islamic-jihad-legacy-of-forced-conversion-imperialism-slavery

Islamic JihadIt was, therefore, safer for masters—particularly the rulers and high officials, who kept largeharem—to keep eunuchs, instead of virile men, in their households and palaces. It is no wonder that the termharem originated from haram, meaning prohibited—more specifically, "out of bounds" (to unrelated men).According to John Laffin, black slaves were generally castrated ‘based on the assumption that theblacks had an ungovernable sexual appetite.’ 847 From India to Africa, eunuchs were specifically engaged inguarding the royal harems. They kept tab on the passage of men and women in and out of the seraglio andspied for the ruler on the harem women about their behaviour, infidelity in particular. Eunuchs were needed intheir thousands to look after huge harems, probably the largest royal department in medieval Islamickingdoms.Secondly, the castrated men, with no hope of a family or offspring to look forward to in their old age,were likely to show greater fidelity and devotion to the master in order to earn their favor and support whenthey grew old. The castrated slaves, devoid of sexual distractions, could also devote themselves exclusively towork relatively easily in the usually sexually-charged Islamic culture.The third reason for the high demand for eunuchs was homosexual infatuation of many Muslimrulers, generals and nobles. Eunuchs, kept for carnal indulgence, also called ghilman, used to be handsomeyoung boys. They used to wear ‘rich and attractive uniforms and often beautified and perfumed their bodiesin effeminate fashion.’ The concept of ghilman comes from the following verses of the Quran, whichdescribes heavenly male attendants (ghilman) in paradise:• ‘Round about them will serve, (devoted) to them, young male servants (handsome) as Pearlswell-guarded.’ [Quran 52:24]• ‘There wait on them immortal youths, with bowls and ewers and a cup from a pure spring.’[Quran 56:17–18]Anwar Shaikh in his essay Islamic Morality describes ghilman as follows: ‘Paradise is the description of theluxurious surroundings dwelt in by Houris and Ghilman. Houris are the most beautiful ever-young virginswith wide, flexing eyes and swelling bosoms. Ghilman are the immortal young boys, pretty like pearls, clothedin green silk and brocade and embellished with bracelets of silver.’ 848 The concept of ghilman in Islam mayhave been prompted by the dominant culture of sodomy that existed amongst Arabs during Muhammad’s timeas discussed already (see p. 131–32). Sodomy was also prevalent in Persia. According Hitti, ‘We read ofghilman in the reign of al-Rashid; but it was evidently the Caliph al-Amin, who, following Persian precedent,established in the Arab world the ghilman institution for the practice of sexual relations. A judge of whomthere is record used four hundred such youths. Poets did not disdain to give public expression to theirperverted passions and to address amorous pieces of their compositions to beardless young boys.’ 849Castration was not performed on the black captives alone, but on captives of all shades and races: beit the blacks of Africa, the browns of India, the yellows of Central Asia or the whites of Europe. In the MiddleAges, notes Segal, Prague and Verdun became castration centers for white eunuchs, while Kharazon near theCaspian Sea for Central Asian eunuchs. Islamic Spain was another center for producing white eunuchs. At thebeginning of the tenth century, Caliph al-Muqtadir (r. 908–937) had assembled in the Baghdad palace some11,000 eunuchs: 7,000 Blacks and 4,000 Whites (Greek). 850847. Segal, p. 52848. Shaikh A, Islamic Morality, http://iranpoliticsclub.net/islam/islamic-morality/index.htm849. Hitti PK (1948) The Arabs : A Short History, Macmillan, London, p. 99850. Segal, p. 40–41; Hitti (1961), p. 276239