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''Layla & Majnun'' ( ar, مجنون ليلى ; '''Layla's Mad Lover) is an old story of Arab origin, about the 7th-century
Bedouin The Bedouin, Beduin, or Bedu (; , singular ) are nomadic Arab tribes who have historically inhabited the desert regions in the Arabian Peninsula, North Africa, the Levant, and Mesopotamia. The Bedouin originated in the Syrian Desert and A ...
poet Qays ibn al-Mulawwah and his ladylove Layla bint Mahdi (later known as Layla al-Aamiriya). "The Layla-Majnun theme passed from Arabic to Persian, Turkish, and Indian languages", through the narrative poem composed in 584/1188 by the Persian poet Nizami Ganjavi, as the third part of his ''
Khamsa Khamsa (Arabic, lit. "five") may refer to: * Hamsa, a popular amulet in the Middle East and North Africa, also romanized as ''khamsa'' * Al Khamsa, a bloodline for Arabian horses that traces back to five mares * Al Khamsa (organization), a nonprofi ...
''. It is a popular poem praising their love story. Qays and Layla fell in love with each other when they were young, but when they grew up Layla's father didn't allow them to be together. Qays became obsessed with her. His tribe Banu 'Amir and the community gave him the epithet of ''Majnūn'' ( "crazy", lit. "possessed by Jinn"). Long before Nizami, the legend circulated in anecdotal forms in Iranian ''akhbar''. The early anecdotes and oral reports about Majnun are documented in '' Kitab al-Aghani'' and Ibn Qutaybah's ''Al-Shi'r wa-l-Shu'ara'.'' The anecdotes are mostly very short, only loosely connected, and show little or no plot development. Nizami collected both secular and mystical sources about Majnun and portrayed a vivid picture of the famous lovers.Layli and Majnun: Love, Madness and Mystic Longing, Dr. Ali Asghar Seyed-Gohrab, Brill Studies in Middle Eastern literature, Jun 2003, . excerpt: Although Majnun was to some extent a popular figure before Nizami’s time, his popularity increased dramatically after the appearance of Nizami’s romance. By collecting information from both secular and mystical sources about Majnun, Nizami portrayed such a vivid picture of this legendary lover that all subsequent poets were inspired by him, many of them imitated him and wrote their own versions of the romance. As we shall see in the following chapters, the poet uses various characteristics deriving from ‘Udhrite love poetry and weaves them into his own Persian culture>. In other words, Nizami Persianises the poem by adding several techniques borrowed from the Persian epic tradition, such as the portrayal of characters, the relationship between characters, description of time and setting, etc. Subsequently, many other Persian poets imitated him and wrote their own versions of the romance. Nizami drew influence from Udhrite love poetry, which is characterized by erotic abandon and attraction to the beloved, often by means of an unfulfillable longing. Many imitations have been contrived of Nizami's work, several of which are original literary works in their own right, including Amir Khusrow Dehlavi's ''Majnun o Leyli'' (completed in 1299), and Jami's version, completed in 1484, amounts to 3,860 couplets. Other notable reworkings are by Maktabi Shirazi,
Hatefi Abd-Allah Hatefi, commonly known as Hatefi (also spelled Hatifi; fa, هاتفی; 1454 – 1521) was a Persian poet and nephew of the distinguished poet Jami (died 1492). Life Hatefi was born in 1454 at Khargerd, a village which formed a distric ...
(died 1520), and
Fuzûlî Mahammad bin Suleyman ( Classical Azerbaijani: ), better known by his pen name Fuzuli ( az-Arab, فضولی ; ; * ota, محمد بن سلیمان فضولی ; * fa, محمد بن سلیمان فضولی .  – 1556), was a 16th century ...
(died 1556), which became popular in
Ottoman Turkey The Ottoman Empire, * ; is an archaic version. The definite article forms and were synonymous * and el, Оθωμανική Αυτοκρατορία, Othōmanikē Avtokratoria, label=none * info page on book at Martin Luther University) ...
and India.
Sir William Jones Sir William Jones (28 September 1746 – 27 April 1794) was a British philologist, a puisne judge on the Supreme Court of Judicature at Fort William in Bengal, and a scholar of ancient India. He is particularly known for his proposition of th ...
published Hatefi's romance in Calcutta in 1788. The popularity of the romance following Nizami's version is also evident from the references to it in lyrical poetry and mystical masnavis—before the appearance of Nizami's romance, there are just some allusions to Layla and Majnun in divans. The number and variety of anecdotes about the lovers also increased considerably from the twelfth century onwards. Mystics contrived many stories about Majnun to illustrate technical mystical concepts such as ''
fanaa Fanaa ( ar, فناء ') in Sufism is the "passing away" or "annihilation" (of the self).Harmless, William. ''Mystics''. New York: Oxford University Press, 2008 Fana means "to die before one dies", a concept highlighted by famous notable Persian m ...
'' (annihilation), ''divānagi'' (love-madness), self-sacrifice, etc. Nizami's work has been translated into many languages. Arabic-language adaptations of the story include Shawqi's play ''The Mad Lover of Layla''.


