Before Homosexuality in the Arab-Islamic World, 1500-1800 (23 page)
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Authors: Khaled El-Rouayheb
BOOK: Before Homosexuality in the Arab-Islamic World, 1500-1800
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added that the beginning of each line of the poem provides “a clue.” The first letters of the lines of the poem add up to form “Raba
h
Çelebi
al-Khayya
t
.”
114
hÇelebial-Khayyat.”114
(2) The Baghdadi scholar ʿAbdallah al-Suwaydi
(d. 1761), while in the town of Mosul, fell in love with a local youth named S
a
lih
. However, the youth vowed not to speak to him unless he composed a formal petition
(ʿard
h
a
l).
Suwaydi
duly composed such a petition in rhymed prose, to which he appended a poem. One verse of the poem alludes to the name of the beloved youth:
(d. 1761), while in the town of Mosul, fell in love with a local youth named Salih. However, the youth vowed not to speak to him unless he composed a formal petition(ʿard
hal).Suwaydi
duly composed such a petition in rhymed prose, to which he appended a poem. One verse of the poem alludes to the name of the beloved youth:Not anyone who unites all charms is suitable
(s
for being loved, or becomes worthy of my love.
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