The Conference of the Birds

A seminal text of the Sufi literature. It influenced both thinkers and the writing styles of subsequent generations. As far as Sufi spiritualism is concerned, the content is timeless.

So, what is this book about? In Attar's words:

This book is all madness. / Reason is alien to these pages. / Not until the soul breathes in / the fragrance of its own lunacy / can it stop being a stranger to itself.

It is difficult to appreciate the accuracy of this statement without reading the book first.

Sufism is all about love. Unconditional, unfailing, love and submission. This brought the practitioners into broad daylight from a narrow tunnel of organised religion. Since they reject anything that is against love, they reject hatred and welcome even critical thinking to a certain extent.

The genius of Attar is manyfold. This is not a philosophical treaty. Philosophy was unimportant (mocked even) to Attar. What he wanted to convey was the journey of a Sufi (consisting of Fanā and Baqā) and its emotional import. He did it with very accessible parables. Some of them are even borderline heresy, but all of them are beautiful.

It is amazing how well this book conveys the deeper meanings of Sufism that many weighty discourses cannot do.