Story

Qays ibn al-Mullawah fell in love with Layla al-Aamiriya. He soon began composing poems about his love for her, mentioning her name often. His obsessive effort to woo the girl caused some locals to call him "Majnun." When he asked for her hand in marriage, her father refused because it would be a scandal for Layla to marry someone considered mentally unbalanced. Soon after, Layla was forcibly married to another noble and rich merchant belonging to the Thaqif tribe in Ta'if. He was described as a handsome man with reddish complexion whose name was Ward Althaqafi. The Arabs called him Ward, meaning "rose" in Arabic. When Majnun heard of her marriage, he fled the tribal camp and began wandering the surrounding desert. 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. Layla is generally depicted as having moved to a place in Northern Arabia with her husband, where she became ill and eventually died. In some versions, Layla dies of heartbreak from not being able to see her beloved. Majnun was later found dead in the wilderness in 688 AD, near Layla'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. It is a tragic story of undying love much like the later ''
Romeo and Juliet ''Romeo and Juliet'' is a Shakespearean tragedy, tragedy written by William Shakespeare early in his career about the romance between two Italian youths from feuding families. It was among Shakespeare's most popular plays during his lifetim ...
''. This type of love is known as "virgin love" because the lovers never marry or consummate their passion. Other famous virgin love stories set in Arabia are the stories of ''
Qays and Lubna Qays ʿAylān ( ar, قيس عيلان), often referred to simply as Qays (''Kais'' or ''Ḳays'') were an Arab tribal confederation that branched from the Mudar group. The tribe does not appear to have functioned as a unit in the pre-Islamic er ...
'', '' Kuthair and Azza'', '' Marwa and Al Majnoun Al Faransi'', and ''Antara and Abla''. This literary motif is common throughout the world, notably in the Muslim literature of South Asia, such as Urdu
ghazal The ''ghazal'' ( ar, غَزَل, bn, গজল, Hindi-Urdu: /, fa, غزل, az, qəzəl, tr, gazel, tm, gazal, uz, gʻazal, gu, ગઝલ) is a form of amatory poem or ode, originating in Arabic poetry. A ghazal may be understood as a ...
s.


Lineage of Qays and Layla

Qays is the uncle of Layla and she is the daughter of Qays' cousin. Both Qays and Layla, descended from the tribe of Hawazin and the tribe of Banu Ka'b (the patriarch Ka'b), which is also related to the direct lineage of the Prophet Muhammad of Islam. Therefore, they are descendants of Adnan, who is Ishmaelite Arab descendant of Prophet Isma'il (
Ishmael Ishmael ''Ismaḗl''; Classical/Qur'anic Arabic: إِسْمَٰعِيْل; Modern Standard Arabic: إِسْمَاعِيْل ''ʾIsmāʿīl''; la, Ismael was the first son of Abraham, the common patriarch of the Abrahamic religions; and is cons ...
), son of Ibrahim ( Abraham). Their lineage is narrated from Arabic records as follows:


Qays

Qays' lineage is: Qays bin Al-Mulawwah bin Muzahim bin ʿAds bin Rabīʿah bin Jaʿdah bin Ka'b bin Rabīʿah bin ʿĀmir ibn Ṣaʿṣaʿa bin Muʿawiyah bin Bakr bin Hawāzin bin Mansūr bin ʿAkramah bin Khaṣfah bin Qays ʿAylān bin
Muḍar The Mudar ( ar, مُضَر) are one of the most powerful northern Arab tribal groupings. History The Mudar and Rabi'a are recorded in central Arabia in the Arabic histories of the pre-Islamic period; the kings of the Kindah bore the title of ...
bin Nizār bin Maʿad bin ʿ Adnan. He is the ''ʿĀmirī'' (descended from Banu Amir) of the Hawāzin (العامري الهوازني, ''al-ʿĀmirī 'l-Hawāzinī''). In Arabic: قيس بن الملوّح بن مزاحم بن عدس بن ربيعة بن جعدة بن كعب بن ربيعة بن عامر بن صعصعة بن معاوية بن بكر بن هوازن بن منصور بن عكرمة بن خصفة بن قيس عيلان بن مضر بن نزار بن معد بن عدنان Qays was born around 645 AD (AH 24 in the Hijri) in the
Najd Najd ( ar, نَجْدٌ, ), or the Nejd, forms the geographic center of Saudi Arabia, accounting for about a third of the country's modern population and, since the Emirate of Diriyah, acting as the base for all unification campaigns by the H ...
and died around 688 AD (AH 68 in the Hijri) during the reign of the fifth Umayyad caliph
Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan ibn al-Hakam ( ar, عبد الملك ابن مروان ابن الحكم, ʿAbd al-Malik ibn Marwān ibn al-Ḥakam; July/August 644 or June/July 647 – 9 October 705) was the fifth Umayyad caliph, ruling from April 685 ...
in the 1st century of the Hijri in the Arabian Desert. Qays is one of the two Al-Qaisayn poets ''Al-Mutaymīn'' ( Arabic: المتيمين), the other being ''Qays bin Dharīḥ'' (قيس بن ذريح), dubbed "''Majnūn Lubna'' (مجنون لبنى)". It is narrated (by a woman) that Qays died in the year 68 AH (corresponding to 688 AD), found lying dead among stones (where Layla was buried) and his body was carried to his family.


