I'm going to talk about the sahiqat (صاحقات) genre. In the pre-modern #Arab world this was the genre of sapphic or lesbian stories. It was regarded as the purest form of love because of how impossible it was.

Different than Western sapphic love stories, it re-affirmed their devotion to God. For example the most famous couple are al-Zarqa and Hind bint al-Nu'man.

@medievodons @histodons #history #medieval #medievalhistory #Arabicliterature