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A Brief History of Homosexual Mystics in Islamicate History

Throughout Islamic history, there have been a number of mystics who talked of or practiced homosexuals. Many mystics, known as Sufis, were known for their devotion to God and their pursuit of spiritual enlightenment. Despite facing opposition from religious authorities and societal norms, these mystics demonstrated that one's sexual orientation does not dictate their ability to achieve spiritual fulfillment.

One well-known homosexual mystic in Islam is Al-Hallaj, who lived in the 9th and 10th centuries. Al-Hallaj was a renowned poet and spiritual leader, who was known for his intense devotion to God. He expressed his love for other men in his poetry. Despite facing persecution for his beliefs and sexual orientation, Al-Hallaj's writings and teachings had a lasting impact on the Sufi tradition.


Another notable homosexual mystic in Islam is Rumi, who lived in the 13th century. Rumi was a prolific poet and theologian, whose works are still widely read and revered today. Despite living in a time when homosexuality was not accepted, Rumi expressed his love for other men and wrote extensively about the divine nature of love, regardless of its form.

Homosexual mystics in Islam faced challenges and opposition from their contemporaries, but their devotion to God and their pursuit of spiritual enlightenment was unwavering. They demonstrated that one's sexual orientation does not define their relationship with God or their ability to achieve spiritual fulfillment. These mystics offer a unique perspective on the relationship between sexuality and spirituality in Islam, and their legacy continues to inspire individuals to this day.


Here are a few other well-known figures who have been discussed or suggested in historical or literary sources. It is important to note that not all of these figures may have been homosexual or transgender, as non-heterosexual orientations and gender identities were not always labeled in the Islamic world past as they are now in the globalized world. Their poetry and literary works however may contain references or allusions to same-sex love or gender nonconformity:

  1. Rabi'a al-Adawiyya

  2. Shams al-Nahar

  3. Ibn Arabi

  4. Jami

  5. Rumi

  6. Al-Mutanabbi

  7. Al-Hallaj

  8. Al-Ma'arri

  9. Omar Khayyam

  10. Saadi Shirazi

  11. Attar of Nishapur

  12. Farid ud-Din Attar

  13. Farid al-Din al-Tunisi

  14. Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya

  15. Bahauddin Zakariya

  16. Lal Shahbaz Qalandar

  17. Moinuddin Chishti

  18. Abdul-Qadir Gilani

  19. Hassan al-Basri

  20. Al-Fudayl ibn ‘Iyad

  21. Ahmad Ghazali

  22. Jalaluddin Rumi

  23. Sheikh San‘an

  24. Majnun Layla

  25. Layla and Qays

  26. Fakhr al-Din Iraqi

  27. Yunus Emre

  28. Baba Taher

  29. Al-Hakim al-Tirmidhi

  30. Ahmad Jami

  31. Kamal al-Din Hasan

  32. Umm al-Darda

  33. Al-Baqillani

  34. Al-Farabi

  35. Al-Bistami


This list is not exhaustive.



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