ISLAM AND HOMOSEXUALITY
By Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance
By Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance
.
The Qur'an and Homosexuality:
There are five references in the Qur'an which have been cited as referring to gay and lesbian behavior. Some obviously deal with effeminate men and "masculine women." The two main references to homosexual behavior are:
"We also sent Lut : He said to his people : "Do ye commit lewdness such as no people in creation (ever) committed before you? For ye practice your lusts on men in preference to women: ye are indeed a people transgressing beyond bounds." Qur'an 7:80-81
"What! Of all creatures do ye come unto the males, and leave the wives your Lord created for you? Nay, but ye are forward folk." Qur'an 26:165
Both references relate to gay sexual activities; lesbian practices are not mentioned in the Qur'an.
Lut is referred to as "Lot" in the Hebrew Scriptures. This passage is an apparent reference to the activities at Sodom and Gomorah. It seems to imply that there was no homosexual behavior before it first appeared in Sodom. This is a uniquely Islamic concept; it does not appear in Jewish or Christian beliefs. The passage also links the sin of Sodom (the reason for its destruction) to homosexuality. That linkage is contradicted by other verses in the Hebrew Scriptures.
The Hadith and homosexuality:
The Hadith are collections of sayings attributed to Muhammad. Many Hadiths (ahadith) discuss liwat (sexual intercourse between males). Two examples are:
"When a man mounts another man, the throne of God shakes."
"Kill the one that is doing it and also kill the one that it is being done to." (in reference to the active and passive partners in gay sexual intercourse)
There is at least one mention of lesbian behavior mentioned in the Hadith:
"Sihaq (lesbian sexual activity) of women is zina (illegitimate sexual intercourse) among them."
Traditionalist orthodox Muslims generally claim that the Hadith literature contains the authentic sayings of Muhammad. Many liberal Muslims doubt the authenticity of at least some of them. The latter might point out that during the times of the first Caliphs, Muslims did not know what to do with individuals guilty of "liwat/lutiyya". No sahabi (companion) of Muhammad could quote a saying or decision of Muhammad relating to this question.
Treatment of homosexuals within Islamic countries:
According to a pamphlet produced by Al-Fatiha, there is a consensus among Islamic scholars that all humans are naturally heterosexual. 5 Homosexuality is seen by scholars to be a sinful and perverted deviation from the norm. All Islamic schools of thought and jurisprudence consider gay acts to be unlawful. They differ in terms of penalty:
The Hanafite school (currently seen mainly in South and Eastern Asia) teaches that no physical punishment is warranted.
The Hanabalites, (widely followed in the Arab world) teach that severe punishment is warranted
The Sha'fischool of thought (also seen in the Arab world) requires a minimum of 4 adult male witnesses before a person can be found guilty of a homosexual act.
Al-Fatiha estimates that 4,000 homosexuals have been executed in Iran since their revolution in 1979. 10 public executions of homosexuals have been performed in Afghanistan by the Taliban army.
Statment by the Islamic Society of North America:
Dr. Muzammil Siddiqi of the ISNA said: "Homosexuality is a moral disorder. It is a moral disease, a sin and corruption... No person is born homosexual, just like no one is born a thief, a liar or murderer. People acquire these evil habits due to a lack of proper guidance and education.""
"There are many reasons why it is forbidden in Islam. Homosexuality is dangerous for the health of the individuals and for the society. It is a main cause of one of the most harmful and fatal diseases. It is disgraceful for both men and women. It degrades a person. Islam teaches that men should be men and women should be women. Homosexuality deprives a man of his manhood and a woman of her womanhood. It is the most un-natural way of life. Homosexuality leads to the destruction of family life."
Beliefs of www.islamic.org.uk:
They hold views which are very similar to those held by conservative Christianity:
Homosexuality is considered sinful within Islam
Homosexuality is a profound mistake
Humans are all naturally heterosexual
Homosexuality is caused by environmental factors, particularly near the time of puberty.
People can control their thoughts and steer themselves away from homosexuality
Homosexuality is a chosen sexual orientation.
Any homosexual can become a heterosexual.
