shahrazate

[shahrazate]

Qays and Layla's story (Majnun Layla)

There are many versions of this story depicting their own ideas and scenarios, however I wanted to find out the real story of the famous Majnun Layla. It is an old story of Arab origin around the 7th century about Qays ibn-almulawwah and his cousin Layla bint-mehdi (known as 3amiriya). This love story began since childhood as they used to herd their sheeps. They started falling in love however, the two started growing and around that time, women didn't go out much as it was prohibited and seen as shameful.

Qays started composing poems about her, often mentioning her name and reading them out loud on streets. Layla and Qays would stop seeing each other eventually and it caused Qays to be heart-struck, nonetheless not losing any hope. He decided to ask her hand in marriage and propose to her father. He asked for a very expensive price for his daughter just so Qays would give up on her and leave her be. Despite the very expensive mehr, Qays was deeply in love with Layla that he worked many jobs just to collect enough money for Layla's mehr and marry her.

When Qays would feel exhausted at times he would remember Layla and how they passed their childhood. He consoled himself with their memories and recite this poem:

"احبك حب قد تمكن بالحجر له بين جلدي والعظام ظبيبو"

Meaning: "I love you such a love that is embedded in the stone and is between my skin and bones",

At this point, Qays saved enough for Layla's mehr and returned to his hometown, just to discover that his precious Leyla got married to another man called Ward. He noticed red henna on her hands which at that time meant that she was married. He said this poem:

"ولمّا تلاقينا على سفح رامة وجدت بنان العامرية أحمرا فقلت: خضبت الكف على فراقنا؟ قالت: معاذ الله ذلك ما جرى ولكنني لما رأيتك راحلاً بكيت دماً حتى بللت به الثرى مسحت بأطراف البنان مدامعي فصار خضاباً في اليدين كما ترى"

Which means: "When we met on the top of a hill I found Al Amiriya's (Layla) fingers red And I said: did you colour your hands in celebration of our separation? She said: God forbid, that did not happen But when I saw you leaving I cried blood until I wet the sand I cleaned my tears with my fingers And they became red as you can see ".

Qays was so devastated and heartbroken because he had no more hope for Layla and was so depressed that he wished he would die. During this time, Qays would visit her house every night crying and saying:

أَمُرُّ عَلى الدِيارِ دِيارِ لَيلى" أُقَبِّلَ ذا الجِدارَ وَذا الجِدارا وَما حُبُّ الدِيارِ شَغَفنَ قَلبي وَلَكِن حُبُّ مَن سَكَنَ الدِيارا"

Which means: "I pass by the home of Layla ( where she used to live) And I kiss this wall and that wall It is not for the love of the house But for the one who lives in it"

Qays was severely depressed and stayed in the desert for a while and was starting to lose his sanity. He wished to see Layla's reflections and so he would stop eating or drinking anything his family would bring him hoping of seeing her shadow. He would say:

"وَإِنّي لَأَستَغشي وَما بِيَ نَعسَةٌ لَعَلَّ خَيالاً مِنكِ يَلقى خَيالِيا"

Which means: "Perhaps I could sleep just For my shadow to meet yours"

One day, he hallucinated and saw Layla running and started following her and he passed in front of a group of men performing prayer. He came to his senses and walked back to where he came from and the men stopped him asking, "Why did you not stop to come pray with us when you saw us?". He answered "I swear by God I did not see you praying as I was focused on Layla, and if you were in love with God as I am with Layla, you too would've not seen me and would have focused on your prayer". The men called him "Majnun Layla" which mean "crazy about Layla" because Qays really lost it and wasn't himself anymore.

His father decided to take him to Mecca and perform Hajj together and so they went. He would ask the men there to make duaa "pray" for his son because he has fallen in love with this girl and has basically lost his wits and for God to make it easy for Qays to forget Layla. However, Qays would go talk to the people his father was standing with and tell them to not believe his father and instead tell them:

"يا راب لا تاسلبني حوباها ابادان زيدني ليلى حوبان وا بها كيلفاتً وا لا تانسيني ديكراها ابادان وا يارحاما الله عبدان قالا امين"

Which means: "My God don't ever make me forget her love Increase my love for Layla And make it heavy And don't make me forget her memory ever And God forgive the ones that say amin"

The crowd followed Qays and started saying Amin. His father was angry and so he beat him. His family would call Layla ugly and short and asking him what do you like about her when there are better women. Qays answered them:

"يقولون لي الواشون ليلى قاسيراتٌ فلايتو درعا عاردو ليلى وا توليها"

Which means: " They tell me Layla is short, for I (would love her even if) the width and length of her arm (were the same)"

Qays implies that even if Layla was a square he would still deeply love her. One day Qays went to Ward and asked if he hugged or kissed her that day, Ward saw that he was a madman and decided to answer him saying yes he did hug and kiss Layla. Ward was with his friends around a fire and Qays lost his senses and put his hands in the fire till the it gave the scent of burned flesh. Time passed and Qays received news that Layla is sick in Iraq and said:

"يقولون لايلى مريضة بلعراق الا ليتني كنت الطبيب لمداويا"

Meaning: "They say Layla is sick in Iraq and I wished to be the doctor (treating her)"

"ألست وعدتني يا قلب أني إذا ما تبت عن ليلى تتوب؟ فها أنا تائبٌ عن حبِّ ليلى فما لكَ كلَّما ذُكرت تذوبُ ؟"

Meaning: "Didn't you promise me, my heart, that you would repent on Layla? And here I am repenting on Layla's love But why is it every time she is mentioned you melt?"

After some more time he received news that she passed away. He kept looking around for her grave and sat next to her until some people realised that he had died there. When they found him, next to him was a letter. In it was written:

" وقد يجمع الله الشتيتين بعدما يظنان كل الظن أن لا تلاقيا"

Meaning: "And God unites dispersed people when they totally think that they would never meet" Qays and Layla may have not united in life, however they united under the earth as their graves are next to each other.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hNltnEU8tow

Ps: That is the poem when Qays returns and finds Layla married with red henna on her hands.