Farid Attar : The Conference of the Birds

 Farid ud-Din Attar - The Conference of the Birds,
[A5] Paperback - 304 pages,
Translated with an Introduction by :
Afkham Darbandi & Dick Davis.
Penguin Classics.




Description : 


Composed in the twelfth century in north-eastern Iran, Attar's great mystical poem is among the most significant of all works of Persian literature. A marvellous, allegorical rendering of the Islamic doctrine of Sufism - an esoteric system concerned with the search for truth through God - it describes the consequences of the conference of the birds of the world when they meet to begin the search for their ideal king, the Simorgh bird.



On hearing that to find him they must undertake an arduous journey, the birds soon express their reservations to their leader, the hoopoe. With eloquence and insight, however, the hoopoe calms their fears, using a series of riddling parables to provide guidance in the search for spiritual truth. By turns witty and profound, The Conference of the Birds transforms deep belief into magnificent poetry.



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.




Reviews :

''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.







Other works of Farid al-Din Attar,
Homepage of Sufism.

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