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Often, individuals who identify as non-heterosexual are found in the fringes of not only societies, but communities and families as well. They are often over-looked and cast aside as individuals that have a place only in the margins of society, safe in the outer-realms of our comfort zone. When homosexuality enters the sphere of religion they are told that their sexual orientation is a sin and will face serious consequences in the afterlife.
The branding of homosexuality as “evil” has kept many people living a double life: by day they are pious and by night they are pious and homosexual. One of the most challenging spheres for sexual freedom is in Islam.
Enter imam Daayie Abdullah. Imam Abdullah is the only openly gay imam — a Muslim community leader — in North America.
Raised a Southern Baptist, Abdullah was introduced to Islam through his contact with the Uighur population, a portion of Chinese society that has a longstanding Muslim tradition. A student of both Chinese and Arabic, Abdullah attended a prayer service one Friday evening and it made perfect sense to him: Islam was the path he was looking for. He professed his faith upon his return to America a few years later.
Imam Abdullah has spent over the last 10 years trying to bridge a gap between Islam and homosexuality. He has experienced trouble from both conservative Islamic groups and anti-gay groups. His interpretation of Quaranic verses has aided in bridging this gap.
“To be gay and Muslim, at times, people will say that it is an oxymoron. But in actuality, it’s a formulation that shows the diversity within Islam; that people can be a variety of backgrounds. The Quran says to look to the nature of the world. And from that, you can see the diversity and understand that Allah’s understanding of the world and the universe in which he created is full of diversity; but you find the oneness, the tauheed unification of all, through those various diverse aspects.”
Over time he began to embrace this diversity and elected himself as a leader that provides a voice for minority peoples within Islam. This has led Imam Abdullah to perform interfaith marriages — between a Muslim and non-Muslims — as well as interracial marriages. He has even performed the funeral rites for a closeted Muslim man who died of complications from HIV. The young man was unable to have a traditional Islamic funeral based on Sharia law because of his sexual orientation.
Imam Abdullah believes outspoken, openly-gay Muslims within the Muslim community are the only way to raise awareness of the gay minority within the faith.
“It’s not for them to agree with me, or for me to disagree with them. It’s for them to understand that we have a voice, the gay and lesbian community have a voice,” he says.
Imam Abdullah is a member of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Religious Leadership Roundtable, founder of the Al-Fatiha Foundation, and moderator for an openly gay internet message board. He resides with his partner in Washington, D.C.
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This article was first published on MuslimVoices. Rosemary Pennington Program Coordinator for Voices and Visions is a graduate student in the School of Journalism at Indiana University.
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Gibran Mahmud
This is absolutely despicable. Yes life is diverse.....there are people who wrong themselves and people who don't. Had Allah willed nobody would have disbelieved and nobody will find their end in hell forever. But it happened to men of previous generations, and people still disbelieve. The Quran isn't open to various interpretation so that each person can decide their own happy little life. It's a clear message and homosexuality is completely against Islam and a major sin. In no way whatsoever is this acceptable. Gay sex is haram sex outside of marriage and between and man and his slave girl is all completely haram. Fornication without marriage is punishable with 100 lashes. When married, it is getting stoned to death and the Prophet(PBUH) did this when a man confessed FOUR times(the ProphetPBUH gave him so many chances to just hide his sin and repent) and after that he was stoned to death. This is absolutely disgusting and against Islam. May Allah never let us follow the ways of Christians and Jews who support this despicable stuff even though its against their own scriptures and the penalty is death in their own scriptures. They may not want to follow their religion. We'd like to follow ours. Stop trying to impose disgusting non-Muslim immorality onto Muslim countries in the form of "rights". The Quran is absolutely clear in its condemnation of this sickening behavior. You don't get to decide your own Islam on your whims.
April 20, 2011
N Horowitz
@Mia wrote, "I think that by ' Mother Nature', they're obviously referring to the biological factor of the situation. ...Its not natural; males to be with males, females to be with females."
The word "natural" is meaningless here, because in nature, "Various forms of same-sex sexual activity have been recorded in more than 450 different species of animals by now, from flamingos to bison to beetles to guppies to warthogs". (http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/04/magazine/04animals-t.html) Obviously it's completely natural. And truly, I can't imagine that God is annoyed by it, any more than God is annoyed by dragonflies or anything else God created.
