Farid ud-din 'Attar (lived 12th century AD)

Persian mystic and religious poet. He wrote ‘Mantiq al-Tayr/Language of the Birds’, a long, mystical, and allegorical poem. Shiite tendencies in his work led to his expulsion from Nishapur.

He is thought to have lived during last half of the 12th century and beginning of the 13th century AD, but there is no certainty as to the precise period of his life. It was his ‘Mazhar al-'Aja 'ib/Manifestation of Wonders’ that caused his expulsion from Nishapur and afterwards he lived chiefly in Mecca. He also wrote the ‘Pand-nama/Book of Counsels’, the ‘Tadhkirat al-Awliya'/Memoirs of Saints’ and many other works.