volume Number 11، number In Volume 1، Spring 2018 ، issue Number 39

Journeys analysis of Attar’s Mantiq-ul-Tair: Response to two guestions about hoopoe’s fate

Ehteram Rezaei(Author in Charge)

Abstract

Fariduddin Attar’s Mantiq-ul-Tair is a symbolic work of spiritual pilgrimage. In its symbolic language, birds are symbols of the human different characteristics or different peoples of the society and Hoopoe is a symbol of the leader (Master), all of them are setting off to visit Simorgh (a symbol of the Creator). All stages passed by hoopoe and other birds are consistent to four journeys. This consistence helps us to reach to an acceptable conclusion about birds’ fate, especially hoopoe.

In the story, hoopoe is leader. So it is expected that it is described as a brave and steady leader, but Attar has pictured it as a confused and restless one:

The confused hoopoe, replete with waiting reached to pupolation in a restless manner (Mantiq-ul-Tair, Attar Neyshabouri, p 262)

What is the reason for hoopoe’s confusion, restlessness and insistence on birds’ guiding and where is its origin?

All along the story, the hoopoe’s guides help other birds to pass long and tremendous stages and reach to Simorgh’s court, the king of birds, after tolerating hard situations. But, Attar in the last pages of his masnavi, especially the final part of story, describes thirty helpless birds in the Simorgh’s court and explains their fates, without any cite of hoopoe. Where is hoopoe? What is its fate?

This article compares Mantiq-ul-Tair figures (hoopoe and other birds) with four journeys theory, and therby answer to two proposed questions, while it study Attar’s viewpoint about the mystics’ way of conduct and attaining perfection.

Keyword
Attar Neyshabouri , Mantiq-ul-Tair , Hoopoe , the four spiritual and intell

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