The celebration of fatness was deeply gendered, with different standards for men and women. While fatness was celebrated in women as a sign of beauty and fertility, it was often stigmatized in men as a sign of laziness and lack of self-control. This gendered double standard reflects the broader social and cultural values of medieval Muslim societies, where women’s bodies were often seen as sites of beauty and desire, while men’s bodies were associated with strength and discipline. This is ...

Sash on the Benefits of Marriage: Al-Wishāḥ fī Fawāʾid al-NikāḥSash on the Benefits of Marriage (Al-Wishāḥ fī Fawāʾid al-Nikāḥ) is one of the most remarkable works in the Islamic literary tradition. It is not merely a book on marriage, but a work of astonishing breadth that encompasses: 1. Spiritual reflection, framing marital intimacy as a form of worship and a foretaste of Paradise, 2. Qur'anic exegesis, offering careful interpretation of key verses such as "Your...

Shagã'iq al-Utrunj fi Raqã'iq al-Ghunj is a small treatise, a gem of Arabic prose, combining linguistic precision, rhetorical beauty, and legal insight. It explores the concept of ghunj (coquetry, graceful charm) in its various dimensions: as a quality of character, as an art of expression, and as a dimension of marital intimacy. As Al-Suyūṭī himself notes, the term (ghunj) encompasses a range of meanings: from the graceful movements of a woman to the intimate speech between husband and wi...

Precious Gems in the Qualities of the Fat Woman by the illustrious scholar Jalal al-Din al-Suyuti stands as a timeless masterpiece. This book is not merely a treatise on physical beauty; it is a profound exploration of the cultural, linguistic, and spiritual dimensions of beauty, particularly as it pertains to the fat woman—a figure often celebrated in Arab literature and tradition. This book is divided into three distinct yet interconnected parts, each offering a unique perspective on the...