Product Description

The 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. This translation was previously published by Shambhala in 1978.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #99496 in Books
• Published on: 1997-01-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 177 pages

From the Publisher
A classic of World Literarure returns
A classic of World Literature in an excellent English translation returns to print after a lengthy absence. The text is a prose rendition of Nizami's twelfth-century poetic masterpiece, in which he reshapes the legends of Majnun, the quintessential romantic fool, into a tale of the ideal lover. For the Sufis, Majnun represents the perfect devotee of the "religion of the heart", and the story is an allegory of the soul's longing for God. "Layla could bewitch with one glance from beneath her dark hair, Majnun was her slave and a dervish dancing before her. Layla held in her hand the glass of wine scented with musk. Majnun had not touched the wine, yet he was dtunk with its sweet smell..." This is a beautiful production, and it includes a final chapter newly translated from the Persian by Omid Safi and Zia Inayat Khan.

About the Author
Nizami

Customer Reviews

A classic persian tale of true love...
This book is sublime, I have never read any book in which there is so intense a description of love. Eric Clapton has quoted much of the poetry in his Layla and other assorted love songs - (Derek & the dominoes). It was this book which inspired him to compose this his best solo album!

This book is a classic, essential reading! The ideal gift for a lover...

A book that will touch the soul of every reader!
This book has been well written and touched me deep within in my soul. The sheer beauty of the story brought tears to my eyes and l was hooked from the start and was unable to put it down until l had finished. Nizami was able to show the reader what true love was and what it can do to people when they are kept apart from each other! A must read for those who love Love itself!

A true classic
I have owned a copy of this book since 1991 and I have read and re-read it many times. This is one of those rare books which get better each time you read it. This is the most moving and dramatic lovestory I have ever read and ever will read. Romeo and Juliet to the power of ten!! The emotions portrayed here are so intense and real. It is my advise to everybody to read this book and enjoy it as much as I do.