Al-Masahib Royal Harem (Yemen)
| Al-Masahib Royal Harem | |
|---|---|
| حريم المصاحب الملكي | |
| Private Household | |
 Consorts enjoying the hammam facilities in the Al-Masahib Royal Harem in 2033 | |
| Information | |
| Established | 16 June 2025 |
| Patron | Musa Mokhtar al-Ansari |
| Location | Palace of Tranquility Al-Jarrahi District Yemen |
| Royal Secretary | Safiya Ibrahim |
| Chamberlain | Zahra Fayek |
| First Consort | Beyza Deliktaş |
| Consorts | 8 |
| Concubines | 18 |
| Jariyat | 124 |
| Apartments | 24 |
| Floor Area | 151,244 sq ft |
| Facilities | Hammam Full-service spa Library Gym Private dining room Servants' quarters |
The Al-Masahib Royal Harem (Arabic: حريم المصاحب الملكي, Al-Haram Al-Masahib Al-Maliki) is the private harem of Sheikh Musa Mokhtar al-Ansari of Yemen. It occupies more than 150,000 sq ft of floor space within the grounds of the Palace of Tranquility (Arabic: قصر الهدوء, Qasr Al-Hudu), and accommodates up to 24 consorts and 124 jariyat for the Sheikh's private use and enjoyment. The harem was completed in June 2025 at a cost of more than $100 million.
As with most harems in the historical Arabian tradition, the harem grounds are for women and eunuchs only. Male guests and staffers are strictly prohibited from entering.
"The Al-Masahib Royal Harem is one of the most wasteful and indulgent projects amongst many in the Arab world. The Sheikh is known to spend days on end enjoying the affections of his female servants without ever leaving. As if 150 women are not enough to satisfy him, he has agents scouring the world to add new beauties to his collection every month. "
Ali Rashid BawazeerExiled Yemeni Opposition Leader
28 March 2033
The women in the harem are divided into three categories - consorts, concubines and jariyat.
Consorts are secondary wives and companions who have pledged themselves to the service of their patron. The Al-Masahib Royal Harem conducts an extensive search process every year in order to identify candidates with the potential to become consorts. Typically, consorts are admitted into the harem at age 17 to 20, and are signed to four-year contracts. They are provided with luxury accommodation and an allowance of $25,000 per month. They can also avail themselves of the harem's facilities and staff.
On the other hand, jariyat are indentured or captive servant girls typically from kuffar (non-Muslim) backgrounds. The jariyat are housed in dormitories, with 12 girls to each room. They are not permitted to leave their dormitories without permission, and may not have any contact with the outside world. Most jariyat are consigned to low-level menial tasks, although they may also be required to provide sexual services to the patron or his guests.
Jariyat are usually admitted into the harem at the age of 16 to 20, although there have been exceptions. Over time, Jariyat who win the favor of the patron may be promoted to the rank of concubine.
The day-to-day operations of the harem are managed by the Chamberlain. The current Chamberlain, serving since 1 May 2033, is Zahra Fayek.
Indentured Servants
The vast majority of the girls in the Al-Masahib Royal Harem are indentured persons who have been condemned to involuntary servitude as a result of debts owed to indenture brokers. The harem may acquire these girls either by purchasing their indenture contracts from their creditors, or by purchasing them outright as chattel.
While in the custody of the harem, the girls' day-to-day activities are fully controlled by the management, and must obey instructions unconditionally. They do not receive any wages for their work, but are provided with food and shelter. Attempts to communicate with the outside world are strictly prohibited.
In order to enforce compliance with regulations, the harem management abides by a strict, quasi-judicial disciplinary regime. Punishments for minor infractions may include a meal penalty, extra duties, whipping, or holding a stress position for several hours. For serious violations, punishments may include solitary confinement in the basement dungeon, physical torture, or even death. Because the harem's patron is a member of the royal family, he enjoys royal immunity - and thus cannot be prosecuted for any crimes, including murder.
Typically, indentured servants are released from custody after 25 years of service, or upon attaining the age of 40, whichever occurs earlier. However, this is done at the personal discretion of the patron, and there have been numerous exceptions. According to Yemeni law, indentured servants are not entitled to legal recourse through either the common law or Sha'aria courts, and must bring up any grievance with their employer.
Jariyat
Jariya is the lowest rank of servant girl within the harem.
At Al-Masahib Royal Harem, jariya girls live in shared dormitories with 12 beds to a room. Each room has a bathroom with two showers and two toilet cubicles. Tamper-proof surveillance cameras are installed in every room to ensure that the girls do not attempt to escape. The girls are provided with two daily meals, breakfast at 6.00 am, and dinner at 6.00 pm.
Jariyat are required to abide by regulations regarding attire and presentation at all times.
The duties of a jariya are as follows:
- Cleaning and housekeeping duties;
- Laundry duties;
- Ornamental duties;
- Serving food and beverages to the Sheikh and his household;
- Helping to groom and prepare consorts for audiences with the Sheikh;
- Dancing or other performances;
- Providing sexual services to the Sheikh, his guests or his staff members, as directed.
For administrative purposes, jariyat are divided into sections of 12.
Advancement Opportunities
All jariya girls must remain in the common labor pool for at least three years. Girls who perform well are rewarded with extra food, days off, or personal comfort items.
Once a jariya has served three years, she becomes eligible for various opportunities for advancement within the harem:
- Domestic Specialization: Jariyat who have at least three years of seniority, and who are deemed to be suited for the "domestic specialization track", are eligible for promotion to a senior rank. Senior jariyat are identified by their differently-colored service uniforms (dark blue instead of grey), and are given certain supervisory responsibilities.
- Hospitality Specialization: Jariyat who have at least three years of seniority, and who have shown potential to work in guest services, may be appointed as hostesses, whose duties are to provide sexual services to guests and visitors. Hostesses are not required to wear the usual service uniform, and instead wear custom attire as directed by the Hospitality Manager.
- Companionship Specialization: The jariya girls who have earned the most favor with the patron are automatically considered for appointment as concubines. Those who are earmarked for "companionship specialization" are assigned to a pool of "concubine candidates". These candidates are assigned to service the patron on a regular basis, and the top performers within this group may earn promotion to the rank of concubine.
Concubines
Concubines are the patron's favored servants. They are specially selected from amongst an elite pool of senior jariyat to give him pleasure and companionship. Although they remain subject to the rules of indenture, they enjoy a significant array of benefits.
Some of these comforts include comfortable accommodation in a private apartment, access to better meals, access to recreational facilities, and fewer restrictions on freedom of movement. They are also given access to stylish designer clothing, lingerie and personal grooming products. For this reason, concubine positions are highly sought-after, with intense competition - and at times, malicious politicking - between the pool of eligible candidates.
According to former concubine Karolina Jedrek:
"Becoming a concubine in Sheikh Musa's harem is just about the best possible outcome for an indentured servant girl. If you should be lucky enough to be one of the chosen few, you can expect to live so comfortably that you might forget that you are still indentured."
Concubines who earn the favor of Sheikh Musa are usually freed from indenture on attaining the age of 35, five years earlier than other indentured servants. However, concubines who fall out of favor may also be demoted back to their original jariya rank.