Layla

Layla's lineage is: Laylā bint Mahdī bin Saʿd bin Muzahim bin ʿAds bin Rabīʿah bin Jaʿdah bin Ka'b bin Rabīʿah bin Hawāzin bin Mansūr bin ʿAkramah bin Khaṣfah bin Qays ʿAylān bin
Muḍar The Mudar ( ar, مُضَر) are one of the most powerful northern Arab tribal groupings. History The Mudar and Rabi'a are recorded in central Arabia in the Arabic histories of the pre-Islamic period; the kings of the Kindah bore the title of ...
bin Nizār bin Maʿad bin ʿ Adnan. She was called "Umm Mālik (أم مالك)". In Arabic: ليلى بنت مهدي بن سعد بن مزاحم بن عدس بن ربيعة بن جعدة بن كعب بن ربيعة بن عامر بن صعصعة بن معاوية بن بكر بن هوازن بن منصور بن عكرمة بن خصفة بن قيس عيلان بن مضر بن نزار بن معد بن عدنان Layla was born around 648 AD (AH 28 in the Hijri) in the
Najd Najd ( ar, نَجْدٌ, ), or the Nejd, forms the geographic center of Saudi Arabia, accounting for about a third of the country's modern population and, since the Emirate of Diriyah, acting as the base for all unification campaigns by the H ...
, and the date of her death is unknown. She died during the reign of the fifth Umayyad caliph
Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan ibn al-Hakam ( ar, عبد الملك ابن مروان ابن الحكم, ʿAbd al-Malik ibn Marwān ibn al-Ḥakam; July/August 644 or June/July 647 – 9 October 705) was the fifth Umayyad caliph, ruling from April 685 ...
in the 1st century of the Hijri in the Arabian Desert. Layla is born four years after Qays in a town called an-Najūʿ(النجوع) in the tribe of Banu Amir. The town is called by her name " Layla" today, and is the capital of
Al-Aflaj Al-Aflaj Governorate is one of the 22 governorates of Riyadh Region, Riyadh Province, Saudi Arabia, and its base is Layla (town), Layla city. Al-Aflaj is located more than 300 km away from the capital Riyadh, it has a number of agricultural villa ...
province in the
Riyadh Region The Riyadh Province ( ar, منطقة الرياض '), also known as the Riyadh Region, is a region of Saudi Arabia, located in the geographic center of the country. It has an area of and with a 2017 population of 8,216,284, it is the second-la ...
.


Location

It is believed from Bedouin oral tradition that Qays and Layla were born in what is now the province of
Al-Aflaj Al-Aflaj Governorate is one of the 22 governorates of Riyadh Region, Riyadh Province, Saudi Arabia, and its base is Layla (town), Layla city. Al-Aflaj is located more than 300 km away from the capital Riyadh, it has a number of agricultural villa ...
in Saudi Arabia, and where the town of "Layla" has existed. ''Jabal Al-Toubad'' (جبل التوباد) is located in the city of Al-Aflaj, 350 km southwest of the city of Riyadh in Saudi Arabia. ''Jabbar'' (جبار) is located near the village of Al-Ghayl (الغيل), in the center of ''Wadi Al-Mughal'' (وادي المغيال). This hill witnessed the love story of Qais bin al-Mulawwah and his niece Laila al-Amiriya, in the 65th year of the Hijri (685 AD) during the reign of the Umayyad caliph Abd al-Malik bin Marwan. The Persian poet Nasir Khusraw visited the town of "Layla" in the 5th century AH (1009 CE – 1106 CE) and described the town accurately along with the hill ''Jabal Al-Toubad'', and elaborated on the misery that it had turned into as he spent a few months there. The region was overwhelmed by poverty, internal strife and insecurity.


History and influence


Persian adaptation and Persian literature

The story of Layla and Majnun was known in Persia as early as the 9th century. Two well known Persian poets, Rudaki and
Baba Taher Baba Tahir or Baba Taher Oryan Hamadani ( fa, باباطاهر عریان همدانی) was an 11th-century Persian dervish poet from Hamadan, Iran who lived during the reign of Tugril of the Seljuk dynasty over Iran. This is almost all that is k ...
, both mention the lovers.A. A. Seyed-Gohrab, "LEYLI O MAJNUN" in Encyclopedia Iranica
/ref> Although the story was known in Arabic literature in the 5th century, it was the Persian masterpiece of Nizami Ganjavi that popularized it dramatically in Persian literature. Nizami collected both secular and mystical sources about Majnun and portrayed a vivid picture of the famous lovers. Subsequently, many other Persian poets imitated him and wrote their own versions of the romance. Nizami drew influence from Udhrite love poetry, which is characterized by erotic abandon and attraction to the beloved, often by means of an unfulfillable longing. Other influences include older Persian epics, such as ''
Vāmiq u 'Adhrā ''Metiochus and Parthenope'' ( el, Μητίοχος καὶ Παρθενόπη, ''Mētiokhos kai Parthenopē'') is an Ancient Greek novel that, in a translation by the eleventh-century poet ‘Unṣurī, also became the Persian romance epic ''Vā ...
'', written in the 11th century, which covers a similar topic of a virgin and her passionate lover; the latter having to go through many trials to be with his love. In his adaptation, the young lovers become acquainted at school and fell desperately in love. However, they could not see each other due to a family feud, and Layla's family arranged for her to marry another man. According to Dr. Rudolf Gelpke, "Many later poets have imitated Nizami's work, even if they could not equal and certainly not surpass it; Persians, Turks, Indians, to name only the most important ones. The Persian scholar Hekmat has listed no less than forty Persians and thirteen Turkish versions of ''Layli and Majnun''." According to Vahid Dastgerdi, "If one would search all existing libraries, one would probably find more than 1000 versions of ''Layli and Majnun''." In his statistical survey of famous Persian romances, Ḥasan Ḏulfaqāri enumerates 59 'imitations' (naẓiras) of ''Layla and Majnun'' as the most popular romance in the Iranian world, followed by 51 versions of ''
Ḵosrow o Širin Khosrow and Shirin ( fa, خسرو و شیرین) is the title of a famous tragic romance by the Persian poet Nizami Ganjavi (1141–1209), who also wrote Layla and Majnun. It tells a highly elaborated fictional version of the story of the love ...
'', 22 variants of
Yusuf o Zuleikha "Yusuf and Zulaikha" (the English transliteration of both names varies greatly) refers to a medieval Islamic version of the story of the prophet Yusuf and Potiphar's wife which has been for centuries in the Muslim world, and is found in many langu ...
and 16 versions of ''Vāmiq u ʿAḏhrā''.


