Attar

Greatest Sufi poet, Farid al-Din 'Attar was born in Nishapur, in northeastern Iran, in 1142. He was beheaded by the invading Mongol army in 1221. His tomb at Shadyakh is visited by many.

http://www.angelfire.com/rnb/bashiri/Poets/Attar.html

A man who drank too much of that which is limpid, often

came to the point when he lost both his senses and his

self-respect. Once, a friend came across him in this

deplorable state, lying on the road. So he got a sack

and put him in feet first and put the sack on his shoulder

and set off for home. On the way, another drunk appeared,

reeling along, supported by a companion. At this, the man

whose head hung out of the sack, woke up, and seeing the

other in this pitiable state said reprovingly: 'Ah, unhappy

man, in future drink two cups of wine less, then you will

be able to walk as I do now - free and alone.'

Our own state is not different. We see faults because we do

not love. If we had the least understanding of real love, the

faults of those near to us would appear as good qualities.

AT1-03

A Sufi, an idiot of God, was tormented by children who

threw stones at him. At last he took refuge in a corner

of a building. But at that moment it began to hail and

the hailstones came through an open skylight and fell on

his head. The man took the hail for pebbles and began to

stretch out his tongue and insult the children, whom he

imagined were throwing them, for the house was dark. At

length he discovered that the pebbles were only hailstones,

and he was sorry and prayed: 'O God, it was because the

house was dark that I have sinned with my tongue.'

If you understand the motives of those who are in dark-

ness, you will, no doubt, forgive them.

AT1-02

"A young pupil, unknown to his shaikh (as he thought)

had a small hoard of gold pieces.

The shaikh said nothing, and one day they set out

together on a journey. At length they came to a dark

valley at the entrance of which were two roads.

The pupil began to be afraid, for gold corrupts its

possessor. Trembling, he asked the shaikh, 'Which

road ought we to take?' The shaikh replied:

'Get rid of that which makes you afraid, then

either road will be good. The devil fears him

who is indifferent to money, and promptly flees

from him.

For the sake of a grain of gold you would split

a hair. In the way of religion gold is like a

lame donkey; it has no value, only weight.

When wealth comes to a man unawares it first

bewilders him, then governs him. He who is

identified with the love of money and posses-

sions has been bound hand and foot and thrown

into a pit.

Avoid this deep pit if you can, if not, hold

your breath, for the air in it is quite extra-

ordinary.'"

AT1-01

                       YUSSUF HAMDANI

Yussif Hamdani  was  a  celebrated  man  of  his  time, a seer,
who  understood  the secrets  of  the worlds. He said: 'All that
which  is  seen,  either  on  the  heights or in the depths - each
atom  in  fact,  is  another  Jacob  asking  for  news of Joseph
whom he has lost.'

In the spiritual way both love and hope are necessary. If you
do  not  have  these you had better give  up the quest.   Man
must try to be patient.  But is a lover ever patient? Be patient
and  strive  with  hope  to  find  someone  who will show you
the  way.    Keep  yourself  within  yourself  and  do  not  let
exterior life capture you.
        AT1-04

             SHAIKH ABU BEKR OF NISHAPUR

         The shaikh went out one day from his monastery in the
company  of  his  disciples,  riding  on  his  donkey  while his
companions followed walking. All at once the donkey broke
wind  with  a  loud  noise,  whereupon  the shaikh gave a cry
and  tore his  khirka.  His disciples looked at him in surprise,
and  one  of them asked him why he  acted like this. He said:
'When I  looked round and  saw the number of my followers
I  thought  to  myself,  "Now  am  I  really  equal  to Bayazid.
Today,  I  am  accompanied  by  many  earnest disciples; so,
tomorrow,  I shall  without doubt  ride with glory and honour
over  the  plain of the resurrection."'  He added, 'It was then,
when  I  presumed  this  to  be  my destiny,  that my donkey
made  that  seemingly  incongruous  noise you heard. By this
he  wished  to  say  "Here  is  the reply  that an ass makes to
him  who has such  pretensions,  and thoughts so vain!" That
is  why  the  fire  of  repentance  fell so suddenly on my soul,
and  why  my  attitude has changed,  and my imaginary posi-
tion has fallen to pieces.'

          O  you  who  change  with every moment,  you are as
Pharaoh  to  the  roots  of  your  hair.  But  if  you destroy in
yourself the  ego  for  a  single  day,  your  darkness  will  be
lighted  up.  Never  say  the  word  'I'. You, because of your
'I's',  are  fallen  into a hundred  evils, and you will always be
tempted of the devil.

AT1-05

            A SAGE'S JEST CONCERNING A PALACE

     A king built a palace which cost him a hundred thousand
dinars.   Outside  it  was  adorned  with  gilded  towers  and
cupolas,  and  the  furniture and  carpets made the interior a
paradise.  When  it  was  finished  he  invited men from every
country  to  visit  him. They came and presented gifts, and he
made  them  all  sit  down  with  him.   Then  he  asked them:
'Tell  me  what  you think  of  my  palace.  Has anything been
forgotten  which  mars  its  beauty?'  They all protested that
never  had  there  been such a palace on earth and never would
its like be seen again.  All, that is, except one, a Sage, who
stood up and said:  'Sire, there is one small crevice which to
me  seems  a  blemish.  Were it not for this blemish, paradise
itself would bring gifts to you from the invisible world.'

 'I don't see this blemish,' said the king angrily. 'You are
an  ignorant  person  and  you  only  wish  to  make  yourself
important.'  'No,  proud King,'  replied the Sage. 'this chink
of  which  I  speak is that through which Azreal, the angel of
death,  will  come.   Would  to  God  you could stop it up, for
otherwise, what is the use of your gorgeous palace, your crown
and  your  throne?  When  death  comes they will be as a hand-
ful  of  dust.  Nothing lasts, and it is this which spoils the
beauty  of  your  dwelling.  No art can make stable that which
is  unstable.   Ah, do  not  put  your hopes of happiness upon
a palace! Do not let the courser of your pride caracole. If no
one  dares  to speak plainly to the king and remind him of his
faults, that is a great misfortune.'
              AT1-06

AT1 - The Conference of the Birds

Farid Ud-din Attar

C. S. Nott, trans.

     Samuel Weiser, Inc.
      New York, NY
- 01 p. 60

- 02 p. 82

- 03 p. 90

  - 04  p. 100

  - 05  p.  86

  - 06  p.  62