Layla and Majnun, also known as The Madman of Layla - inArabicىلي نوجم (Majnun-Layla) or ىلي سيق (Qays and Layla), inPersian: نوجم  یلي (Leyli andMadjnun) and Leyla ile Mecnun (Layla and Majnun) inTurkish - is a classical Middle Easternlove story. It is based on the real story of a young man calledQays ibn al-Mulawwah (Arabic: حولا ب سيق ) from the northernArabian Peninsula,

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in theUmayyadera during the 7th century. There were two Arabic versions of the story at the time.

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In one version, he spent his youth togetherwith his cousin, Layla, tending their flocks. In the other version, upon seeingLayla he fell passionately in love with her. In both versions, however, he wentmad when her father prevented him from marrying her; for that reason he cameto be called Majnun Layla, which means "Driven mad by Layla". To him wereattributed a variety of incredibly passionate romantic Arabic poems, considered among the foremost examples of theUdharischool.

Contents

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1 Story

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2 History and influence

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Story

Qays ibn al-Mulawwah ibn Muzahim, a Bedouin poet, was from the Bani Aamir tribeof 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 creatingpoemsabouthis love for her, mentioning her name often. When he asked for her hand inmarriage her father refused as this would mean a scandal for Layla according toArab traditions. Soon after, Layla married another man.When Qays heard of her marriage, he fled the tribe camp and began wanderingthe surroundingdesert. His family eventually gave up on his return and left foodfor him in the wilderness. He could sometimes be seen reciting poetry to himself or writing in the sand with a stick.Layla moved toIraqwith her husband, where she became ill and eventuallydied. Qays was later found dead in the wilderness in 688 A.D. near an unknownwoman’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. Mostof his recorded poetry was composed before his descent into madness.Among the poems attributed to Qays ibn al-Mulawwah, regarding Layla:

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