British Muslim group Al-Muhajiroun
According to RainbowNetwork.com, the British Muslim group Al-Muhajiroun issued a fatwa (religious decree) on 2001-JUL-16 against a Muslim homosexual rights group Al-Fatiha. The alleged fatwa said:
"The very existence of Al-Fatiha is illegitimate and the members of this organisation are apostates. Never will such an organisation be tolerated in Islam and never will the disease that it calls for be affiliated with a true Islamic society or individual. The Islamic ruling for such acts is death. It is a duty of the Muslims to prevent such evil conceptions being voiced in the public or private arena."
A spokesperson for Al-Fatiha said: "Al-Fatiha has concluded that the statement from Al-Muhajiroun is only an alleged fatwa. We believe that it was only sent to press in the United Kingdom in reaction to the Al-Fatiha conference that was held in San Francisco, and Al-Fatiha’s participation in the San Francisco LGBT Pride Parade. But whether it is an official fatwa or not, the rhetoric used in the statement was extreme, and cause for concern."
Essay by a Canadian group - Ahmadi Muslim Jama'at'
Ahmadi Muslim Jama'at' was a Canadian Muslim group. They once published an essay "Homosexuality & Islam" which views homosexual behavior as a symptom of the decadence of society. "As this process continues, people find and invent even more bizarre and perverted means to satisfy natural urges, and trends like child and adult pornography, bisexuality, homosexuality and bestiality appear." They make a number of points:
"either the sexual license will cure itself through its own excesses (as it is doing now in the shape of numerous venereal diseases) or the wrath of God will fall in shape of multitudes of Sodoms, Gomorrahs and Ubars."
homosexuality has been considered deviant behavior throughout human history.
homosexuals have redefined sexual abuse of children as "natural and acceptable."
homosexuality cannot be caused by genes because:
there are essentially no gays and lesbians in Russia, China and many other countries
if there is a "gay gene" it would cause homosexuality to die out quickly because homosexuals typically do not have children.
Homosexuality "is utterly contrary to every natural law of human and animal life, and counter to the morals, purposes and institutions of a procreative society."
These views differ greatly from the findings of human sexuality researchers. They have found that homosexuality can have survival value for a human tribe or group, and have found homosexual behavior among all mammals and among other animal species.
Queer Jihad:
Queer Jihad, once called the Muslim Homosexual Resource Center, estimates that there are about 50 million gay and lesbian Muslims in the world. The number appears reasonable; it would include about 5% of the total membership of the Islamic faith. 2 The term "Jihad" can be translated into English as "struggle." The North American media have often mistakenly reported it as meaning "holy war."
Al-Fatiha:
Al-Fatiha is an "international organization for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender Muslims, including those questioning their sexual orientation and/or gender identity, as well as their friends, families, partners, and allies." They feature three Email discussion groups: one is a general group, one is restricted to women, another is for men. They hope to work within the progressive wing of Islam "work in order to enlighten the world that Islam is a religion of tolerance and not hate, and that Allah (God) loves His creation, no matter what their sexual orientation might be."
Queernet: a Gay-Muslim mailing list:
This was started on 1997-DEC. Its purpose is "to bring gay and lesbian Muslims together to communicate issues of common concern. By using our own individual experiences, our knowledge, and our faith in Islam and in Allah (God), the goal of this list is to bring two important aspects of our lives together. Being Gay and Muslim are not exclusive, nor are they an oxymoron. By participating in this list, the hope is that each and every one of us will realize that. God certainly does not discriminate, and indeed we can be both practicing Muslims AND still identify ourselves as being gay or lesbian."Gay and Lesbian Arabic Society:"GLAS" defines itself as a "networking organization for Gay and Lesbians of Arab descent or those living in Arab countries. We aim to promote positive images of Gays and Lesbians in Arab communities worldwide. We also provide a support network for our members while fighting for our human rights wherever they are oppressed. We are part of the global Gay and Lesbian movement seeking an end to injustice and discrimination based on sexual orientation." They are based in New York City, and hold twice-monthly meetings in a community center there. GLAS has a online newsletter and a mailing list.
