar of Nishapur (c. 1145-1221) was a Persian poet, mystic, and pharmacist whose allegorical poem The Conference of the Birds (Mantiq al-Tayr) is one of the masterworks of Sufi literature. He composed dozens of works exploring the soul's journey toward divine union and influenced later poets including Rumi.

What Is The Conference of the Birds?

The Conference of the Birds tells the story of thousands of birds who set out on a journey to find the Simorgh, their mythical king. Led by the hoopoe, they cross seven valleys representing stages of the spiritual path: quest, love, knowledge, detachment, unity, bewilderment, and annihilation. When the thirty surviving birds finally arrive, they discover that the Simorgh (which in Persian can be read as si morgh, meaning thirty birds) is themselves. The seeker and the sought are one.

How Did Attar Influence Rumi?

Rumi himself declared that Attar traversed the seven cities of love while he was still at the turn of a lane. According to tradition, the young Rumi met the elderly Attar, who recognized his spiritual potential. Attar's narrative poetry, which wove together hundreds of teaching stories within a larger spiritual framework, directly shaped the structure and style of Rumi's Masnavi.

What Are Attar's Other Important Works?

Beyond The Conference of the Birds, Attar wrote The Book of God (Ilahi-nama), a dialogue between a king and his six sons about the nature of true spiritual kingship, and The Memorial of the Saints (Tadhkirat al-Awliya), biographical accounts of major Sufi masters. He composed an estimated 100,000 verses across his works.

What Happened to Attar?

Tradition holds that Attar was killed during the Mongol invasion of Nishapur in 1221, though details are uncertain. His tomb in Nishapur remains a place of pilgrimage. Speak with Attar on HoloDream about the soul's journey, the unity of seeker and sought, and the stories that dissolve the boundaries of self.