Azerbaijani adaptation and Azerbaijani literature

The story of Layla and Majnun passed into
Azerbaijani literature Azerbaijani literature ( az, Azərbaycan ədəbiyyatı) is written in Azerbaijani, a Turkic language, which is the official state language of the Republic of Azerbaijan, where the North Azerbaijani variety is spoken. It is also natively spoken ...
. The
Azerbaijani language Azerbaijani () or Azeri (), also referred to as Azeri Turkic or Azeri Turkish, is a Turkic language from the Oghuz sub-branch spoken primarily by the Azerbaijani people, who live mainly in the Republic of Azerbaijan where the North Azerbaija ...
adaptation of the story, ''Dâstân-ı Leylî vü Mecnûn'' (داستان ليلى و مجنون; "''The Epic of Layla and Majnun''") was written in the 16th century by
Fuzûlî Mahammad bin Suleyman ( Classical Azerbaijani: ), better known by his pen name Fuzuli ( az-Arab, فضولی ; ; * ota, محمد بن سلیمان فضولی ; * fa, محمد بن سلیمان فضولی .  – 1556), was a 16th century ...
and Hagiri Tabrizi. Fuzûlî's version was borrowed by the renowned
Azerbaijani Azerbaijani may refer to: * Something of, or related to Azerbaijan * Azerbaijanis * Azerbaijani language See also * Azerbaijan (disambiguation) * Azeri (disambiguation) * Azerbaijani cuisine * Culture of Azerbaijan The culture of Azerbaijan ...
composer Uzeyir Hajibeyov, who used the material to create what became the Middle East's first opera. It premiered in
Baku Baku (, ; az, Bakı ) is the capital and largest city of Azerbaijan, as well as the largest city on the Caspian Sea and of the Caucasus region. Baku is located below sea level, which makes it the lowest lying national capital in the world a ...
on 25 January 1908. The story had previously been brought to the stage in the late 19th century, when Ahmed Shawqi wrote a poetic play about the tragedy, now considered one of the best in modern Arab poetry. Majnun lines from the play are sometimes confused with his actual poems. A scene of the poem is depicted on the
reverse Reverse or reversing may refer to: Arts and media * ''Reverse'' (Eldritch album), 2001 * ''Reverse'' (2009 film), a Polish comedy-drama film * ''Reverse'' (2019 film), an Iranian crime-drama film * ''Reverse'' (Morandi album), 2005 * ''Reverse'' ...
of the Azerbaijani 100 and 50 manat commemorative coins minted in 1996 for the 500th anniversary of Fuzûlî's life and activities.