The Qur'an and Homosexuality:
There are five references in the Qur'an which have been cited as referring to gay and lesbian behavior. Some obviously deal with effeminate men and "masculine women." The two main references to homosexual behavior are:
"We also sent Lut : He said to his people : "Do ye commit lewdness such as no people in creation (ever) committed before you? For ye practice your lusts on men in preference to women: ye are indeed a people transgressing beyond bounds." Qur'an 7:80-81
"What! Of all creatures do ye come unto the males, and leave the wives your Lord created for you? Nay, but ye are forward folk." Qur'an 26:165
Both references relate to gay sexual activities; lesbian practices are not mentioned in the Qur'an.
Lut is referred to as "Lot" in the Hebrew Scriptures. This passage is an apparent reference to the activities at Sodom and Gomorah. It seems to imply that there was no homosexual behavior before it first appeared in Sodom. This is a uniquely Islamic concept; it does not appear in Jewish or Christian beliefs. The passage also links the sin of Sodom (the reason for its destruction) to homosexuality. That linkage is contradicted by other verses in the Hebrew Scriptures.
The Hadith and homosexuality:
The Hadith are collections of sayings attributed to Muhammad. Many Hadiths (ahadith) discuss liwat (sexual intercourse between males). Two examples are:
"When a man mounts another man, the throne of God shakes."
"Kill the one that is doing it and also kill the one that it is being done to." (in reference to the active and passive partners in gay sexual intercourse)
There is at least one mention of lesbian behavior mentioned in the Hadith:
"Sihaq (lesbian sexual activity) of women is zina (illegitimate sexual intercourse) among them."
Traditionalist orthodox Muslims generally claim that the Hadith literature contains the authentic sayings of Muhammad. Many liberal Muslims doubt the authenticity of at least some of them. The latter might point out that during the times of the first Caliphs, Muslims did not know what to do with individuals guilty of "liwat/lutiyya". No sahabi (companion) of Muhammad could quote a saying or decision of Muhammad relating to this question.
Treatment of homosexuals within Islamic countries:
According to a pamphlet produced by Al-Fatiha, there is a consensus among Islamic scholars that all humans are naturally heterosexual. 5 Homosexuality is seen by scholars to be a sinful and perverted deviation from the norm. All Islamic schools of thought and jurisprudence consider gay acts to be unlawful. They differ in terms of penalty:
The Hanafite school (currently seen mainly in South and Eastern Asia) teaches that no physical punishment is warranted.
The Hanabalites, (widely followed in the Arab world) teach that severe punishment is warranted
The Sha'fischool of thought (also seen in the Arab world) requires a minimum of 4 adult male witnesses before a person can be found guilty of a homosexual act.
Al-Fatiha estimates that 4,000 homosexuals have been executed in Iran since their revolution in 1979. 10 public executions of homosexuals have been performed in Afghanistan by the Taliban army.
Statment by the Islamic Society of North America:
Dr. Muzammil Siddiqi of the ISNA said: "Homosexuality is a moral disorder. It is a moral disease, a sin and corruption... No person is born homosexual, just like no one is born a thief, a liar or murderer. People acquire these evil habits due to a lack of proper guidance and education.""
"There are many reasons why it is forbidden in Islam. Homosexuality is dangerous for the health of the individuals and for the society. It is a main cause of one of the most harmful and fatal diseases. It is disgraceful for both men and women. It degrades a person. Islam teaches that men should be men and women should be women. Homosexuality deprives a man of his manhood and a woman of her womanhood. It is the most un-natural way of life. Homosexuality leads to the destruction of family life."
Beliefs of www.islamic.org.uk:
They hold views which are very similar to those held by conservative Christianity:
Homosexuality is considered sinful within Islam
Homosexuality is a profound mistake
Humans are all naturally heterosexual
Homosexuality is caused by environmental factors, particularly near the time of puberty.
People can control their thoughts and steer themselves away from homosexuality
Homosexuality is a chosen sexual orientation.
Any homosexual can become a heterosexual.
