He was born in Nishapour and lived about 1220 A.D. He lived close to 100 years and was killed by the Mongol invaders. His tomb is in Nishapour (Iran).

Attar took his name from his occupation. He was a druggist, perfumist and a doctor in addition to being a poet. Attar saw many patients a day in his shop where he prescribed herbal extractions and medicine which he made himself.

Attar was at the door of his shop one day when a dervish came by and looked in, smelt the sweet perfumes, then heaved a sigh and wept. Attar thought he was trying to arouse a pity and asked him to leave. The dervish said" "Yes, there is nothing to prevent my leaving your door and saying goodbye to this world. All I have is my worn-out cloak. But I grieve for you, Attar. How can you ever turn your mind to death and renounce all your worldly goods?" Attar replied that he hoped to end his life in poverty and contentment as a dervish. "We shall see," said the dervish and therupon lay down and died. This made such an impression on Attar that he left his shop and became a pupil of the famous shaikh Bukh-ud-din and began to study the Sufi system of ideas.

He later travelled to Rey (near Tehran), Egypt, Damascus, Mecca, Turkestan (southern Russia) and India. He collected the writings of devout Sufis, together with legends and stories on his travels. He then returned to Nishapur where he settled and kept his dharu-khane (a word in Persian meaning perfume or drug store) and it was here that he wrote his poems.

Attar is one of the most mystic poets of Iran. His work has been the inspiration of Rumi and many other mystic poets of Iran. Rumi considered Attar the spirit and Sanai the eyesight, both of whom his poetic masters.

When Mangols inaved Iran, they had captured Attar. It is said that when Changez Khan ordered his commander-in-chief to invade Nishapur, at that time Fariduddin Attar was sitting there with a bowl lying with him. When Mangols reached near Nishapur, Attar turned the bowl upside down, and whole Nishapur was disappeared from the eyesights of the Mangol invaders. The Mangol commander in chief told about it to Changez Khan, and he ordered him to invade Nishapur on next day. Next day also when they reached near Nishapur, Attar turned his bowl upside down, and whole city disappeared. So when Changez Khan heard that news, he decided to invade Nishapur on third day by himself. So on third day Changez Khan led the invading force to attack Nishapur. This time also Fariduddin Attar was about to turn his bowl upside down, suddenly Khidr appeared befor him, and said: "Why are you going against the will of God?" Attar said: "How could I go against the will of God?" Khidr replied: "It's God's will that Mangols should invade Nishapur." After listening to that, Attar dropped his intention to turn upside down his bowl, so then he sat without doing anything to wait for the Mangols to come & invade Mishapur.

When Mangols invaded Nishapur, and killed many people. They captured Fariduddin Attar. One day someone came along and offered a thousand pieces of silver for him. Attar told the Mongol not to sell him for that price since the price was not right. The Mongol accepted Attar's words and did not sell him. Later someone else comes along and offers a sack of straw for him. Attar counsels the Mongol to sell him because that is how much he is worth. The Mongol soldier becomes very angry and cuts off Attar's head so he dies to teach a lesson.

Attar wrote 114 pieces, the same number of suras in the holy book of Qur'an. About thirty of his works survived. To name a few of his works are love stories, biographies of saints, "Asrarnameh" (The Book of Secrets), a collection of quatrains, "Illahinameh" (The Book of God) and the last not the least, his most well known masterpiece of "Mantiq at-Tayr" (The Bird of the Sky) known as "The Conference of the Birds"

In "Illahinameh", he describes six human capacities and abilities: ego, imagination, intellect, thirst for knowledge, thirst for detachment, and thirst for unity. In The book of Secrets, he uses a collection of small stories to elevate the spiritual state of the reader.

In "Mantiq at-Tayr", Attar explains seven valleys which the "Bird of the Sky" goes through and passes to meet Simurgh (Legendary Bird or God). This is a process that each of us goes through. What we make of ourselves and what we become, good or bad, happy or unhappy, satisfied or dissatisfied, we do ourselves.