Before Homosexuality in the Arab-Islamic World, 1500—1800 (Part II)

Story Summary:

Before Homosexuality in the Arab-Islamic World, 1500—1800 studies how homosexual behavior was perceived and received in the time and place outlined in the title; the author argues that the phrase “homosexual” and its current meaning did not exist during that time, and that “homosexual” behavior was instead broken down into separate actions and mannerisms that took on very different social contexts.

Reflections:

In Before Homosexuality in the Arab-Islamic World, 1500—1800, the concepts of “refinement,” the “inclination to beauty,” and “passionate love,” seem to be very closely related. However, although connected, the way in which the concepts relate to one another does not always match up. El-Rouayheb offers factual evidence that seems to occasionally undermine other evidence. For example, he established a clear connection between “refinement,” and the appreciation (or inclination) of beauty and poetry. This establishes that the love of beauty is a primarily positive thing—one associated with education and status. However, in his discussion of “ishq,” or “passionate love” the love of beauty is portrayed (partly) as negative; something that leads to sexual passiveness. The three concepts both relate to and compete with one another.

On page 57, El-Rouayheb establishes “the connection between refined character and the sensitivity to human beauty.” Furthermore, the “ideal of refinement and elegance was partly defined in opposition to the course, the uncouth, and the vulgar” (59). Essentially, the appreciation of beauty is portrayed as a desirable characteristic, one associated with refinement and entirely dissociated with vulgarity. A direct connection between “refinement,” and the “inclination to beauty” is established. On page 85, a quote reads that, “ishq (passionate love) is an attraction of the heart to the magnet of beauty.” Here, a direct connection between “ishq” and the “inclination to beauty” is made. Shortly after, a connection is made between “ishq” and “refinement” on page 86, where it reads that passionate love “only afflicted those who soul was sufficiently delicate and sensitive” (86). By looking at the nature of these associations, it is reasonable to assume that because “refinement” is connected with “ishq,” “ishq” would be established as a positive thing. However, we see later that this is not necessarily the case.

Passionate love was generally described as a disease—a term that in and of itself holds a very negative connotation (86). Although it was also “a testimony to the possession of a refined and sensitive character,” ishq was considered a “pathological affliction” (86). Passionate love is nearly always attributed to the pursuer in a pederastic relationship, or within an unmarried heterosexual relationship; because it was (sometimes) associated with sex, it was seen as a bad thing. However, the negativity associated with “ishq” seems to run even deeper than that—the ultimate disapproval stems not from religiously-condemned promiscuity, but the threat of disrupting the social order. El-Rouayheb writes that “the lover (the man) was invariably the subordinate partner, humbly kept in awe by the unattainable beauty of the beloved”… therefore, “Love tended to overturn the established social order, causing a master to be enthralled by his slave” (90). Earlier in chapter one, the text establishes passive sodomy as one of the carnal sins. Taking on the role of passive sexual partner (like a woman) is essentially relinquishing all masculine power. Passionate love could be seen as “addictive submission,” which is dangerous to enforcing societal norms, and therefore highly dishonorable. El-Rouayheb gives evidence that a person must be “refined” (a good thing) to fall into passionate love (a bad thing); a concept that seems inherently contradictory.

Because passionate love is oftentimes considered a negative thing, the inclination to beauty can also be taken as a bad thing. This contradicts earlier passages, when it is established as ultimately good. The “realists” believed that “ishq” was the “consequence of looking at an attractive woman or boy”; therefore, one should avoid admiring beauty. (91) However, if one avoids admiring beauty, one cannot hope to be “refined.” On the other hand, if one is not “refined,” then one musn’t worry about the disease of “ishq.” It is important to note that the “idealists” offered a solution for this issue by separating passionate love from sexual deviation; therefore, “ishq” was not necessarily a terrible thing. And yet, on the whole, “ishq” is portrayed very negatively while simultaneously being associated with positive things. Although El-Rouayheb gives us a good sense of what the Arab-Islamic World was like in 1500—1800, the competing concepts complicate the whole picture and requires more teasing out.

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