The Story of Layla and MajnunThe story of Layla and Majnun is one of the best-known legends of the Orient, both a touching love story and a profound spiritual allegory. The two lovers of this classic tale are remembered to this day in the poems and songs from the Caucasus to the interior of Africa, and from the Atlantic to the Indian Ocean. The Persian poet Nizami collected a number of folk versions and shaped them into a single narrative poem of some 4000 stanzas near the end of the twelfth century. Compared for its beauty and genius to Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, the Sufis consider Nizami's Layla and Majnun an important parable of religious experience. Majnun, through his great love for Layla, is able to transcend individual identity and becomes the Beloved |
Contents
chapter page I How the Story began | 13 |
Qays and Layla meet | 20 |
Qays becomes Majnun | 24 |
Copyright | |
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Common terms and phrases
afar animals Arabs arrows asked Banu Amir beasts beauty became Bedouin beloved better bird blood blossoms breath burning calyx companions darkness dead death demon dervish desert drunk dust earth enemy eyes face fate feet fell fire flame friends garden gazelle grief halwa hand happened happy head heard heart heaven hidden hope human Ibn Salam jewel king kissed knew lament Layla and Majnun Layla's father Layla's tribe lips listened live longer look lovers madman Mecca moon mother mountains mourning Najd Nawfal never night Nizami oasis Oh father once palm tree pearl Persian Persian Literature poems Qays remained replied rest rose Salim Sayyid scent serpent shadow shame sorrow soul stone stranger suddenly suffered sword talk tears tell tent treasure tree unhappy veil verses wild wilderness wind wine words wounded از است ای این با به تو را که کی می