6.
when word of the flogging reached majnuun
he immediately tore his shirt
and yelled with a pain that rivaled the beaten youth
but his scars bypassed the flesh of his back
to mark the lining of his heart
he cried,
“oh layla,
i only fled from thee
in hope that i might find a day
that will allow me to find thee
but if mine hope is a dream misguided
bring an end to this night
let me meet death in this instant”
his soul then
succumbed to such an angst
it suffocated any forthcoming words
only torturous tears could express
the breaking of his spirit
his melancholy was so deep and cumbersome
that not even his companions could bear the sight
the pain was so intense they had to leave
and again,
he found himself
alone
“although i suffer
i will not be wounded for my beloved
for how can one truly love
if one is identified with pain
suffering is the antithesis of love
so whatever i suffer,
i suffer and then must let go
for to hold on, grasping to pain
is among the greatest obstacles to love”
his isolation was made more foreboding
by the newly raised barrier to layla’s tent
armed men stood guard
around the border of the camp
day and night
obstructing any chance to glance at his beloved
or bow his head at her threshold
but being ostracized from any proximity to her presence
did not deter his hunger for her fragrance
he sifted the winds for any tiny trace of her scent
yet this searching for her
only drove him deeper into isolation
the deeper he went
the more he was drawn beyond
what others could understand
and the less understood he was,
the more crazy he became
for at the root of majnuun’s madness
was the inability to bear the denial
of a love that was consuming him
but what drove this madness into extremity
was the inability of others
to understand and be compassionate toward
his circumstance
* * *
in the eyes of his clan, including his father,
his crazy love became a basis for shame
they could not comprehend his deafness
to their counsel
and had not the patience for the obsession
of his love
so they were all relieved
when as-sayyid assembled the elders and the wise
to discuss what should be done
the continuing deterioration of their leader’s son
was seen as a decline in their honor and stature
as a clan
the meeting was long and arduous
as certain details of qays’ madness
were reaching the ears of as-sayyid for the first time
he seemed to age with the minutes
the weight of these revelations arching his back
and wrinkling the sadness around his eyes
he was coming to realize how deeply entrenched
his son was within this disaster
trapped without any means to rescue himself
yet serving as the butcher of his own slaughter
eventually
he broke the silence of his attentive ears
to offer a last grasp of salvaging any prospect
of hope
“who can deny
my son is lost to the heart of this young woman
a prey that will not be gained by his misguided hunt
his blindness obscures any chance
of attaining what he seeks
but what if i were to deliver it into his hands
perhaps my prestige and reputation
as a just sayyid
will outshine my son’s induced madness
if i request for him her hand in marriage
“until now
there has never been a feud between our clans
and this marriage offers them the chance
to join our strength with theirs
a clear benefit for them”
when as-sayyid asked for the opinions of others
all voiced support for his proposal
although some had doubts regarding the chance of success
with no other favorable alternatives
who could discourage this attempt
so immediately,
as-sayyid dressed in his finest robe
and sent his best messenger ahead
to deliver notice of his coming approach
then,
in the company of te clan’s elders
his caravan made its way to the camp at najd
they were received with smiles,
music, and a feast
and after great reveling
the mood shifted to conversation and tea
it was then that the unspoken yet obvious purpose
was broached
as the elder of layla’s clan asked,
“so tell us, great sayyid,
while our cups remain nearly full
for what reason have you come
if it is a matter requesting our assistance
the tides are already in your favor
just state the cause
so our friendship
may have another space to embrace”
“it is a matter of a different type
but something i trust will strengthen our strong ties”
as-sayyid turned to layla’s father
seeking to mask his nervousness
with confident words
“inshallaah,
may your daughter and my son
magnify the blessings of each other’s lives
“good sir,
i come as a messenger,
a humble suitor in proxy
to request your daughter’s hand for my son
he is yearning to drink from the stream
of her rich waters
which beholds a purity
that will restore the person of his soul
and that person will prove to be a great husband
“i come not in shame,
rather with a reserved pride
and a stature, as one who is followed and loved
i am a respected man who wields great wealth
that befriends friends and daunts my enemies
you set the limit of the dowry and i will meet it
i come as an eager buyer willing to pay whatever price
but my eagerness knows not patience
the opportunity of today may not remain tomorrow
yet what is bought today
will lead to generations of happiness
for our present and future kin
a scared link between our clans”
there was a silence
as layla’s father allowed the words of as-sayyid
to wane into their own quietude
he then looked at his elder
who motioned his hand as if to say
“speak as freely as you wish”
and so he did,
not curbing his words to the etiquette
of addressing a leader
“what you say
colors the petals of the withering rose to your favor
yet neglects the decay and weeds afoot
do you think your eloquent words
are enough to entice me
to place my daughter in a pool of mud,
she who is without stain
already my enemies celebrate
how your son haunts the honor of my daughter
his reputation may shine fondly abroad
but who in this vicinity
can ignore his imprudent madness
he is a majnuun
and a majnuun is not fit to be a husband,
especially not to my daughter
“if he can be cured
i can rightly consider what you propose
but a responsible father does not let rancid juice
be poured into an impeccable glass
for the sake of my reputation
and that of my clan
let us forget what you have just said
for what is forgotten need not be rejected
and why risk the tension that may arise
if as-sayyid is denied”
the heart of as-sayyid sunk into itself
his head hung low,
the pain of failure evident
who could repudiate a father’s caring wisdom
yet desperation will seek to clench at anything
within the emptiness of air
so he said,
“my tea has become cold
perhaps a warm cup will reveal
how my son’s cure lays in the union i seek”
all eyes shifted to the elder of layla’s clan
the steaming tea pot resting before him
he motioned for a servant to come
and whispered in his ear
anticipation
the tension rose as all eyes followed the servant
carry the tea pot and an empty cup
to place them before layla’s father
without any words
the intent was clear
as-sayyid put his head down
allowing his ears to be his sight
the sound of the pouring stopped short
but perhaps it was a fast flowing pour
a hope negated
as the servant’s hand appeared before his eyes
holding out a cup half-filled
broken in defeat,
as-sayyid took a ceremonial last sip
placed the cup down
and left without any further words
the others in his company offered their appreciations
and then departed
following as-sayyid
on his long, lonely ride home
❍ ● ❍