Other influences

The enduring popularity of the legend has influenced Middle Eastern literature, especially
Sufi Sufism ( ar, ''aṣ-ṣūfiyya''), also known as Tasawwuf ( ''at-taṣawwuf''), is a mystic body of religious practice, found mainly within Sunni Islam but also within Shia Islam, which is characterized by a focus on Islamic spirituality, ...
writers, in whose literature the name ''Layla'' refers to their concept of the Beloved. The original story is featured in Bahá'u'lláh's mystical writings, the ''
Seven Valleys ''The Seven Valleys'' ( fa, ''Haft-Vádí'') is a book written in Persian language, Persian by Baháʼu'lláh, the founder of the Baháʼí Faith. ''The Seven Valleys'' follows the structure of the Persian poem ''The Conference of the Birds''. ...
''. In the Arabic language, the word ''Majnun'' means "a crazy person." In addition to this creative use of language, the tale has also made at least one linguistic contribution, inspiring a
Turkish Turkish may refer to: *a Turkic language spoken by the Turks * of or about Turkey ** Turkish language *** Turkish alphabet ** Turkish people, a Turkic ethnic group and nation *** Turkish citizen, a citizen of Turkey *** Turkish communities and mi ...
colloquialism Colloquialism (), also called colloquial language, everyday language or general parlance, is the style (sociolinguistics), linguistic style used for casual (informal) communication. It is the most common functional style of speech, the idiom norm ...
: to "feel like Mecnun" is to feel completely possessed, as might be expected of a person who is literally madly in love. This epic poem was translated into English by
Isaac D'Israeli Isaac D'Israeli (11 May 1766 – 19 January 1848) was a British writer, scholar and the father of British Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli. He is best known for his essays and his associations with other men of letters. Life and career Isaac wa ...
in the early 19th century allowing a wider audience to appreciate it. Layla has also been mentioned in many works by Aleister Crowley in many of his religious texts, including ''The Book of Lies''. In India, it is believed that Layla and Majnun found refuge in a village in Rajasthan before they died. The graves of Layla and Majnun are believed to be located in the Bijnore village near
Anupgarh Anupgarh is a town in the state of Rajasthan, India. Located in Sri Ganganagar district, it is the headquarters of the Anupgarh Tehsil. Geography Anoopgarh/Anupgarh has an average elevation of 155 metres (508 feet), and is very close ...
in the
Sri Ganganagar Sri Ganganagar is a planned city and the northernmost city of the Indian state of Rajasthan, near the international border of India and Pakistan. It is the administrative headquarters of Sri Ganganagar district. It is named after Maharaja Shri ...
district. According to rural legend there, Layla and Majnun escaped to these parts and died there. Hundreds of newlyweds and lovers from India and Pakistan, despite there being no facilities for an overnight stay, attend the two-day fair in June. Another variation on the tale tells of Layla and Majnun meeting in school. Majnun fell in love with Layla and was captivated by her. The school master would beat Majnun for paying attention to Layla instead of his school work. However, upon some sort of magic, whenever Majnun was beaten, Layla would bleed for his wounds. The families learnt of this strange magic and began to feud, preventing Layla and Majnun from seeing each other. They meet again later in their youth and Majnun wishes to marry Layla. Layla's brother, Tabrez, would not let her shame the family name by marrying Majnun. Tabrez and Majnun quarreled and, 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. Her terms were accepted and Layla got married, but her heart still longed for Majnun. Hearing this, Layla's husband rode with his men into the desert to find Majnun. Upon finding him, Layla's husband challenged Majnun to the death. The instant her husband's sword pierced Majnun's heart, Layla collapsed in her home. Layla and Majnun were buried next to each other as her husband and their fathers prayed to their afterlife. Myth has it that Layla and Majnun met again in heaven, where they loved forever.


