Iran marks National Day of Iranian poet Attar of Nishapur
Every year, a number of literati, scholars and people gather at the mausoleum of the Persian poet, mystic, and philosopher Attar of Nishapur to mark National Day of Attar, which was on April 14.
Known by his pen name Farid-oddin Attar Nishapuri, the prominent Iranian poet was born in 1142 and died at the age of 75 in Nishapur, in northeastern Khorasan Razavi Province, during the Mongol invasion of Iran.
Attar means ‘apothecary’ and this nickname was given to him due to his profession. He was probably the son of a prosperous chemist, receiving an excellent education in various fields. He practiced the profession of pharmacy. The people he helped in the pharmacy used to confide their troubles in Attar and this affected him deeply, Mehr wrote.
Eventually, he abandoned his pharmacy store and traveled extensively, seeking wisdom in Baghdad, Basra, Mecca, Medina, Damascus, Turkistan, and India, before finally returning to his birthplace Nishapur.
Attar is one of the most famous mystic poets of Iran. His works were the inspiration of Rumi, Hafiz, and Jami, and many other mystic poets.
According to Iranian literary figure, Mir Jalaleddin Kazzazi, Attar is a master of Persian language who was thoroughly familiar with the delicate and elegant aspects of the language.
Attar is the author of numerous books and works of literature, most important of which are ‘Tazkerat al-Owliya’ (Biographies of the Saints), ‘Manteq-ot-Tayr’ (The Conference of the Birds), ‘Asrar Nameh’, ‘Elahi Nameh’, and ‘Mokhtar Nameh’.
‘Tazkerat al-Owliya’ is a hagiographic collection about the lives, works, and beliefs of 39 Sufi saints during the 12th and 13th centuries.
‘Manteq-ot-Tayr,’ the name of which is taken from the Qur’an, tells the story of a group of birds who gather to decide who is to be their sovereign, as they have none. The hoopoe, the wisest of them all, suggests that they find the legendary Simorgh. The hoopoe leads the birds, each of whom represents a human fault, which prevents humankind from attaining enlightenment.
The hoopoe tells the birds that they have to cross seven valleys in order to reach the abode of the Simorgh.
A manuscript of ‘Manteq-ot-Tayr,’ dating back to the 15th century, is kept in the National Library and Archives of Iran along with 17 other of handwritten texts of his works.