"He who would know the secret of both worlds, Will find the
secret of them both, is Love."
Who is Attar?
Farid od Din Attar was born in Nishapur_Iran and lived
about 1119-1220 (Another source mentions he lived about 1136-1230).
Attar took his name from his occupation. He was a
druggist, perfumist and a doctor in addition to being a poet. Attar
saw as many as 500 patients a day in his shop where he prescribed
herbal extraction/medicine which he made himself. In his shop, he
also wrote while seeing patients.
He lived close to 100 years and was killed by the
Mongol invaders. His tomb is in Nishapur. Attar is one of the most
ancient poets of Persia. His work has been the inspiration of Rumi
and many other mystic poets of Persian Empire. Rumi considered Attar
the spirit and Sanai the eyesight, both of whom were his poetic
masters.
RUMI
POEM- Attar met Rumi at the end of his
life when Rumi was only a boy and gave his book Asrarnameh as a present
to him.
In the dead of night, a Sufi began to weep. He said, "This
world is like a closed coffin, in which We are shut and in which, through
our ignorance, We spend our lives in folly and desolation. When Death
comes to open the lid of the coffin, Each one who has wings will fly
off to Eternity, But those without will remain locked in the coffin.
So, my friends, before the lid of this coffin is taken off, Do all you
can to become a bird of the Way to God; Do all you can to develop your
wings and your feathers."
Attar Sufi Poet- translation by Andrew
Harvey and Eryk Hanut - 'Perfume
of the Desert'
The whole world is a marketplace for Love, For naught that is, from
Love remains remote. The Eternal Wisdom made all things in Love. On
Love they all depend, to Love all turn. The earth, the heavens, the
sun, the moon, the stars The center of their orbit find in Love. By
Love are all bewildered, stupefied, Intoxicated by the Wine of Love.
From each, Love demands a mystic silence. What do all
seek so earnestly? "Tis Love. Love is the subject of their inmost
thoughts, In Love no longer "Thou" and "I" exist,
For self has passed away in the Beloved. Now will I draw aside the veil
from Love, And in the temple of mine inmost soul Behold the Friend,
Incomparable Love. He who would know the secret of both worlds Will
find that the secret of them both is Love.
