Layla and Majnun
The madman of Layla - in Arabic مجنون ليلى (Majnun layla) or قيس وليلى (Qays and Layla), in Persian: ليلى ومجنون (Leyli and Madjnun) - is a classical Middle Eastern love story. It is based on the real story of a young man called Qays ibn al-Mullawah (Arabic : قيس بن الملوح ) from the northern Arabian Peninsula,[1] in the Umayyad era during the 7th century. There were two Arabic versions of the story at the time.[2] In one version, he spent his youth together with Layla tending their flocks. In the other version, upon seeing Layla he fell in a most passionate love with her. In both versions, however, he went mad when her father prevented him from marrying her; for that reason he came to be called Majnun Layla, which means "Driven mad by Layla". To him were attributed a variety of incredibly passionate romantic Arabic poems, considered among the foremost examples of the Udhari school.
Story
Qays ibn al-Mullawah ibn Muzahim, a bedouin poet, was from the Bani Aamir tribe of Arabia. He fell in love with Layla bint Mahdi ibn Sa’d from the same tribe, better known as Layla Al-Aamiriya. He soon began creating poems about his love for her, mentioning her name often. When he asked for her hand in marriage her father refused as this would mean a scandal for Layla according to Arab traditions. Soon after, Layla married another man.
When Qays heard of her marriage he fled the tribe camp and wandered in the surrounding desert. His family eventually gave up on 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.
Layla moved to Iraq with her husband, where she became ill and eventually died. Qays was later found dead in the wilderness in 688 A.D. near an unknown woman’s grave. He had carved three verses of poetry on a rock near the grave, which are the last three verses attributed to him.
Many other minor incidents happened between his madness and his death. Most of his recorded poetry was composed before his descent into madness.
This type of love is known in Arabic culture as “Virgin Love” (Arabic: حب عذري), because the lovers never married or made love. Other famous Virgin Love stories are the stories of “Qays and Lubna”, “Kuthair and Azza”, “Marwa and Al Majnoun Al Faransi” and “Antara and Abla”.
History and influence
From Arab and Habib folklore the story passed into Persian literature, and in 12th century, Nizami wrote a famous adaptation of Layli and Majnun in Persian. In his adaptation, the young lovers become acquainted at school and desperately fall in love. However, they cannot see each other because of a family feud, and Laila's family arranges for her to marry another man [3]. It is a tragic story of undying love much like the later Romeo and Juliet, which was itself said to have been inspired by a Latin version of Layla and Majnun to an extent.[4]
The Azerbaijani Turkish adaptation of the story, Dâstân-ı Leylî vü Mecnûn (داستان ليلى و مجنون; "The Epic of Layla and Majnun") was written in 16th century by Fuzûlî. In Azerbaijan, Fuzûlî's adaptation of Layli and Majnun was made into an opera by the renowned Azerbaijani composer Uzeyir Hajibeyov and staged in Baku on January 25, 1908.
The myth has influenced many Middle Eastern poets, especially Sufi writers in whose literature the name Leyli/Layla suggests a reference to their concept of Beloved. The name has also found its way into modern occult literature in connection with the archetype called Babylon or Babalon. These writings use the spelling Laylah, which also suggests the Arabic and Hebrew words for night. The name Layla has influenced other aspects of Middle Eastern culture, as romance outside of marriage is frowned upon. The name 'Layla' means 'one who works by night', representing the fact that the romance was hidden, and kept a secret. The name also served as the inspiration for the title of Derek and the Dominos' famous album Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs and its title track. The song "I Am Yours" is a direct quote from a passage in Layla and Majnun. In Turkey, the phrase "To feel like Layla" is used to mean the feeling one gets when one is completely "out-of-it" and dazed, or, like Majnun, to be crazily in love. The word 'Majnun' (or Majnoon) in Persian and Arabic means 'crazy'.
It is also common motif used in the Muslim literature of South Asia, especially in Urdu ghazals.
Among the poems attributed to Qays bin al-Mullawah, regarding Layla:[5]
| “ | I pass by these walls, the walls of Layla And I kiss this wall and that wall |
” |
In the late nineteenth century, Ahmed Shawqi wrote a poetic play about the tragedy. Qay's lines from the play are sometimes confused with his actual poems. The play is considered one of the best in modern Arab poetry.
The story is also featured in Baha'u'llah's sufi writings, the Seven Valleys.
Notes
- ^ [1]
- ^ [2]
- ^ [3]
- ^ NIZAMI: LAYLA AND MAJNUN - English Version by Paul Smith
- ^ Loss of Meaning, Faraz Rabbani, Islamica Magazine No. 15/2006
Popular Culture
- This story is used metaphorically in the semi-autobiographical song "Layla", by Eric Clapton.
- The Laila Majnu story was also subject to various films produced by the Indian film industry between the 1920s to the 1970s. The most popular was the film "Laila-Majnu" produced in 1976. See IMDB for details. [4]
References
- Nizami, The Story of Layla & Majpoonun, ISBN 0-930872-52-5
- Nizami and Colin Turner, Layla and Majnun, ISBN 1-85782-161-0
See also
- Yusuf and Zulaikha
- Shirin and Farhad
- Heer Ranjha
- Salaman and Absal by Ziao-od-Din Yusuf
- Leyli and Majnun art by Mohammad Hourian
External links
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