Mir Fendereski

Mir Fendereski (1562–1640), whose full name was Mir Abulqasim Mirfendereski, was a Persian philosopher, poet, and mystic of the Safavid era. He is described as an enigmatic figure about whom little is known. He was likely born around 1562/63 and died at about eighty years old. Fendereski resided in Isfahan, where he was a contemporary of Mir Damad. He dedicated a significant portion of his life to traveling in India, where he associated with yogis and Zoroastrians. His intellectual journey also led him to be patronized by both the Safavid and Mughal courts. Notably, the renowned Persian philosopher Mulla Sadra was among his students. Fendereski was recognized for his ascetic lifestyle at the court of Shah Abbas in Isfahan. It is said he became a vegetarian during his travels in India and abstained from pilgrimage to Mecca to avoid sacrificing sheep. His academic pursuits included teaching Avicenna's medical and philosophical works, such as 'Al-Qanun' and 'Al-Shifa', in Isfahan. He is also known to have studied Sanskrit and engaged with Indian philosophical thought. Among his attributed works are 'Resâle Sanaie', 'Resâleh dar kimiyâ', and 'Šahre ketabe mahârat'. He also composed a philosophical ode and his best-known work, 'al-Resāla al-ṣenāʿiya', which examined arts and professions within an ideal society, blending political and ethical thought, metaphysics, and classifications of sciences.