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Mukhannath

Mukhannath/مخنثون (plural: Mukhannathun) was a gender & sexual-diverse community of Pre-Islamic & Classical Islamic Societies. Transgender & gender variant identities & practices are diverse and vary across different cultures and societies, including within Muslim communities. In Classical Arabia, these people were refer to as 1.)Effeminate men, 2.) people of ambiguous sexual characteristics and gender non-confirmity, who appeared as more feminine, 3.) who socially had roles typically played by women. There is no monolithic interpretation or understanding of gender identity or expression within Islam, as the religion encompasses a wide range of beliefs and cultural contexts. The existence of mukhannathun has been acknowledged in many historical islamic texts, and their status within Islamic society has been subject to varying interpretations.

Etymology

According to the lexicographers, the term mukhannath derived from the verb Kha-na-tha in the first form means to fold back the mouth of a waterskin for drinking. Derived term develop the basic idea of bending or folding in the direction of pliability,suppleness,languidness,tenderness& delicacy.

According to 9th century Arabic scholar, philologist Abn Ubayd mukhannathun were so called on their account of effeminacy (takassur, elsewhere usually paired with tathanni,suppleness).[citation needed]

Later lexicographers define the term mukhannath as a man who resembles or imitates as woman in the languidness of his limbs or the softness of his voice.This definition rose to prominence among Islamic scholars until medieval times, when the term became associated with passive homosexuality.

While the term "Mukhannath al-Jins" has been used to refer to individuals who do not conform to traditional gender norms associated with their assigned sex.

History

Pre-Islamic Arab Society:

Mukhannathun's gender expression & existence were much tolerated in Pre-Islamic Arab world.Mukhannathun from the city of Medina (Saudi Arabia), are frequently mentioned in the hadith literature & in the works of many Early Arabic and Islamic writers.Mukhannaths were used as domestic worker,domestic helper,hairdresser in the early days of Islam.Mukhannath were allowed to access in both male & female quarters.Al-'Ayni quotes from al-Tabarani that in the days of the Prophet Muhammad,the mukhannathun spoke languidly,dyed their hands and feet (with henna), but were not accused of immoral acts (fahisha).

In the Rashidun and Umayyad caliphates, various mukhannathun of Medina established themselves as celebrated entertainers,artists.One particularly prominent mukhannath, Abū ʿAbd al-Munʿim ʿĪsā ibn ʿAbd Allāh al-Dhāʾib, who had the Arabic name Ṭuwais ("Little Peacock"), was born in Medina on the day Prophet Muhammad died (8 June 632).

Ṭuwais is described as the first mukhannath person to perform "perfect singing" characterized by definitive rhythmic patterns in Medina.He was also known for his sharp wit and his skill with the tambourine (which had previously been associated only with female musicians).No sources describe his sexuality as immoral or imply that he was attracted to men.But it is reported that he was married with a woman.

While Ṭuwais is typically described as the leading mukhannath musician of Medina during his lifetime.Another Mukhannath who was known by the name al-Dalāl ("the Coquettish") is mentioned as one of Ṭuwais's favorite pupils.He is portrayed as a witty but sometimes crude man who "loved women," but did not have sex with them.Unlike Ṭuwais, some tales involving al-Dalāl do suggest that he was attracted to men.Furthermore Ṭuwais and other mukhannathun musicians formed an intermediary stage in the social class most associated with musical performance: women in pre-Islamic Arabia, mukhannathun in the Rashidun and early Umayyad caliphates, and mainly non-mukhannath men in later time periods.

In the early Umayyad period, Mukhannathun enjoyed an exceptional visibility and prestige in Medina & Mecca.Religious persecution of mukhannathun first started at the reigns of Caliph Marwan I. The governor of Mecca serving under al-Walīd I “issued a proclamation against the mukhannathun”, in addition to other entertainers. Two mukhannath musicians named Ibn Surayj and al-Gharīḍ are specifically referred to as being impacted by this proclamation. Mukhannath al-Gharīḍ fled to Yemen and never came back to Saudi Arabia.The most severe instance of persecution is typically dated to the time of al-Walīd I's brother and successor Sulaymān ibn ʿAbd al-Malik, (7th caliph of the Umayyad caliphate).According to several variants of this story, the caliph Sulayman ordered the full castration of the mukhannathun of Medina.Some versions of the tale say that all of them were forcefully undergo the castration procedure. Consequently, mukhannath or queer folks of Medina & Mecca begin to fade from historical sources, and the next generation of singers and musicians had few mukhannathun in their ranks.

