Attar's Thoughts in Asrar Nama

Abstract

Attar, a disciple of Sheikh Majd al-Din Baghdadi in the Sufi tradition, explored the states of mystics, uncovered their secrets, and devoted his own life to spiritual discipline, immersed in divine love. Through this journey, he attained the horizons of mysticism and spirituality, becoming a beacon of guidance for his contemporaries and followers. This article examines Attar’s intellectual perspective in addressing questions such as: Is love the foundation of all things, or reason? How can one truly know God? What is Attar’s relationship with philosophy and philosophers? And how does Attar conceptualize the human soul? The significance of this study lies in guiding young seekers and mystics to understand the path taken by our great masters toward the heights of spiritual perfection, self-knowledge, and knowledge of God. The primary source of this research is Attar’s Asrār-nāma, supplemented by references to Manṭiq al-Ṭayr, in order to investigate his worldview on various subjects. The findings indicate that Attar regards love as the essential path to God, rejects philosophy, consistently emphasizes self-knowledge as the key to knowing God, and encourages humanity to pursue learning and wisdom.