A carpet, semi-antique, Tabriz, signed, ca 271 x 175 cm

The story starts with youngh Qays ibn al-Mulawwah falls in love with Layla bint Sa‘d who reciprocated his feelings
Layla is of a discreet disposition but Qays publicly declairs his love of Layla, he is a passionate man but some says his passion is borderling on obsession. He is thus his spectators give the name “Majnun”, which means “a crazy person” or a person who is possessed.

Qays (or Majnun as he I referd to hence forth) and his father pleads with Leylas family for her hand in marriage but not wanting to discarce them selfs in polite society, with a son-in-law who I commenlly perceived as a mad man Leylas family declined Majnuns proposal and Leyla is betolved to someone els.

Meanwhile, Majnun is overcome with grief. He abandoned his home and family to become one with nature and the animals in the wilderness. Passers by describe Majnun as a mute who’s been driven mad by a broken heart.

Many years pas and Majnun’s parents pass away, Layla, now a widow, repeatedly asks a man claiming to have seen Majnun to tell him of his parent’s passing. Her hope was, that upon hearing of his parents death, he would return.

The man find and delivers the news to Majnun. As a result, he falls further into an endless depression and swears to live out his life in complete solitude
This proves to much for Layla who shortly after passed away alone, never reuniting with her beloved Majnun
When Majnun hears of Layla’s death, he travels to her graveside and sprawls across her grave. Having lost the only purpose for his existence, Majnun wept himself to death right there on her grave. His hope is that they could be reunited and fulfill their love in the afterlife.