Abbasid Period

During the Abbasid caliphate, the word itself was used as a descriptor for men who are entertainer and submissive or effeminate gay.Mukhannath were employed as dancers, musicians, comedian & guards of Abbasid harems.In later eras Mukhannath term has been mostly associated with effeminate homosexuality.

Safavid Period

Safavid Dynasty (1501–1736) was a Twelver Shia dynasty of Iran.Mukhannathun also appeared in Safavid Era.

Acceptance of transgender and gender non-conforming individuals within Islam can be highly influenced by cultural, social, political & regional factors. Different Muslim majority countries & communities may have differing attitudes towards gender identity and expression, ranging from acceptance to stigmatization.

Hadith Literature

Almost all references of ahadith literature justifies animosity toward queer people & have been quoted out of context; Islamic clerics,scholars wrongly condemn trans folks, despite so many major Islamic scholars having argued that the Hadith actually refer to cross-dressers (who want to deceitfully gain access to women’s spaces).

According to Sahih Bukhari 4324, Narated by Umm Salama narrated that ''Prophet (ﷺ) came to me while there was an mukhannath (Hit) sitting with me, and I heard him (i.e. the effeminate man) saying to `Abdullah bin Abi Umaiya, "O `Abdullah! See if Allah should make you conquer Ta'if tomorrow,then take the daughter of Ghailan (in marriage) as (she is so beautiful and fat that) she shows four folds of flesh when facing you, and eight when she turns her back." The Prophet (ﷺ) then said, "These (effeminate men) should never enter upon you (O women!)."

Al-Tabari (1978) took it as an example that the Prophet did not forbid a particular mukhanath, Hit, from entering the women’s quarters until he heard Hit giving a description of the women’s bodies in great detail.Hit was later prohibited from the house because ze had breached the trust of the Prophet, but not because of her gender identity or expression.According to Dr. Scott Siraj Kugle the mukhannath hadiths were so grossly taken out of context by many muslim conservatives,that what appeared to be a prophetic wisdom of protecting and sanctifying the privacy of women’s spaces; devolved into a punitive condemnation of gender & sexual diversity.

Its also known that Prophet Muhammad protect a Mukhannath (or trans woman) from death sentence.

According to a Sunan Abu Dawud 4910,narrated by Abu Hurayrah that,

''A mukhannath who had dyed his hands and feet with henna was brought to the Prophet (ﷺ).He asked: What is the matter with this man? He was told: "Messenger of Allah! He imitates the look of women." So he issued an order regarding him & he was banished to an-Naqi. The people said: Messenger of Allah! Should we not kill him? He said: I have been prohibited from killing people who pray.

According to Abu Usamah said: Naqi' is a region near Medina and not a Baqi ''.

According to Progressive Muslim scholar Mahdia Lynn, ''One group interprets this hadith as a transgressor banished: this person being sent away clearly teaches us that gender diverse people are not welcome in the Prophet’s community. According to this interpretation, living out the prophetic example today means that excluding gender and sexual diversity from Islam is right and good.

Another group looks at this story and sees a life saved: it’s clear there was a group of men ready to murder this person and so the Prophet saved their life by sending them away (to an-Naqi, a location between Mecca and Medina, which is interpreted to mean “within the bounds of Islam”). Living out prophetic example means not only accepting gender & sexual diversity as a valid part of the ummah, but being called upon to protect LGBTQI+ Muslims.''

Opinions

Within Islamic history and scholarship, there have been discussions and debates surrounding gender identities and expressions that transcends the gender binary.In the pre-modern period, muslim societies were aware of several gender non-confirmities: this can be seen through figures such as the khaasi (eunuch), the hijra (non-binary,trans), the mukhannath (trans-feminine),the mutarajjilat (trans male), the mamsuh (agender),the bissu (non-binary, polygender),the sida-sida (bigender) and the khuntha (intersex). Some Islamic scholars have explored the concept of "mukhannathun," which actually refers to individuals assigned male at birth but who exhibit feminine characteristics or behaviors.

