Majnun and Layla: A Love Immortal

Unification

One night as Qays stood facing the moon and listening to the movements of the winds he became inconsolable, tears fell from his eyes and he lost all of his will and strength. Everyone who tried to console him or to ask him the reason for his sudden depression received only the blankets of stares. For many days Qays was a lifeless body with no breath, no need, no desires, he became a ghost of his former self.

It was at this time that Quays ceased to exist, his father became ashamed of his son who was beyond caring about his actions and how he was viewed by the world so he took Qays into the jungle in the dead of night when everyone was asleep and left him there, telling everyone that Qays was dead. This is how Quays became Majnun, the man who became known as a wildman living in the wilderness with wild animals as his guards and companions.

You see, that night that Majnun’s tears formed the basis of a creek, it was the night of Layla’s wedding, it was the night that Majnun found the true meaning of love. While at first he was heartbroken, Majnun came to see so much more than any other man of his time, he became one with those around him, while before he could understand the language of the winds and animals, now he had become one with them.

All over the country Majnun became known as a wise man, an elder, someone to go to in times of distress. Many men did not understand the pain that he went through on a daily basis in waiting for the time that he could once more be with his beloved, they did not understand him yet they wished to imitate him for they saw his life as one filled with peace and at one with the wilderness, no one succeeded. Majnun was a hermit who no one understood yet everyone sought.

Majnun only ever saw Layla once more before his death, when he was with the animals and with the earth he heard whispers of a child being born to Layla named Qays. Majnun travelled with his friends towards the home of Layla to wish her congratulations and to see the child who carried his name, a product of their love. As he drew closer to Layla’s home, Majnun asked a peddler in the street to go to Layla’s home and recite a poem that would tell Layla that he had arrived and would tell her where to meet.

My heart beats within your chest

Rhythms created by vibrations

Separated

Yet together

Your voice forever carried by the winds

 My love forever yours through earth and soil

Our spirits join as one

The heavens look in awe

Together we are separated

Apart we join as one

When Layla heard the peddler voice these words her sullen face caught light, her quiet heart once more beat and warmth returned to her lifeless limbs. Layla walked calmly through the halls of her husband’s mansion, she walked through the gates made of the finest gold and she continued to walk until she reached the edge of the desert. There she finally saw her beloved, gently gazing at his face, she did not see the roughness and the scars from years of living in the jungles she saw onya his love and inner beauty. All night they did not speak through earthly words but spoke through ways that no mortal could understand. When the first lights of morning came so too did Layla’s husband in search of his prized possession. Once more they were separated by the machinations of mankind yet their bond was stronger than ever before, though physically separated, they were spiritually one.