Marwa and al-Majnun al-Faransi

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Marwah wa al-Majūn al-Faransi (

, born during the 14th century. There were many Arabic versions of the story at the time.

Story

Shams al-Faransi (or al-Faransawi) ibn Fattuta ibn Rumi was a poet, sailor, explorer, translator, writer, and linguist (born May 2, 1373; year of death uncertain, possibly 1458 or 1467), most probably one of the sons of famous explorer Ibn Battuta. He became famous for his poetry and adventurous life. He was most probably born in Afghanistan, but lived in Spain, in Andalucia as a disciple of famous Arab philosophers in the tradition of Averroes, in Morocco, Egypt and parts of Africa. He traveled to Venice, where he became close to French poet Christine de Pizan and became known as Al-Faransi ("the Frenchman").

He continued his travels and fell in love with

, but were stolen during the war in 2002.

While he was in the desert, he was held prisoner by a tribe of the ruthless Zaghawa warriors. In the meantime, Marwa was introduced to another man, who was more suitable according to Arab traditions.

This type of love is known in Arabic culture as “Virgin Love” (Arabic: حب عذري), because the lovers never married or made love. Other famous Virgin Love stories are the stories of Qays and Lubna, Kuthair and Azza, Layla and Majnun and Antarah ibn Shaddad. His observations on the flight of his dove and of a desert Eagle led him to write poems on flying and dreams of taking Marwa in the air with him. In the late 19th Century, it inspired a Frenchman, Pierre-Louis Maillard, to closely observe the birds in Cairo. Maillard became known as "Majnoun al Faransy" (lit. "The Mad Man of France").