A review by rabiahtd
Layli and Majnun by Nezami Ganjavi

challenging emotional sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

“The world's a devil with an angel's face 

And you must perish in its cruel embrace, 

Or it's a bowl of bleeding entrails cut 

From our and every human beings gut.”

Rightly named one of the greatest love stories of all time, I have grown up hearing about this epic love story and the allegorical way in which it is written. This translation by Dick Davis definitely did an excellent job because I usually struggle to emotionally attach myself with English poetry and translated English poetry. It usually losses its essence. However, I was absolutely captivated by the beauty of every single word of this poem. My heart deeply felt every word on every page. I feel like I went on this emotional rollercoaster of love, loss and grief with Layli and Majnun.

This is a beautiful, emotionally captivating and delicate read which absolutely shatters your heart for the lovers but at the same time makes you recognise the all encompassing nature of love and the magnificence of love. Not just any old love, a love which is pure and deeply rooted in the love of God. 

I completely disagree with the often drawn parallel of Romeo and Juliet with Layli and Majnun. Unlike Romeo and Juliet, this is not a secular story of unrequited love but a story deeply rooted in the spiritual element of Islam; Sufism or Tasawuff. 

I definitely read this as an allegory of the soul’s love of God where the lover seeks ultimate union with, as well as annihilation in, the Beloved (i.e. the Divine or the Truth). Majnun for me symbolised the soul longing for the beloved and Layli as divine beauty. Majnun strives to realize “perfect love” in Layli, a love that transcends sensual contact with the beloved, a love that is free from selfish intentions, lust, and earthly desires.

Personally, I don’t quite see this folklore as one of complete tragedy. Yes - Layli and Majnun were not able to reunite and their love was left incomplete. However, I wonder whether their reunion with the divine would have been a very sweet one given the purity and sincerity in their love for one another?

It took me a long time to finish this book because I had to stop and deeply reflect on many points. I would highly recommend this book to some with an interest in idea of Sufism and divine love and tbh anyone that enjoys a pretty epic and endearing love story. Though I still think merely calling this because poem a love story is really doing it a great disservice.