British Muslim group Al-Muhajiroun
According to RainbowNetwork.com, the British Muslim group Al-Muhajiroun issued a fatwa (religious decree) on 2001-JUL-16 against a Muslim homosexual rights group Al-Fatiha. The alleged fatwa said:
"The very existence of Al-Fatiha is illegitimate and the members of this organisation are apostates. Never will such an organisation be tolerated in Islam and never will the disease that it calls for be affiliated with a true Islamic society or individual. The Islamic ruling for such acts is death. It is a duty of the Muslims to prevent such evil conceptions being voiced in the public or private arena."
A spokesperson for Al-Fatiha said: "Al-Fatiha has concluded that the statement from Al-Muhajiroun is only an alleged fatwa. We believe that it was only sent to press in the United Kingdom in reaction to the Al-Fatiha conference that was held in San Francisco, and Al-Fatiha’s participation in the San Francisco LGBT Pride Parade. But whether it is an official fatwa or not, the rhetoric used in the statement was extreme, and cause for concern."
Essay by a Canadian group - Ahmadi Muslim Jama'at'
Ahmadi Muslim Jama'at' was a Canadian Muslim group. They once published an essay "Homosexuality & Islam" which views homosexual behavior as a symptom of the decadence of society. "As this process continues, people find and invent even more bizarre and perverted means to satisfy natural urges, and trends like child and adult pornography, bisexuality, homosexuality and bestiality appear." They make a number of points:
"either the sexual license will cure itself through its own excesses (as it is doing now in the shape of numerous venereal diseases) or the wrath of God will fall in shape of multitudes of Sodoms, Gomorrahs and Ubars."
homosexuality has been considered deviant behavior throughout human history.
homosexuals have redefined sexual abuse of children as "natural and acceptable."
homosexuality cannot be caused by genes because:
there are essentially no gays and lesbians in Russia, China and many other countries
if there is a "gay gene" it would cause homosexuality to die out quickly because homosexuals typically do not have children.
Homosexuality "is utterly contrary to every natural law of human and animal life, and counter to the morals, purposes and institutions of a procreative society."
These views differ greatly from the findings of human sexuality researchers. They have found that homosexuality can have survival value for a human tribe or group, and have found homosexual behavior among all mammals and among other animal species.
Queer Jihad:
Queer Jihad, once called the Muslim Homosexual Resource Center, estimates that there are about 50 million gay and lesbian Muslims in the world. The number appears reasonable; it would include about 5% of the total membership of the Islamic faith. 2 The term "Jihad" can be translated into English as "struggle." The North American media have often mistakenly reported it as meaning "holy war."
Al-Fatiha:
Al-Fatiha is an "international organization for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender Muslims, including those questioning their sexual orientation and/or gender identity, as well as their friends, families, partners, and allies." They feature three Email discussion groups: one is a general group, one is restricted to women, another is for men. They hope to work within the progressive wing of Islam "work in order to enlighten the world that Islam is a religion of tolerance and not hate, and that Allah (God) loves His creation, no matter what their sexual orientation might be."
Queernet: a Gay-Muslim mailing list:
This was started on 1997-DEC. Its purpose is "to bring gay and lesbian Muslims together to communicate issues of common concern. By using our own individual experiences, our knowledge, and our faith in Islam and in Allah (God), the goal of this list is to bring two important aspects of our lives together. Being Gay and Muslim are not exclusive, nor are they an oxymoron. By participating in this list, the hope is that each and every one of us will realize that. God certainly does not discriminate, and indeed we can be both practicing Muslims AND still identify ourselves as being gay or lesbian."Gay and Lesbian Arabic Society:"GLAS" defines itself as a "networking organization for Gay and Lesbians of Arab descent or those living in Arab countries. We aim to promote positive images of Gays and Lesbians in Arab communities worldwide. We also provide a support network for our members while fighting for our human rights wherever they are oppressed. We are part of the global Gay and Lesbian movement seeking an end to injustice and discrimination based on sexual orientation." They are based in New York City, and hold twice-monthly meetings in a community center there. GLAS has a online newsletter and a mailing list.
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