Birdsong and other classic texts

Who was Faridaddin 'Attar, to whom 114 works are ascribed, according to the number of Koransures? Who was this poet whose works belong to the classical literature of Sufism, who had such a lasting influence on Persian mystical literature? Little is known about his life from the sources that have been discovered to date: he is said to have been born in Nischapur in northeastern Persia and died there around 1221. `Attar's name indicates that he was a druggist. One can imagine him giving those who came to his shop as customers not only medicinal herbs and perfumes, but also stories that would build them up and show them the way to the highest goal, the pearl hidden in the sea of their soul. The 12th century was a time of political unrest, a time ripe for mystical literature of high standing. Although the traditional number of 'Atta.