Several scholars such as Mehrdad Alipour (2017) & Everett K. Rowson (1991) point to references in the Hadith to the existence of mukhannath: a man who carries femininity in his movements,in his appearance, and in the softness of his voice.Western scholars Aisya Aymanee M. Zaharin & Maria Pallotta-Chiarolli see the term mukhannath as referring to men who are behave like women,but do not want to undergo sex reassignment surgery,in contrast to transgender or intersex people.

Mukhannath term may use as an umbrella term for gender & sexual diverse.While sometimes Mukhannath classified as transgender people,the Mukhannathun as a group do not neatly fit into the western categories of gender or sexuality.There was too much variety from one Mukhannath to the next to establish a specific label for their gender or sexual identity, & the meaning of the term has changed over time.The Arabic term for a trans woman is Mukhannith, as they want to change their sex, while mukhannaths presumably don't.

In Popular Culture

Books

The Effeminates of Early Medina - Everett K. Rowson

Homosexuality,Transidentity and Islam -Ludovic Ahmad Zahed

Before homosexuality in Arab-Islamic World - Khaled El-Rouayheb

Sexual Ethics and Islam - Kecia Ali

Living Out Islam:Voices of Gay, Lesbian & Transgender Muslims - Scott Siraj Kugle

Homosexuality in Islam:Critical reflection on gay, lesbian & transgender muslims - Scott Siraj Kugle

Que(e)ring Religion:A Critical Anthology - Gary David Comstock, Susan E. Henking

Islam and Homosexuality - Samar Habib [volume 1], [volume 2]

Sexual and Gender Diversity in Muslim World - Vanja Hamzić

Islamic Homosexualities - Stephen O. Murray, Will Roscoe

Islamicate Sexualities:Translations across Temporal Geographies of Desire - Afsaneh Najmabadi,Kathryn Babayan

Queens, Eunuchs and Concubines in Islamic history - Taef El-Azhari

The Diesel (الديزل) by Thani al-Suwaidi

The Delight of Hearts - Ahmad Al-Tifashi

Governing Thirdness: State, Society and Non-Binary Identities - Muhammad Azfar Nisar

Films & TV

Allah Loves Equality - Wajahat Abbas Kazmi

Be Like Others - Tanaz Eshaghian

#gay muslim #transsexual muslim #transmuslim #queer history #queer islam #Hijra #Mukhannath #Mukhannith #khanith #transgender #non binary #genderqueer #gender ambiguity

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lgbtqiamuslimpedia · 11 months

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Queer Glossary of Muslim/Islamic World:

This is a list of gender & sexuality related terms, used in Muslim/Islamic World.

Mithli/Mithly - postmodern Arabic term for queer folks

Mithliya - feminine form word “Mithli”, refers to lesbians, sapphics, queer women

Mu’khanath/Mukhannas/Mukhannath/Mukhannathun/Mukhannathin - archaic Arabic term for gender variants, trans woman, trans femme, individuals of non-normative gender and/or sexuality

Mukhannith - classical Arabic term for transsexual woman

Mutarajilat/Mutarajjil/Mutarajila - archaic Arabic term for butch,trans man, trans-masculine. It is masculine equivalent of word “Mukhannath”

Mustargil/Mustarjil/Mustarajil/Mustarajilla/Mustarajjila- vernacular term for trans male/trans-masculine folks in Marsh Arab

Mabun/Maabun - archaic Arabic term for an eunuch homosexual, passive homosexual in Medieval Islamic Arab.

Khanith/Khaneeth/Xanith/Makhanith - vernacular term for transgender femme, gender non-confirming, queer in Arabian Peninsula & Gulf countries. The Khanith is also a third gender/sex community of Arabian peninsula.

Khuntha/Khunsha - archaic Arabic term used to describe intersex & ambiguous gender individuals in Muslim World.

Khuntha Mushkil - term for non-binary & gender non-confirming intersex individuals.

