Chastity

Ibn Faraj's chasity is an interesting work. He seems to approve of the idea of remaining celibate and not being a "beast". However, he uses imagery to intensify the sexual nature of one and how it is difficult to sustain from acts of sinful nature. In the very beginning when he describes how he denied himself from participating in sex, he doesn't just say he said no, he lets the readers understand that this woman was giving herself to him and was more than willing to partake in this temptation. Yet, even with her being so willing he still refrained. He then goes on to describe how she came "unveiled in the night." He uses this to play on the readers sexual imagery. He is basically tricking readers. Its funny, even I at first was taken back by thinking he was all about abstinance and all the while he is describing in details this woman so that readers will picture and understand what he is giving up by denying this woman. I love the part where he uses the metaphor to describe how intense and difficult it was to hold back his desires. “like a thirsty camel whose muzzle keeps it from nursing.” He compares himself to a poor animal who is unable to fulfill its needs because it is being held back by something. I’m assuming he considers a camel to not be too wild either because later he says he isn’t one of those wild beast that does whatever it wants in any garden. Haha. So he is like a camel but not a wild beast! I do wonder if this means he has some kind of belief that camels are better. I mean why not use another animal to compare? hmmmm