Attar, Farid al-Din [d.617H - 1221CE]'alayhi al-rahmah wa'l-ridwan

Great Persian Sufi Poet. Born in Nishapur, North Eastern Iran. Known for Sufi epic poems narrating the souls progression to inner perfection, as well as couplet poems, the most famous of which is the Simurgh. Wrote a widely read Sufi hagiography. His stories uphold the idea that the release of the soul is attainable in life by eliminating the self, that the universal soul is found within. Notable for lively presentations full of anecdotes & didactic digressions.

'Attar's works fall within three categories. First are those works in which mysticism is in perfect balance with a finished, story-teller's art. The second group are those in which a pantheistic zeal gains the upper hand over literary interest. The third are those in which the aging poet idolizes the saint Ali. During this period there is no trace of ordered thoughts and descriptive skills. One of 'Attar's major poetic works is called Asrar Nameh (Book of Secrets) about Sufi ideas. This is the work that the aged Shaykh gave Maulana Jalal al-Din Rumi when Rumi's family stayed over at Nishapur on its way to Konya, Turkey. Another major contribution of 'Attar is the Elahi Nameh (Divine Book), about zuhd or asceticism. But foremost among 'Attar's works is his Manteq al-Tayr (Conference of the Birds) in which he makes extensive use of Al-Ghazali's Risala on Birds as well as a treatise by the Ikhvan al-Safa (the Brothers of Serenity) on the same topic.

 Conference of the Birds : A Seekers Journey to God  by Farid 'ud-Din Attar

 Paperback - 72 pages

Written in the 12th Century, Farid ad-Din Attar's Allah be pleased with him metaphorical tale of birds seeking a King (God) has inspired readers across time and around the world. In this edition, from R.P. Masani's 1923 translation, noted Sufi scholar and spiritual teacher Andrew Harvey sets the scene. '' The allegorical framework has the stark, luminous simplicity of Islamic calligraphy. You may believe you are reading a witty, dazzling allegory. Very soon, however, if you reading with attention, you will realise you are being drawn into a vision of a mystical path of the greatest depth.''   

Like the birds, we may anticipate our pilgrimage until we realise that we must relinquish our fears and hollow desires. One by one, the birds - and the different types of humans they represent - begin to make excuses. Conference of the Birds is not for the faint hearted. Yet, if we want to know God and our own true and best selves, reading and re-reading these stories reveals the path.   

 
Our Price £9.95                        FREE UK DELIVERY

The Speech of the Birds - Mantiqu't-Tair   by Farid 'ud-Din Attar

Paperback - 576 pages

Book Description : Mantiqu't-Tair is one of the masterpieces of Persian literature of which a complete and annotated translation into English is here presented for the first time as The Speech of the Birds. The text revolves around the decision of the birds of the world to seek out a king. Their debilitating doubts and fears, the knowing counsel of their leader Hoopoe, and their choice of the Simurgh as a king, is in reality an allegory of the spiritual path of Sufism with its demands, its hazards and its infinite rewards. The poem contains many admonitory anecdotes and exemplary stories, including numerous references to some of the early Muslim mystics such as Rabi'a al-'Adawiyya, Abu Sa'id ibn Abi'l-Khair, Mansur al-Hallaj and ShibliMay Allah be pleased with all, among others.  

In The Speech of the Birds, Peter Avery has not only given us a precise and moving translation, but also ample annotation providing much information to fill in what Attar May Allah be pleased with him would have expected his readers to know. The result is a fascinating insight into a remarkable aspect of Islam: the world of ecstatic love of the Persian mystics. The Speech of the Birds will be of interest to everyone who values great literature, as well as to all students of Persian and Sufism.

 
Our Price £25.95                     FREE UK DELIVERY

Farid ud-Din Attar -- The Conference of the Birds    (Penguin Classics)

Paperback - 224 pages

Like "Rumi" and "Hafiz", the name "Attar" conjures up images of passionate attraction to the divine. A Persian Sufi of the 12th century, Attar's masterpiece is the Conference of the Birds, an epic allegory of the seeker's journey to God. When all the birds of the world convene and determine that they lack a king, one bird stands forth and offers to lead them to a great and mighty monarch. Initially excited, each bird falters in turn, whereupon their leader admonishes them with well-targeted parables. These pithy tales are the delight of this four-and-a-half thousand line poem, translated deftly into rhymed couplets. What is your excuse for not seeking God--your life is fine already, you prefer material pleasure, you aren't holy enough, you have pride, lack courage or are burdened with responsibility? Attar has an answer to encourage you on the path. And when you get to the promised land, who is the king that you will find? It may not be who you would expect, but you must make the journey to see. --Brian Bruya 

'A most beautifully illustrated rendition of the 12th Century allegorical tale that has been described as the Islamic Canterbury Tales.' -- YH

 
Our Price £9.95                       FREE UK DELIVERY