Romantic attraction to people of one’s own sex is often accompanied by aversion to the opposite sex. Mulla Sadra (d. 1641) goes to great lengths to justify love for young adolescent boys. His book “Asfar-e-Arbaa” is his major contribution to Neoplatonism, and it is a cumbersome reading full of repetitions, misinformed speculations, faulty generalizations and illogical constructions. Modern edition, published by Dar Ihya’ al-Turath al-’Arabi from Beirut, spreads over three and a half thousand pages. In this book, he has portrayed women negatively.
One explicit example of these negative depictions is found in the seventh volume. On page 134, a new chapter begins entitled: “The Purpose of Earth’s Creation and its Inhabitants for the Benefit of Humans” (في عنايته تعالى في خلق الأرض و ما عليها لينتفع بها الإنسان). In this chapter, Mulla Sadra says that the sole purpose of creation of animals and other creatures, including women, is to serve man. He writes:
و منها تولد الحیوانات المختلفة؛ وَ بَثَّ فِیها مِنْ کُلِّ دَابَّةٍ بعضها للأکل وَ الْأَنْعامَ خَلَقَها لَکُمْ فِیها دِفْ‌ءٌ وَ مَنافِعُ وَ مِنْها تَأْکُلُونَ و بعضها للرکوب و الزینة وَ الْخَیْلَ وَ الْبِغالَ وَ الْحَمِیرَ لِتَرْکَبُوها وَ زِینَةً و بعضها للحمل وَ تَحْمِلُ أَثْقالَکُمْ إِلى بَلَدٍ لَمْ تَکُونُوا بالِغِیهِ إِلَّا بِشِقِّ الْأَنْفُسِ إِنَّ رَبَّکُمْ لَرَؤُفٌ رَحِیمٌ و بعضها للتجمل و الراحة وَ لَکُمْ فِیها جَمالٌ حِینَ تُرِیحُونَ وَ حِینَ تَسْرَحُونَ و بعضها للنکاح وَ اللَّهُ جَعَلَ لَکُمْ مِنْ أَنْفُسِکُمْ أَزْواجاً و بعضها للملابس و البیت و الأثاث وَ جَعَلَ لَکُمْ مِنْ جُلُودِ الْأَنْعامِ بُیُوتاً تَسْتَخِفُّونَها یَوْمَ ظَعْنِکُمْ وَ یَوْمَ إِقامَتِکُمْ- وَ مِنْ أَصْوافِها وَ أَوْبارِها وَ أَشْعارِها أَثاثاً وَ مَتاعاً إِلى حِینٍ. (1)
Translation: “Animals are one of the blessings of God, ‘the scattering of all kinds of creatures throughout, the shifting of the winds, and the clouds drifting between the heavens and the earth—in all of this are surely signs for people of understanding’ [2: 164]. Some are to be consumed, ‘and the grazing livestock He has created for you; in them is warmth and benefits, and from them you eat’ [16: 5]. Some are created for transportation, ‘and the horses, mules and donkeys for you to ride and (as) adornment. And He creates that which you do not know’ [16: 8]. Some work as a carrier, ‘and they carry your loads to a land you could not have reached except with difficulty to yourselves. Indeed, your Lord is Kind and Merciful’ [16: 7]. Some are for comfort and beauty, ‘and for you in them is (the enjoyment of) beauty when you bring them in (for the evening) and when you send them out (to pasture)’ [16: 6]. Some are for sexual intercourse, ‘and Allah has made for you from yourselves mates’ [16: 72]. Some are used to make household crafts and clothes, ‘and Allah has made for you from your homes a place of rest and made for you from the hides of the animals tents which you find light on your day of travel and your day of encampment; and from their wool, fur and hair is furnishing and enjoyment for a time’ [16: 80].”
Mulla Sadra’s interpretation of the marriage verse in the context of animal references is a huge misinterpretation. Another mystic writer and poet, Mulla Hadi Sabzavari (d. 1873 CE), writes in his commentary on the text:
فی إدراجها فی سلک الحیوانات إیماء لطیف إلى أن النساء لضعف عقولهن و جمودهن على إدراک الجزئیات و رغبتهن إلى زخارف الدنیا کدن أن یلتحقن بالحیوانات الصامتة حقا و صدقا أغلبهن سیرتهن الدواب و لکن کساهن صورة الإنسان لئلا یشمئز عن صحبتهن و یرغب فی نکاحهن. (1)
Translation: “His consideration of women as animals is a subtle mystical argument that suggests that due to their lack of intelligence and their inability to go from particulars to universals and their interest in worldly adornments, women are essentially irrational animals. The majority of them live like tetrapods (four-footed animals), but they were made to look like humans so that men would be attracted to them and not feel repulsed by them during intimacy.”
On page 172 of the same volume, Mulla Sadra presents his theory of love for young boys while portraying love for women as characteristic of inferior nations. (2) These passages not only demonstrate Mulla Sadra’s aversion to women but also reveal elements of racism within his writings.
It is crucial to critically analyze and contextualize such passages from historical works, recognizing that they may reflect the prevalent attitudes and beliefs of the time. It is also essential to acknowledge the progress society has made in challenging and rejecting such discriminatory views. Mulla Sadra’s Indian contemporary, Shaykh Ahmad Sirhindi (d. 1624), a Sufi saint revered by Taliban, has also dehumanized women. In his views, women are more prone to blameworthy actions than men. (3) He sees women as a source of pleasure for men only. In one of his letters, he says:
لباس ابریشم بر زنان مباح فرمود که منافع آن نیز عائد بمردان است و همچنین است حال ذهب و فضه که حلی زنان از برای تمتع مردان است. (4)
Translation: “God has made silk clothing permissible for women because the benefit of women’s adornment is ultimately for men. And such is the state of silver and gold that was allowed for women’s ornament, so that men could rejoice.”
See also: Mulla Sadra on love for adolescent boys
References:
1. Mulla Sadra, “al-hikma al-muta’aliya fil-asfar al-‘aqliyya al-arba’a”, vol. 7, pages 136, dar ihya’ al-turath al-’arabi, Beirut, 1981.
2. Mulla Sadra, “al-hikma al-muta’aliya fil-asfar al-‘aqliyya al-arba’a”, vol. 7, pages 172, dar ihya’ al-turath al-’arabi, Beirut, 1981.
3. Tahera Aftab, “Sufi Women of South Asia: Veiled Friends of God”, chapter 4, pages: 104–135, brill, 2022.
4. Ahmad Sirhindi, “maktubat-i imam-i rabbani”, volume 1, letter 191, page 191, Munshi Nawal Kishore Press, Kanpur.
