Qur'anic Minarets - Two Questions from Portugal


Two Questions from Portugal

Tags: Eunuch, Transsexual, Male, Female, Gender, Masculinity, Feminity

Minnat ma-nih kih khidmat-i sultan hami kunam
Minnat shinas azu kih ba-khidmat bidasht ast

Do not oblige the King saying: I am serving him.
Recognise that it is his favour that he has kept you in his service

Millions of thanks to God that our King of religion has granted this golden opportunity of service to me and my `azizan in the East and the West! Praise belongs to Allah for His favour and munificence! Gratitude belongs to Allah for His favour and munificence!

We have received two questions from Portugal through our `azizan: First, from the spiritual point of view what is the position of a eunuch in Islam? This question is very difficult because there is no solution of it in any exoteric work. However, God almighty has granted the Imam (May peace be through him) of the time the knowledge of everything (36:12), therefore we have recourse to him that he may bless us with ta'yid (spiritual help), Amin!

The masses respond with aversion upon hearing the name of a eunuch, but in reality, this is not the correct response. When we check the issue of the eunuch in the world-renowned book Da`a'imu'l-Islam, Vol. II the fact becomes clear that with respect to the place of urination, it is an individual between a man and a woman. However, with reference to this book, the way our Imams have solved this question is that they either inherit as a man or as a woman. It is also possible to be in between, in which case they receive half the inheritance of a man and half the inheritance of a woman (Da`a'im, II, 387-390; Urdu translation, II, 416-417, English translation, II, 383-386).

Now, we come to the main question: From the spiritual point of view what is the position of a eunuch in Islam?

Answer:

  1. The kind of human attire the human soul is dressed to come to this material world is a temporary matter. Therefore, it has no specific importance. What is important is to see what is the azali status of the soul and how it can be regained.
  2. The wise Qur'an never condemns those who are born with any disability, such as physically blind, deaf, dumb, etc. This shows that any physical disability is beyond the control of human beings. We can therefore say that there is Divine expediency in it. Thus, if somebody is a eunuch there is definitely a Divine secret in it and a trial for us the servants.
  3. With respect to soul and knowledge, the human soul is on the level of masculinity, feminity and as well as in between, but the ladder which has been placed to go beyond all these ranks or levels to merge in Allah (fana' fi'llah) cannot be closed.
  4. Nowadays in the light of the cycle of resurrection and science, an amazing event is becoming famous, which is natural transsexuality, that is, sometimes a boy changes into a girl or vice versa. From this, we correctly conclude that attributes like masculine and feminine, etc. are temporary, whereas in the Higher "I", its real and permanent rank is merged in the origin (asl se wasil) or merging and surviving in Allah (fana' fi'llah wa baqa' bi'llah).
  5. It is accepted that a human being is a universe, that is, a personal world in which there is a system of countless cells and innumerable souls continue [to work], in fact all the things of the macrocosm in subtle form are gathered together in it. In such a case to consider the human reality merely a physical man or woman or something in between would be a great injustice.
  6. Every individual, even a eunuch, due to the wisdom-filled abundance of spiritual particles, is hidden in all men and women of the entire world (6:122). Undoubtedly this position is in potential form today, but tomorrow in paradise being revived in the Universal Soul (Single Soul) in actual form may be able to manifest itself in the guise of favourite people.
  7. A human being has come to this world as the shadow of the soul from the world of Command (17:85). In the world of Command, they are neither male nor female, but they are a reality higher than both, which you may call angel or light and also monoreality. Thus, when an individual returns to God, it is free from all attributes of male or female, etc. in its eternal state (6:94).
  8. The hierarchs of religion (hudud-i din) are like a ladder, as shown in the diagram below that the highest rank is that of a man only, the ranks in between for the higher rank are female and for the lower rank are male. The lowest rank is that of a female, i.e., a respondent (mustajib) who can acquire knowledge but cannot give it to anybody, because they are still a mustajib and have not become ma'dhun (licentiate).
  1. Three types of people are evident from this ta'wili ladder: one who only bestows like a man, the second, those who receive beneficence like a woman as well as bestow it like a man, the last is in the position of a woman at present but can be a man through knowledge and good deeds as those above, in fact, they can go even higher.
  2. An explicit as well as an implicit answer is provided to the question in this explanation. How great is our weakness that due to the fear of societal opposition, we cannot openly shed light on some problems? In short, eunuchs are also human beings, whether in the position of a weak man or a weak woman or in a middle position, as mentioned earlier. This position is related to their physical aspect and not the spiritual aspect at all because their soul is not different from the others.

The second question is by a religious sister whose profession is nursing. Her advice to other women is absolutely correct and true and the way she counsels them is permissible.

Note: Many precious points have been written in the answer to the first question, which consists of ten points. It is requested that those who read this answer should reflect carefully on it. For instance, it is not an ordinary statement to say that today every individual is potentially living in all the people of the world and tomorrow in paradise this miracle will take place actually, so that the soul which has attained salvation can have many true manifestations.

Sometimes such questions as will the women remain women in paradise and be inferior to men and restricted and confined within rights (huquq) are also asked. Or will they also have great ranks?

It must be remembered that masculinity and feminity belong to the physical body alone, which cease after death. As for the question of the ibda`i body, it is miraculous body. It comprises the manifestations of all, [such as] angel, jinn (pari), hur, gilman, men and women. For what kinds of bounties will be available in paradise and which will not, refer to the glorious Qur'an (14:34; 15:21; 31:20, 50:35).

6th Sha`ban 1410 AH/4th March, 1990 AD

Chapter IndexPrevious ChapterNext Chapter