Mukhannathun (also mukhannath) are gender-variant (typically male-to-female) persons of the Islamic faith who are accepted within the boundaries of Mecca and Medina (Islam).

The scholar and hadith collector An-Nawawi wrote: 'A mukhannath is the one ("male") who carries in his movements, in his appearance and in his language the characteristics of a woman. There are two types; the first is the one in whom these characteristics are innate, he did not put them on by himself, and therein is no guilt, no blame and no shame, as long as he does not perform any (illicit) act or exploit it for money (prostitution etc.). The second type acts like a woman out of immoral purposes and he is the sinner and blameworthy.'

Further on, An-Nawawi explains that the negative hadith reports only mean the second kind, not the mukhannathīn (plural) in general.

Although some Muslims today claim that a transsexual should be punished severely, there is no such report from Muhammad's life. In fact, even long after the time of the Prophet (Muhammad), Muslims accepted the mukhannathun in the sacred boundaries of Islam.

'In one case the people brought a mukhannath before Muhammad (s.a.s.) to let them be punished. Muhammad sent the mukhannath away to an oasis out of Madinah. The people then asked: "Apostle of Allah, should we not kill him?"

He said: "I have been prohibited from killing people who pray!", sparing the mukhannath and, even more, accepting them as a fellow praying Muslim.'"

See also

• Transsexuality in Iran

External links

• http://www.geocities.com/leylasuhagi/prophet.html
• http://www.geocities.com/leylasuhagi/hijradef.html

Transgender in non-western cultures | Iranian culture