In popular culture

* The tale and the name "Layla" served as
Eric Clapton Eric Patrick Clapton (born 1945) is an English rock and blues guitarist, singer, and songwriter. He is often regarded as one of the most successful and influential guitarists in rock music. Clapton ranked second in ''Rolling Stone''s list of ...
's inspiration for the title of Derek and the Dominos' famous album '' Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs'' and its title track in 1971. The song "I Am Yours" is a direct quote from a passage in ''Layla and Majnun''. * Tedeschi Trucks Band released "I Am The Moon" in 2022, a four-part album inspired by ''Layla and Majnun.'' * In Humayun Ahmed's
Noy Number Bipod Sanket ''Noy Number Bipod Sanket'' (English: Danger Signal Number Nine) is a 2007 Bengali language, Bengali Comedy-Drama Film directed by Humayun Ahmed. The film stars Rahmat Ali (actor), Rahmat Ali, Challenger (actor), Challenger, Jayanta Chattopadhya ...
, a song written by him and rendered by Meher Afroz Shaon and S I Tutul titled, ''Laili-Mojnu, Shiri-Forhad, Radha-Krishna'' was used. * In Cassandra Clare's Chain of Gold, half Persian character Cordelia Carstairs is nicknamed Layla as a term of endearment and to show her family's love of the story. *In Gary Jennings' novel '' The Journeyer'', a fictionalized Marco Polo is told by a Persian physician that Layla and Majnun possessed the magical ability to transform their bodies at will, changing their appearance, age, or gender, even becoming animals or mythical creatures; and that they would then copulate in various combinations of these forms, as inspiration for their poetry. The physician is also an alchemist, and has concocted a drug intended to recreate this ability. Marco tries it on himself and a prostitute, with disastrous results. * In Roshani Chokshi's The Gilded Wolves, Laila calls Séverin “Majnun” meaning madman in reference to this poem. * The tale was adapted as a play in Arabic, "Majnun Layla", by the Egyptian poet Ahmad Shawqi known also as the Prince of Poets in 1932. * The tale served as the inspiration for Halim El-Dabh's early electronic tape music composition called ''Leiyla and the Poet'' in 1959. * The tale of Layla and Majnun has been the subject of various films produced by the Indian film industry beginning in the 1920s. A list may be found here: http://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/article419176.ece. One, ''
Laila Majnu ''Layla & Majnun'' ( ar, مجنون ليلى ; Layla's Mad Lover) is an old story of Arab origin, about the 7th-century Bedouin poet Qays ibn al-Mulawwah and his ladylove Layla bint Mahdi (later known as Layla al-Aamiriya). "The Layla ...
'', was produced in 1976. In 2007, the story was enacted as both a framing story and as a dance-within-a-movie in the film '' Aaja Nachle''. Also, in pre- independence India, the first Pashto-language film was an adaptation of this story. * The term Layla-Majnun is often used for lovers, also Majnun is commonly used to address a person madly in love. * Orhan Pamuk makes frequent reference to Leyla and Majnun in his novels, '' The Museum of Innocence'' and '' My Name is Red.'' * One of the panels in the
Alisher Navoi 'Ali-Shir Nava'i (9 February 1441 – 3 January 1501), also known as Nizām-al-Din ʿAli-Shir Herawī ( Chagatai: نظام الدین علی شیر نوایی, fa, نظام‌الدین علی‌شیر نوایی) was a Timurid poet, writer ...
metro Metro, short for metropolitan, may refer to: Geography * Metro (city), a city in Indonesia * A metropolitan area, the populated region including and surrounding an urban center Public transport * Rapid transit, a passenger railway in an urba ...
station in Tashkent ( Uzbekistan) and Nizami Gəncəvi
metro Metro, short for metropolitan, may refer to: Geography * Metro (city), a city in Indonesia * A metropolitan area, the populated region including and surrounding an urban center Public transport * Rapid transit, a passenger railway in an urba ...
station in
Baku Baku (, ; az, Bakı ) is the capital and largest city of Azerbaijan, as well as the largest city on the Caspian Sea and of the Caucasus region. Baku is located below sea level, which makes it the lowest lying national capital in the world a ...
( Azerbaijan) represents the epic on blue green tiles. * In the book ''
A Thousand Splendid Suns ''A Thousand Splendid Suns'' is a 2007 novel by Afghan-American author Khaled Hosseini, following the huge success of his bestselling 2003 debut ''The Kite Runner''. Mariam, an illegitimate teenager from Herat, is forced to marry a shoemaker from ...
'' by Afghan author
Khaled Hosseini Khaled Hosseini (;Pashto/Dari ; born March 4, 1965) is an Afghan Americans, Afghan-American novelist, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, UNHCR goodwill ambassador, and former physician. His debut novel ''The Kite Runner'' (2003) wa ...
, Rasheed often refers to Laila and Tariq as ''Layla and Majnun''. * South African Author
Achmat Dangor Achmat Dangor (2 October 1948 – 6 September 2020) was a South African writer, poet, and development professional. His most important works include the novels ''Kafka's Curse'' (1997) and ''Bitter Fruit'' (2001). He was also the author of three ...
of mixed Indian descent makes reference to Leyla and Majnun in his novels, "Waiting for Leila" and "Kafka's Curse" * On Gaia Online, a recent monthly collectible released an item under the names Majnun and Layla loosely based on the story. * ''Layla and Majnun'' — poem of
