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.

The Conference of the Birds (Penguin Classics)

Literature & Fiction

Attâr, Farîd-ud-Dîn

Poetry

Penguin Classics

Bird Parliament

History

BiblioLife

Abstract: Mantiq Ut-tair, The Conference of the Birds, was composed in the twelfth century by the Persian poet, Farid ud-Din Attar, in the form of an allegorical poem, based on the teaching of the Sufis, of whom Attar was one of the greatest. The book is, as Attar says, ‘A gift for distinguished men and a boon for the common’. Translation: This translation by C. S. Nott was first published in 1954 and at that time only two partial translations were available in England. Stanley Nott’s rendering from the French prose translation of Garcin de Tassy is virtually complete, and as such was the ﬁrst to appear in English. Garcin de Tassy’s translation is as he says, ‘as literal as I have been able to make it intelligible’. He has also retained the flavour, the spirit, and the teaching of Attar’s poem. The brush drawings by Kate Adamson are based on those in an ancient Persian manuscript of Mantiq Ut-tair. Additional content: The appendix of this book includes a note about Attar, a short section on the Sufis and a glossary of some of the names and other words used throughout the text.

The Conference of the Birds

Religion & Spirituality

Islam

Toward Publishing

Farid ud-Din Attar was a Persian poet, druggist, and social theorist of Sufism, who wrote much of his poetry while treating hundreds of patients a day with his herbal remedies. As a young man he made a pilgrimage to Mecca, and sought wisdom during his travels in Egypt, Damascus, and India. His masterpiece, “The Conference of the Birds”, has survived centuries because of its captivating poetic style and its symbolic exploration on the true nature of God. This 4500-line poem follows the birds of the world, each of which hold special significance, as they seek out the Simurgh, a mythical Persian bird much like the phoenix, in hopes that he might be their king. The birds must cross seven valleys on their quest, each of which represents various trials that the individual must pass through to realize the true nature of God. Within the overlying allegory, Attar captivates readers with short, charming stories in beautiful and clever language. This edition is printed on premium acid-free paper and follows the translation of Edward Fitzgerald.

Digireads.com Publishing

Conference of the Birds: A Mystic Allegory

Mount San Antonio College/Philosophy Group

The Conference of the Birds: The Selected Sufi Poetry of Farid Ud-Din Attar

RICHLY-ILLUSTRATED MYSTICAL CLASSIC The Conference of the Birds is a twelfth-century Sufi allegorical poem. The story of the quest for a king undertaken by the birds of the world, it also describes the Sufi (or mystical Islamic) path to enlightenment. Though hugely popular and influential in the Islamic world, the poem is still relatively unfamiliar in the West. In this edition, the poet Raficq Abdulla has reinterpreted key extracts to make the wisdom of Sufism accessible to the contemporary reader.  Combining amusing anecdotes and satire with passages of great mystical beauty, the poem uses the birds journey to describe the stages of spiritual experience. From proud hawk to avaricious owl, the birds represent human archetypes with their own, very human, reasons for not setting out on the spiritual path. At the end of the tale, the birds discover that what they are seeking is nothing other than themselves: in Sufism, the way to God is inward and enlightenment is the passionate union of an individual soul with the Divine. Richly illustrated with illuminations from Persian manuscripts, this is the only modern illustrated edition of The Conference of the Birds. Through his reworking of these important passages and his detailed introduction to the poem, Raficq Abdulla allows readers access to a mystical classic.

Genre Fiction

INTERLINK+BOOKS

First written in the 12th century, Conference of the Birds is an allegory of extreme measures for extreme times the story of birds seeking a king is the story of all of us seeking God. Like the birds, we may be excited for the journey, until we realize that we must give up our fears and hollow desires, that our journey will be long and hard. Like the duck, we may not wish to leave the water. Like the nightingale, we may want to stay close to our roses.
Direct and to the point, Masani's translation, made in the early part of the 19th century, is particularly apropos for our early 21st century times both are periods of intense spiritual seeking.

Conference of the Birds: A Seeker's Journey to God

Weiser

The Conference of the Birds: A Sufi Fable

Self-Help

Personal Transformation

Book Tree

Le Langage des oiseaux

ALBIN MICHEL

•By turns witty and profound, The Canticle of the Birds transforms deep belief into magnificent poetry •Featuring 207 Persian, Turkish, Afghan and Indo-Pakistani miniatures from the fourteenth to the seventeenth centuries, from public and private collections from around the world A masterpiece of Persian literature written in the twelfth century, The Canticle of the Birds is the poetic expression of a universal initiatory quest, for Love, Truth and Unity. The journey of the birds beyond the seven valleys to meet Simorgh, the legendary bird and allegory of the Supreme Being, symbolizes the voyage of every human soul. The translation by Dick Davis and Afkham Darbandi, published by Penguin Classics in 1984, was the first verse translation in English of Attar's work. His passionate and scholarly translation fluidly renders the poet's thought, as well as the beauty and musicality of his language. For this edition, Dick Davis has translated the prologue and epilogue, and has also reworked several passages. More than two hundred Persian, Turkish, Afghan and Indo-Pakistani works, chosen from the most beautiful manuscripts of the fourteenth to the seventeenth centuries - from the banks of the Bosporus to those of the Ganges - complement the poem. The choice of works benefited from the inestimable contribution of Michael Barry; he has written over two hundred commentaries on the works, presented facing each painting. These commentaries will provide the reader with keys to understanding and interpretation.

The Canticle of the Birds: Illustrated Through Persian and Eastern Islamic Art

Editions Diane de Selliers

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