Same-Sex Sexual Activity and Lesbian and Bisexual Women: Hadith

There do not seem to be any sound hadith (prophetic traditions) that directly address lesbian sexual behavior. These below relate to “effeminate” men and “masculine” women. Sahih Bukhari, the book from which these are taken, is the most respected compilation of traditions; its contents are generally accepted by Sunni Muslims to be authentic (“sahih”). However, some scholars have done detailed critiques of particular traditions in Bukhari and found that they are flawed in some way, generally related to the chain of transmission (“isnad”) As far as I know, no such investigation has been undertaken with regard to these hadith.

Volume 7, Book 72, Number 773:

Narrated Ibn 'Abbas:

Allah's Apostle cursed those men who are in the similitude (assume the manners) of women and those women who are in the similitude (assume the manners) of men.

Volume 7, Book 72, Number 774:
Narrated Ibn 'Abbas:

The Prophet cursed effeminate men (those men who are in the similitude or assume the manners of women) and those women who assume the manners of men, and he said, "Turn them out of your houses." The Prophet turned out such-and-such man, and 'Umar turned out such-and-such woman.

Source.

There are also other hadith that specifically refer to women wearing clothing generally worn by men and men wearing clothing and personal items generally worn by women (silk and gold, primarily).


Content by Kecia Ali
Senior Research Analyst, FSE
Revised July 2, 2003