The Conference of the Birds
| The Conference of the Birds | |
|---|---|
| by Attar of Nishapur | |
Scene from The Conference of the Birds in a Persian miniature. The hoopoe, center right, instructs the other birds on the Sufi path. | |
| Original title | مقامات الطیور |
| Written | c. 1177 CE |
| Country | Iran |
| Language | Classical Persian |
| Subject(s) | Persian mythology, Sufism |
The Conference of the Birds or Speech of the Birds (Arabic: منطق الطیر, Manṭiq-uṭ-Ṭayr, also known as مقامات الطیور Maqāmāt-uṭ-Ṭuyūr; 1177) is a Persian poem by Sufi poet Farid ud-Din Attar, commonly known as Attar of Nishapur. The title is taken directly from the Qur’an, 27:16, where Sulayman (Solomon) and Dāwūd (David) are said to have been taught the language, or speech, of the birds (manṭiq al-ṭayr). Attar’s death, as with his life, is subject to speculation.