Attar - Farīd al-Dīn Muammad 'Aār (English spelling)

Persian poet. Born in Nishapur in eastern Iran, he is said to have been killed in 1221 during the Mongol invasion. He followed in his father's footsteps in medicine, but later took the path of mysticism, composing many mystical poems, and is considered one of the three great poets of Persian mysticism alongside Sana'i and Rumi. There is a famous anecdote that in his later years he met the young Rumi in his hometown, predicted his future success, and presented him with a collection of his own poems. He was a very prolific poet, and it is said that he produced as many as 114 works, including poetry and prose. About 20 of his works remain, and he is known as a pioneer of mystical epic poetry. His representative works include "The Language of Birds," "The Poems of Attar," "The Book of Mysteries," "The Book of God," "The Book of Khosrow," "The Book of Misfortune," and "The Book of Choice," with "The Language of Birds" being particularly famous. His prose work, Lives of the Mystical Saints, a collection of biographies of 75 prominent mystics, is highly regarded as a valuable research resource.

[Tsuneo Kuroyanagi]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

ペルシアの詩人。イラン東部のニシャプールで生まれ、モンゴル軍の侵入時、1221年に殺害されたという説もある。医薬を業とした父を継いだが、のちに神秘主義の道を歩み、多くの神秘主義詩をつくり、サナーイー、ルーミーと並んでペルシア神秘主義三大詩人の一人に数えられる。晩年に生地で若いルーミーに会い、その将来の大成を予言して自作の詩集を贈ったという逸話は名高い。非常に多作な詩人で、その作品は詩集、散文あわせて114編にも達したといわれる。現存するのは約20編で、神秘主義叙事詩の開拓者として知られる。代表作には『鳥の言葉』『アッタール詩集』『神秘の書』『神の書』『ホスローの書』『非運の書』『選択の書』などがあり、とくに『鳥の言葉』は名高い。75人の著名な神秘主義者の伝記を収めた散文作品『神秘主義聖者列伝』は貴重な研究資料として高い評価を受けている。

［黒柳恒男］

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