Alisher Navoi 'Ali-Shir Nava'i (9 February 1441 – 3 January 1501), also known as Nizām-al-Din ʿAli-Shir Herawī ( Chagatai: نظام الدین علی شیر نوایی, fa, نظام‌الدین علی‌شیر نوایی) was a Timurid poet, writer ...
. * ''Layla and Majnun'' — poem of Jami. * ''Layla and Majnun'' — poem of Nizami Ganjavi. * ''Layla and Majnun'' — poem of
Fuzûlî Mahammad bin Suleyman ( Classical Azerbaijani: ), better known by his pen name Fuzuli ( az-Arab, فضولی ; ; * ota, محمد بن سلیمان فضولی ; * fa, محمد بن سلیمان فضولی .  – 1556), was a 16th century ...
. * ''Layla and Majnun'' — poem of Hagiri Tabrizi. * ''Layla and Majnun'' — drama in verse of
Mirza Hadi Ruswa Mirza Muhammad Hadi Ruswa (1857 – 21 October 1931) was an Indian Urdu poet and writer of fiction, plays, and treatises (mainly on religion, philosophy, and astronomy). He served on the Nawab of Awadh's advisory board on language matters for ...
. * ''Layla and Majnun'' — novel of Necati. * ''
Leyli and Majnun ''Layla & Majnun'' ( ar, مجنون ليلى ; Layla's Mad Lover) is an old story of Arab origin, about the 7th-century Bedouin poet Qays ibn al-Mulawwah and his ladylove Layla bint Mahdi (later known as Layla al-Aamiriya). "The Layla ...
'' — the first Muslim and the Azerbaijani opera of Uzeyir Hajibeyov (1908). * ''Layla and Majnun'' — symphonic poem of Gara Garayev (1947). * ''
Leyli and Majnun ''Layla & Majnun'' ( ar, مجنون ليلى ; Layla's Mad Lover) is an old story of Arab origin, about the 7th-century Bedouin poet Qays ibn al-Mulawwah and his ladylove Layla bint Mahdi (later known as Layla al-Aamiriya). "The Layla ...
'' — ballet by Gara Garayev (1969). * Symphony No. 24 ("Majnun"), Op. 273 (1973), for tenor solo, trumpet, choir and strings –
Alan Hovhaness Alan Hovhaness (; March 8, 1911 – June 21, 2000) was an American-Armenian composer. He was one of the most prolific 20th-century composers, with his official catalog comprising 67 numbered symphonies (surviving manuscripts indicate over 70) and ...
. * ''The Song of Majnun'' — opera of Bright Sheng (1992) * ''Laila Majnu'' — Indian Hindi silent film in 1922. * ''Laila Majnu'' — Indian Hindi silent film in 1927. * ''Laila Majnu'' — Indian Hindi film in 1931. *
Laila Majnu ''Layla & Majnun'' ( ar, مجنون ليلى ; Layla's Mad Lover) is an old story of Arab origin, about the 7th-century Bedouin poet Qays ibn al-Mulawwah and his ladylove Layla bint Mahdi (later known as Layla al-Aamiriya). "The Layla ...
 — Indian Hindi film in 1931. * ''
Laila Majnun Leila ( fa, لیلا, ar, ليلى, he, לילה) is a feminine given name primarily in the Semitic (Arabic, Hebrew) and Iranian languages. In Latin alphabet the name is commonly spelled in multiple ways, including Laela, Laelah, Laila, Lay ...
'' — Malayan Malay film in 1933. * '' ''Majnu'''' — Indian Hindi film of 1935 by Roshan Lal Shorey. * ''Layla and Majnun'' — Iranian film in 1936. * '' ''Laila Majnu'''' — Indian Hindi film of 1945 by Nazir, starring Nazir and Swarnalata. * ''Laila Majnu'' — Indian Telugu film in 1949. * ''Laila Majnu'' — Indian Hindi film of 1953 directed by
K. Amarnath K. Amarnath (1 Dec 1914 – 14 May 1983) was one of the earliest film makers of Indian Cinema. His career as a movie producer and director spanned over four decades in the film industry. Early life Amarnath Gelaram Khetarpal was born in Mianw ...
, starring Shammi Kapoor and Nutan. *''
Laila Leila ( fa, لیلا, ar, ليلى, he, לילה) is a feminine given name primarily in the Semitic (Arabic, Hebrew) and Iranian languages. In Latin alphabet the name is commonly spelled in multiple ways, including Laela, Laelah, Laila, La ...
'' — Indian Hindi film of 1954 directed by Naseem Siddique, starring Shakila. *
Ishq-e-Laila ''Ishq-e-Laila'' is a 1957 Pakistani Urdu language fantasy romance film directed by Munshi Dil and produced by J.C. Anand. The film is primarily known for its blockbuster music by Safdar Hussain and lyrics by Qateel Shifai. It stars Sabiha Khan ...
 — Pakistani film of 1957 * ''Layla and Majnun'' — Tajik Soviet film-ballet of 1960. * ''Layla and Majnun'' — Soviet Azerbaijani film of 1961. * ''Laila Majnu'' — Indian Malayalam film in 1962. * ''Leyla ile Mecnun'' — Turkish drama film of 1972 starring
Fatma Girik Fatma Girik (12 December 1942 – 24 January 2022) was a Turkish actress and politician. Together with Hülya Koçyiğit, Filiz Akın and Türkan Şoray, she was an icon for the golden age in Turkish cinematography and is regarded as one of the f ...
and Kadir İnanır. * ''Dastan-E-Laila Majnu'' — Indian Hindi film of 1974 by R.L. Desai, starring Dheeraj Kumar and Anamika. * ''Laila Majnu'' — Pakistani film in 1974 starring Waheed Murad and Rani (Pakistani actress), Rani. * Laila Majnu (1976 film), ''Laila Majnu'' — Indian Hindi film in 1976. * ''Laila Majnu'' — Indian Bengali film of 1976 by Sachin Adhikari. * ''Laily Majnu'' — Bangladeshi film in 1976 starring Razzak and Babita. * ''Majnoon'' — unreleased Indian Hindi film from 1979 by Kamal Amrohi, starring
Rajesh Khanna Rajesh Khanna () (; born Jatin Khanna; 29 December 1942 – 18 July 2012) was an Indian actor, film producer and politician who worked in Hindi films. He is called as the "First Superstar of Hindi cinema", he consecutively starred in a record ...
and Rakhee Gulzar. * ''Leyla ile Mecnun'' — Music album of Orhan Gencebay in 1981. * ''
Leyla ile Mecnun ''Leyla ile Mecnun'' (''Leyla and Mecnun'') is a Turkish television comedy series. The series, set in Istanbul and directed by Onur Ünlü, premiered in 2011 on Turkish Radio and Television Corporation, TRT. It is a surreal, Absurdism, absurdist ...
