Attar: Poet and Mystic of the Seven Cities of Love, Part 1 of 2

Numerous stories recount Attar’s renunciation of worldly possessions and his embrace of a life marked by asceticism, seclusion, and spiritual devotion. The most renowned of these, narrated by the poet-theologian Mawlānā Jāmī, tells how… “One day, a wandering dervish, a Muslim ascetic, entered his shop. Struck by the wealth and abundance on display, the dervish paused in astonishment. His quiet presence unsettled Attar, who asked him to leave the store. As the dervish turned to go, he pointed to his simple cloak and said, I have nothing, and leaving is easy for me. But you, with all of this, how will you manage to leave?’” These words pierced Attar to the core. He began to reflect on the impermanence of material wealth and the deeper meaning of life.

Attar’s verse reflects his transition from practicing medicine to embracing the spiritual path of Sufism: “You are a treasure, yet bound by a spell, A soul imprisoned in a body’s shell. From this world’s dungeon, lift your veil and flee, Break free from chains and set your spirit free.” Soon after, Attar left his pharmacy and set out on a spiritual quest.

Most of Attar’s poetic contributions are in the masnavi form, combining allegory, mysticism, and rich narrative to explore the inner journey of the soul. “Asrār-Nāma,” or “Book of Secrets,” consists of 22 chapters, each exploring key principles of Sufism, conveyed through a series of anecdotes and parables. In this work, Attar illustrates the idea that the material world is an illusion, we perceive only the outward appearance of things, not their inner truth. If we could see beyond appearances, he suggests, we would realize that the essence of all things originates from a single Divine source.

When Venerated Enlightened Master and poet Rūmī (vegetarian) was a child, He migrated with His father and family from Iran to Konya (in present-day Türkiye). Along the way, He and His family stopped in the city of Nishapur. There, young Rūmī met the renowned poet and mystic Attar, who was already an old and respected figure. At the time, Rūmī was only 10 years old. Impressed by the boy’s intelligence and spiritual depth, Attar told Rūmī’s father that the child would one day attain a lofty rank in poetry and mysticism and become famous across the world. It is said that Attar gifted Rūmī a copy of his “Asrār- Nāma” (“Book of Secrets”). Later, Rūmī, greatly influenced by Attar, composed His “Masnavi-ye-Ma'navi,” or “The Masnavi.” This famous statement by Rumi describes His thoughts: “Attar is the soul and Sanai its two eyes, I came after Sanai and Attar.”