Layla and Majnun {مجنون و ليلى}

Layla and Majnun

{مجنون و ليلى}

Layla and Majnun, also known as The Madman and Layla – in Arabic مجنون و ليلى (Majnun and Layla) or قيس وليلى (Qays and Layla), in Persian: لیلی و مجنون (Leyli o Majnun), Leyli və Məcnun in Azeri, Leyla ile Mecnun in Turkish, لیلا مجنو (lailā majanū) in Urdu – is a classical Arabic story. It is based on the real story of a young man called Qays ibn al-Mulawwah (Arabic: قيس بن الملوح‎) from Najd (the northern Arabian Peninsula) during the Umayyad era in the 7th century. In one version, he spent his youth together with Layla, tending their flocks. Upon seeing Layla he fell passionately in love with her.However, he went mad when her father prevented him from marrying her; for that reason he came to be called Majnun (Arabic: مجنون) meaning "madman."

Qays ibn al-Mulawwah ibn Muzahim, was a Bedouin poet. Qays ibn al-Mulawwah, who falls in love with a beautiful young girl with large dark eyes, Layla bint Mahdi ibn Sa’d (better known as Layla Al-Aamiriya) from the same tribe. Layla and Qays meeting in school.

Qays fell in love with Layla and was captivated by her. The school master would beat Qays for paying attention to Layla instead of his school work. However, upon some sort of magic, whenever Qays was beaten, Layla would bleed for his wounds. Word reached their households and their families feuded. Separated at childhood.

One day Layla and Majnun met again in their youth. Together as children they tended to the sheep together in the oasis of the Arabian desert. He soon began composing poems about his love for her, mentioning her name often. As he matures, he writes poetry, naming her in the lines of his charming poems.

Finally, he is old enough to ask Layla’s father for permission to marry her. He is told in an unkindly way that he will not be allowed to marry the girl of his dreams, that he is not a satisfactory candidate. Although they had grown up together, Layla’s father had never considered Qays as a possible husband for his daughter. When he asked for her hand in marriage, her father refused as this would mean a scandal for Layla according to local traditions.

As the story continues, her father said a final “no” to the proposals of Qays, and Layla is given to another man in marriage. When Qays heard of her marriage, he fled the tribe camp and began wandering the surrounding desert. . After all, Qays was a dreamer and not a wealthy man. His family eventually gave up hope for his return and left food for him in the wilderness. He could sometimes be seen reciting poetry to himself or writing in the sand with a stick.

Among the poems attributed to Qays ibn al-Mulawwah, regarding Layla:

I pass by these walls, the walls of Layla

and I kiss this wall and that wall
It’s not Love of the houses that has taken my heart

But of the One who dwells in those houses.

Layla got married but her heart longed for Majnun. Layla's brother, Tabrez knew about it. As a brother and head of family, Tabrez would not let Layla shame the family name by marrying Majnun. Tabrez and Majnun quarreled; stricken with madness over Layla, Majnun murdered Tabrez. Word reached the village and Majnun was arrested.

He was sentenced to be stoned to death by the villagers. Layla could not bear it and agreed to marry another man if Majnun would be kept safe from harm in exile. Hearing this, Layla's husband rode with his men to the desert towards Majnun. He challenged Majnun to the death. It is said that the instant Layla's husband's sword pierced Majnun's heart, Layla collapsed in her home. Layla and Majnun were said to be buried next to each other. As her husband and their fathers prayed to their afterlife. Myth has it, Layla and Majnun met again in heaven, where they loved forever.

It is a tragic story of undying love much like the later Romeo and Juliet. This type of love is known in Arabic culture as "Virgin Love" (Arabic: حب عذري), because the lovers never married or made love.

Etymologically, Layla is related to the Hebrew and Arabic words for "night," and is thought to mean "one who works by night." This is an apparent allusion to the fact that the romance of the star-crossed lovers was hidden and kept secret. In the Persian and Arabic languages, the word Majnun means "crazy."