The legend of Layla and Majnun is a story which is known throughout the East, and the Sufi poets have used the characters of Layla and Majnun to express, in this symbolical legend, the philosophy of love.

Layla and Majnun, when young, were schoolmates, devoted to one another. Whenever the teacher looked at Majnun's slate there was the picture of Layla drawn upon it. And when the teacher asked Layla to read from the book she repeated the name of Majnun. So, disappointed with the school, the parents had to take them back home. When difficulties arose owing to the caste differences, so that they could not be married to one another according to the caste ideas, in order to make either forget the other, by changing the direction of their minds, someone asked Majnun, "What is there especial in Layla that you love her so much? There are many other maidens in the world." Majnun answered, "In order to see Layla you must borrow Majnun's eyes."

With great difficulty Layla's people consented, on condition that Majnun did not show himself odd in his love, but would behave sensibly. On the day for which the visit had been arranged, for Layla's people to meet Majnun, Majnun entered the room with his parents, who had told him to behave sensibly. It happened that Layla's dog, which Majnun had known for years, came into the room. Majnun could not for one moment hold to his dignity; he bowed at the feet of the dog and kissed its paws, and the visit became a failure.

Disappointed at Majnun's action, his parents took him to the Ka`aba, and told him to pray as they would pray; he said yes. The multitude followed, to see what prayer was going to take place. On hearing the name of Majnun, Majnun's parents first prayed, "God, take away the love of Layla from the heart of Majnun." All the others listened. Then they asked Majnun to come and pray as they did. He said, "Then shall I have Layla if I pray?" They urged him to come and pray. He said, "God, give me Layla." And all present said, "Amen."

When the parents became hopeless, then they let Majnun roam about as he wished. Majnun in the end arrived near Layla's town and stayed outside the town in an old ruin where nobody lived. Being tired he was taking shelter there, under that worn-out roof. Layla, hearing that Majnun was near the town, sent some of her portion of food by a confidential maid, who was to carry it to Majnun. When the maid came and looked in that place for the beloved of Layla there were two persons there, one a person thin and drowsy, the other person rather good looking. The maid thought certainly this person must be the beloved of Layla.

With the basket of food in her hand, she asked this man, "Are you Majnun?" "What is it you have brought?," he asked. She said, "Some food for Majnun." He said, "I am Majnun, give it to me. He was glad to partake of it, and said, "I shall be glad to have it every day." So Layla starved for days, sending her food, and that food was given to this man, who for the time became Majnun. One day Layla asked, "How is my Majnun?" The maid said, "He is looking better every day." Layla said, "It cannot be." The maid said, "Certainly, be sure of it. He is looking better every day." Layla said, "Today you need not take the food; take a knife and a saucer, and tell my Majnun that I need a drop of his blood."

When she came the man came with anxiety, with eagerness to have the dish, but there was a knife. He said, "What is this?" She said, "Layla wants a drop of your blood." He first looked perplexed, then he said, "I am not Majnun; that may be Majnun, he who is sitting in that corner." By that time Majnun had grown so thin; yet when she asked for a drop of blood Majnun tried by striking the knife on different parts of his body, if he could get out a drop of blood to be sent to Layla. "Ah," he said, "there cannot be anything more delightful for Majnun than to give a drop of his blood when it is asked for by Layla."