From Attar to Avicenna: Notes on Timeless Texts. Treasures of Astan Quds Razavi: The Attariyan Library’s Explorations. “This series is a humble attempt to reflect on the timeless wisdom found in Persian and English classics, curated from the invaluable foreign books collection of the Astan Quds Razavi Library. With the kind support of the library’s administration, these notes aim to bridge cultures and celebrate the universal ideas within these texts—from Avicenna’s philosophy to Attar’s poetry and beyond.”
“Step into this sanctuary of words, where the Simurgh—Attar’s immortal phoenix, dry-nurse of Zal, and guide to the seekers of truth—spreads its wings over a nest of timeless wisdom. Here, amidst echoes of Ferdowsi’s epics, Avicenna’s revelations, and the whispered allegories of Sufi mystics, we gather feathers of insight from the Astan Quds Razavi’s celestial library.
This is no ordinary aviary: it is a home for the winged words of poets, philosophers, and scientists who have soared across languages and centuries. Like the thirty birds of Attar’s parable, may you, too, find your reflection in these pages.
پرندگان این قفس نه مرغان خاکیاند
بلندپروازان اندیشهی انسانیاند
(‘The birds of this cage are not of earthly flock—
They are the high-soaring falcons of human thought.’)
Explore, perch, and take flight.”