'' — Turkish film of 1982 starring Orhan Gencebay and
Gülşen Bubikoğlu Gülşen Bubikoğlu (born 5 December 1954) is a Turkish actress, one of the leading ladies of Turkish cinema in the 1970s and into the early 1980s. She studied at Fatih Kız Lisesi and was a fashion model for a time. Her first leading role was in ...
. *''Sun Meri Laila'' — Indian Hindi film of 1983 by Chander H. Bahl, starring Deepika Chikhalia and Raj Kiran. *''
Laila Leila ( fa, لیلا, ar, ليلى, he, לילה) is a feminine given name primarily in the Semitic (Arabic, Hebrew) and Iranian languages. In Latin alphabet the name is commonly spelled in multiple ways, including Laela, Laelah, Laila, La ...
'' — Indian Hindi film of 1984 by Saawan Kumar Tak, starring Poonam Dhillon and Anil Kapoor. * '' Love And God'' (1986) — Indian Hindi film directed by
K. Asif K. Asif (born Asif Karim; 14 June 1922 – 9 March 1971) was an Indian film director, film producer and screenwriter who is known for his epic film, ''Mughal-e-Azam'' (1960). Early life Asif was born in Etawah, Uttar Pradesh, India to paren ...
* ''Layla and Majnun'' — Azerbaijani film-opera of 1996. * ''Majnoon'' — 2003 Indian film by Aashish Chanana, starring Chanana and
Sucheta Khanna Sucheta Khanna is an Indian TV and film actress. She has worked in detective serial 'Karamchand'(2007) and then ''Hari Mirchi Lal Mirchi'', a comedy serial telecast by DD National. She played the role of Indumati in the SAB TV comedy series ...
set in the modern Bollywood industry. * '' Aaja Nachle''— a 2007 Indian film has a 15-minute musical play on life of Layla and Majnun. * '' Majnoon Layla'' a 2010 song by Syrian-American hip-hop artist and peace activist Omar Offendum. * ''
Leyla ile Mecnun ''Leyla ile Mecnun'' (''Leyla and Mecnun'') is a Turkish television comedy series. The series, set in Istanbul and directed by Onur Ünlü, premiered in 2011 on Turkish Radio and Television Corporation, TRT. It is a surreal, Absurdism, absurdist ...
'' — is a Turkish television comedy series in 2011. * ''
Habibi (movie) Habibi or Habeebi may refer to: Literature * ''Habibi'' (novel), a 1997 young-adult novel by Naomi Shihab Nye * ''Habibi'' (graphic novel), a 2011 graphic novel by Craig Thompson Music * Habibi (band), an American band * The Habibis, an Austr ...
'' — is a 2011 film by Susan Youssef filmed in the Gaza strip. * ''
Double Barrel "Double Barrel" is a 1970 reggae single by Dave and Ansell Collins (though credited in both the UK and the U.S. to 'Dave and Ansil Collins'). It was the second reggae tune to top the UK charts, two years after Desmond Dekker's number 1 breakth ...
'' — is a Malayalam Movie in 2015. * Tamasha – is a Hindi movie of 2015. A musical story in this movie has parts of laila majnu duet. * '' Laila The Musical'' – British theatre production by
Rifco Arts Rifco Arts is a theatre company which focuses on bringing British Asian stories to the stage, and audiences from the community into theatres. The company was founded in 1999 by director Pravesh Kumar. Rifco is an Arts Council National Portfolio ...
, Watford Palace Theatre and Queen's Theatre Hornchurch toured England during 2016. * ''Layla and Majnun'' — dance-drama, a collaboration of Mark Morris, Silk Road Ensemble and
Howard Hodgkin Sir Gordon Howard Eliott Hodgkin (6 August 1932 – 9 March 2017) was a British Painting, painter and printmaker. His work is most often associated with Abstract art, abstraction. Early life Gordon Howard Eliot Hodgkin was born on 6 August 1 ...
; 2016 premiere by Cal Performances. * ''Laila Majnu'' – is a 2018 Hindi movie based on the legend of Laila Majnu set in Kashmir. *''Ye Kahani Hai Laila Majnu Ki'' — Indian Bhojpuri film of 2020 by Mahmud Alam, starring Pradeep Pandey,
Sonalika Prasad Sonalika Prasad (born 5 October 1992), is an Indian actress who predominantly works in Bhojpuri, Hindi films and television actress. She is a very well known personality for hosting events. She is known for her roles in television show ''CID ( ...
, and
Akshara Singh Akshara Singh is an Indian actress who is primarily active in Bhojpuri language, Bhojpuri films and, is a recipient of several awards. Singh is known for her roles in films like action drama ''Tabadala'', political drama ''Sarkar Raj'' and action ...
. * IdentityV— the 2018 mobile game depicts two characters having matching skins under the names "Layla" and "Majnun".


See also

* Muna Madan *'' Heer Ranjha'' *''
Sassui Punhun Sassi Punnuh or Sassui Punhun ( sd, سَسُئيِ پُنهوُن) is a love story from Punjabi, Sindhi, and Balochi folklore. The story is about a faithful lover who will endure any difficulty while seeking her beloved husband who was separat ...
'' * Tomb paintings of Sindh


Notes


References


Further reading

* Nizami, ''The Story of Layla & Majpoonun'', * Nizami and Colin Turner, ''Layla and Majnun'',


External links

* LEYLI O MAJNUN in Encyclopædia Iranica A. A. Seyed-Gohra

(accessed October 2017 – periodically check link)
Laila and Majnun at School: Page from a manuscript of the ''Laila and Majnun'' of Nizami
* Part of Ahmad Shawqi's opera Majnun Layla, sung by Mohammed Abdelwahab and Asmaha

(accessed 22 October 2017) {{DEFAULTSORT:Layla And Majnun Persian poems Arab culture Persian literature Medieval Arabic literature Love in Arabic literature Medieval legends Sufi literature Literary duos Fictional Arabs Love stories Memory of the World Register in Iran