majnun

Majnun is the byname of Qays ibn al-Mulawwah, a legendary figure in Arabic, Persian, and South Asian literary traditions. The term, from Arabic majnun, means “possessed” or “crazy,” reflecting his obsessive devotion to Layla. The tale centers on Qays’s forbidden love for Layla, the daughter of a noble family, which leads to social disapproval and her arranged marriage to another man. After this, Qays becomes a wanderer in the desert, composing ardent poetry and reciting Layla’s name, earning the epithet Majnun.

The most influential rendition is the Persian epic Layla and Majnun by the 12th-century poet Nizami Ganjavi, who elevated the legend into a five-canto romance. The story existed in earlier Arabic poetry and was adapted across Turkic and South Asian literatures, with notable versions in Azerbaijani, Turkish, Hindustani, and Urdu. The tale has been interpreted through the lens of mysticism, with Layla sometimes representing the beloved, and Majnun the seeker or the soul in search of the divine.

In literary culture, Majnun has become a symbol of intense, often unattainable love. The character and theme influenced poets such as Fuzuli, Jami, and later writers in many languages; it has also inspired music, theatre, film, and contemporary usage to denote a devoted lover.

Endings vary by adaptation: some conclude with Layla’s death or with Majnun's isolation; others portray a spiritual union or renunciation.