Who was Faridaddin `Attar, to whom 114 works are attributed, corresponding to the number of chapters in the Quran? Who was this poet whose works are considered part of the classical literature of Sufism and who had a profound influence on Persian mystical literature? The sources uncovered so far reveal little about his life: he is said to have been born in Nishapur in northeastern Persia and to have died there around 1221. `Attar's name indicates that he was a druggist. One can imagine him not only providing healing herbs and fragrances to those who came to his shop but also sharing stories that would uplift them and guide them toward the highest goal, the pearl hidden in the sea of their soul. The 12th century was a time of political unrest, a period ripe for high-ranking mystical literature.