Alauddin Al-Attar (circa 1119 – 1185), also known as Fariduddin Attar of Nishapur, was a Sufi poet and mystic. Info about his life is rare and scarce. He is mentioned by only two of his contemporaries, `Awfi and Tusi. However, all sources confirm that he was from Nishapur, a major city of medieval Khorasan, now located in the northeast of Iran. It seems that he was not well known as a poet in his own lifetime, except at his home town, and his greatness as a mystic, a poet, and a master of narrative was not discovered until the 15th century. Attar’s work reflects the whole of Sufi thought, which is the idea that the body-bound soul’s return to its source can be experienced during one’s present life in mystic union attainable through inner work.

Quotes by Alauddin Al-Attar…