Islamic Tradition and Celibacy

Abstract

The prophet Muhammad served as a model for those entering into marriage and celibacy is rejected as a human invention, although the Islamic tradition embodies exceptions with Sufism and its more negative attitudes toward the human body. Sufi groups used celibacy as a form of social protest. There is also a relation between forced celibacy and political power during the medieval period. In addition to certain Sufi groups, eunuchs represented another exception to the general negative Islamic attitude toward celibacy.

Spiritualising Marginality: Sufi Concepts and the Politics of Identity in Pakistan

“…3The Mamluks entrusted eunuchs with the guardianship of tombs and shrines, including the holy sites of Islam in Mecca and Madina (1100–900). They were well suited to this job because of their ability to navigate both the male and female realms (Bashir 2007). The fact that I was able to interview hijras but not women speaks to the gender boundaries as well as the ability of the hijra to traverse them. Unlike women, whose participation is limited by the gendered norms of public space, hijras are an ubiquitous public presence in Pakistan.…”

“…Antinomian Sufis, such as the Haydaris, mandated celibacy and understood it as a rejection of society’s claims on their minds and bodies (Karamustafa 1994). Some even mutilated their sexual organs to ensure that they do not break their vow of continence (Bashir 2007). 55Eunuchs serving in high military and imperial positions in Muslim empires were also forced to undergo celibacy.…”

“…55Eunuchs serving in high military and imperial positions in Muslim empires were also forced to undergo celibacy. This procedure was thought to guarantee loyalty because it foreclosed the possibility of having a family (Bashir 2007). Following Asad’s (1993) theoretical intervention, Saba Mahmood (2005) and Hirschkind (2006) have demonstrated that bodily practices in Islamic traditions can be directed towards the self-cultivation of particular interior qualities.…”

“…5Eunuchs serving in high military and imperial positions in Muslim empires were also forced to undergo celibacy. This procedure was thought to guarantee loyalty because it foreclosed the possibility of having a family (Bashir 2007). …”