Khasi/Khasee - archaic term for eunuchs in Arabic/MENA Islamic empires

Khusra/Khusray/Khusaray/Khusara - Pejorative word for eunuch transgender, gender non-confirming individuals in Pakistan & Northernmost India. The word derived from Punjabi

Murat/Muraat/Morat/Moorat - vernacular term for transgender, eunuch, gender-diverse folks in Pakistan. It is also used in some parts of Afghanistan.The word Murat is itself a portmanteau of Mard (meaning man) and Aurat (meaning woman)

Hijra/Hijre/Hijjara/Hijarah/Hijada – all-encompassing term for gender & sexual diverse folks in the Indian subcontinent. The term includes trans femme, mtf transsexual, masculine woman, effeminate gay man, cisgendered drag queen, androgyne, transvestite, queer, eunuch, non-binary & intersex individual

Khawaal - term for MTF transvestite dancers,Effeminates in Pre-mordern Egypt.

Köçek - archaic Turkish term for effeminate male, androgynous male gender fluid dancers in Ottoman society. The term also refers to feminine boys regardless of their sexual orientation. “Cengi” is female counterpart of Köçek.

Khawaja sara/Khwaja sara/Khwaja sira/Khawajasira/Khwaja sera/Khwaja sarayi/Khaja sarah - Persian archaic term used to describe a range of gender identities, including trans femme, gender fluid, non-binary, effeminate (mukhannas), eunuch, trans-masculine, and trans-feminine individuals in South Asia. It goes beyond being just a gender or sexual identity; it is also associated with gender spirituality or Sufi tariqah. This term was historically used to designate trans and non-binary individuals in Medieval Muslim empires. Nowadays, the term khawaja sara/khwajasara has become a subset of Hijra

Kothi - pejorative slang term for effeminate men, gay transvestites, drag queen, passive homosexuals in Indian subcontinent. In pakistan, kothis are referred as “Zenana”.

Panthi - slang term for dominant, hard, masculine gay & bisexual male in Bangladesh, Pakistan & India. This term derived from to Hijra Farsi or Ulti Bhasha

Parikh/Paarikh - slang term refers to boyfriend & husband in Bangladesh. This word is mostly used among LGBTQ+ population

Dohpartaa or Dohpartah - informal, slang term for bisexual in Bangladesh & West Bengal. The word derived from the Hijra Farsi or Ulti language.

Mamsuh - Arabic term for intersex person, who is agender or genderless.

Hum Jins, Hum jinsi, Ham-jense, Ham-jens – homosexual in Urdu, Persian, Tajik language

Ham-jins bâz/Ham-jens bâz – a derogatory term for gays in Farsi-speaking communities.

Ham-jens-garâ - slurr for homosexual in Farsi

Ham-jins garo - pejorative term for homosexuals in Tajikistan

Do jens garâ/Doh jense garâ - term for bisexual in Farsi

Mak Nyah - term for transgender woman, MTF transsexual in Malaysia. The term “Mak Nyah” is widely used among trans women, mukhannath/ trans-feminine folks. The term was first coined in late 1980s.

Pak Nyah - informal,vernacular term for trans men in Malaysia.

Waria - vernacular term for Transgender & trans woman in Indonesia.Warias are considered as third gender in Indonesia.

Priawan - vernacular term for trans-masculine in Indonesia.

Bissu - a term used to describe non-binary or two spirit identity in Bugie Tribe of Indonesia

Boyah/Boyat - a term used in persian gulf states to describe masculine women,butch, & AFAB gender non-confirming

Burnesha - vernacular term used to describe trans-masculine,butch in Ottoman empire of balkan & Albania.

Chokri/Chukri - term for drag queens, transvestites, transfeminine folks who are associated with “Alcap” folk song & sufi devotional music. This cross-gender cultural phenomenon can be found in Bangladesh & North-west Bengal. Chukri artists may identify themselves as straight, bisexual, gay, transsexual. Muslim Chukris are devotee of sufi saint Madar Pir/Madari Pir.

Zenana/Jenanah - vernacular term for effeminate male,MTF transvestite in Bangladesh,Pakistan,Northern India.The term Zenana derived from Urdu or Farsi, which means feminine.

Bachaa posh - pejorative term for FTM crossdresser, butch in Afghani dialect

Bacha Bareesh - pejorative vernacular term for effeminate boy, passive homosexual,transgender folks in Afghanistan. Bacha Bareesh are effeminate boys,MTF drag queens who take part in Bacha bazi.

Gej – non-derogatory term for gays in Balkan regions. It is used in Bosnia & Herzegovina, Albania, Kosovo, Serbia, Macedonia, Romania.

Dygjinishëm - Albanian term for bisexual

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