April 24, 2010
Hamza 21
This a pretty unbalanced and disgusting article. Is Ms. Pennington even a Muslim? I feel embarrassed for Illume would even print this piece. Had this article been about homosexuality in Islam or the adab of dealing with homosexuals with a societal context then it would have been beneficial. However this article is nothing more gay propaganda. "Gay Imam"?
Na'oodhu Billah!!
May Allah protect us form this filth.
April 23, 2010
Mia
@ N HOROWITZ I think that by ' Mother Nature', they're obviously referring to the biological factor of the situation. And yes the second argument was a bit faulty as God can do whatever He wants. However, do you really think that AIDS would have been such an epidemic if there was a lack of homosexuality? I don't think so. Its not natural; males to be with males, females to be with females. I, as a Muslim, (yes my argument is biased, albeit somewhat logical), believe that God has given guidelines to live by for a reason, that reason being to protect ourselves from harm. Hence the forbidding of premarital and homosexual sex, alcohol, etc.
April 14, 2010
N Horowitz
"I never understood how they justify this, Muslims or non-Muslims, it's against Mother Nature."
Who's Mother Nature? Are you ascribing a partner to God?
"If the world ended with two men or two women, would it be able to carry on?"
Are you very worried about that? Do you think gays will cause it to happen, irrespective of whatever God wants? Because otherwise, it's a pretty ludicrous argument.
April 1, 2010
Zeenat
I never understood how they justify this, Muslims or non-Muslims, it's against Mother Nature. If the world ended with two men or two women, would it be able to carry on?
SCOOBy, the Quran does acknowledge homosexuality! I have come across it myself:
What! Of all creatures do ye come unto the males, And leave the wives your Lord created for you ? Nay, but ye are froward folk.--26:165-6
March 29, 2010
FUNDAMENTALIST MUSLIM
subhana'Allah if one is homosexual and want to continue that lifestyle or respond to it, Then I don't know how one would call themselves a SUBMITTER TO GOD (Muslim). When they are only seeking to transgress Allah's(swt) laws and seek to pleasure their own desires. if only Muslims Feared ALLAH... there would not be any need to write such articles as that. that gay imam is a kafir, how can he try to cover the truth to seek his own pleasure.
March 29, 2010
Jason Salahuddin
Assalamu-alaykum Br. Gustavo,
I can see from your multiple posting that you are very passionate about this issue. And the depth of your many responses also indicates a solid intellect as well- al hamdu lillah.
As for me.. I am a convert probably like yourself raised in a predominately Hispanic area (of Fl.)and many of my dearest friends are Hispanic. And like you I am struggling with my own flaws, diseases of the heart, etc.making you my brother in more ways that one. The only area of distinction on this matter (I think) between me and you is that I completely acknowledge the "un-Islamic" nature of those desires (which if I am unable to conquer will have dire consequences unless the Most Merciful has compassion with me and forgives me). I'm not looking to the Qur'an or Sunnah to justify what is unethical.
I'm not trying to be someone I'm not... I'm trying to evolve and eliminate the darknesses in my soul. I cannot give in without a fight and I encourage you to fight to. I would never say you are not a real Muslim... the fact that you say you are struggling indicates one of the most beautiful qualities of the people of our religion.
May Allah (ta) guide you and guide me. May He (most praiseworthy is the Almighty)forgive me and forgive you.
Salaams.
Your brother Salahuddin
March 25, 2010
N Horowitz
@Gustavo, I'm not even going to guess at what they were doing in there.
@Sahra, I assume you, like everyone else, think you're in the one saved sect, not the 69 lost ones. What's the difference between certainty and delusion?
@Homosexuality, if I read your quranic citations correctly, you're describing something that happened a long time ago. If God felt like punishing gays today, don't you think He'd just do it?
It seems to me if you're truly upset by same-sex sex, you should get a good strong baseball-sized stone and head over to the Gulf States and wipe out the whole unmarried male population over the age of 13, because from what I've heard, as a result of the unavailability of females, they're all bonking each other.
It's well known among liberal Americans that the people with the strongest negative attitudes against homosexuality are the ones who fear it most in themselves.
A hadith that's relevant here:
The Prophet said, “Gabriel came to me and gave me the good news that anyone who died without worshipping anything besides Allah would enter Paradise. I asked (Gabriel), ‘Even if he committed theft, and even if he committed illegal sexual intercourse?’ He said, ‘(Yes), even if he committed theft, and even if he committed illegal sexual intercourse.’â€
March 24, 2010
Gustavo Gutierrez
The extremists have decided to come out of the shed.
March 23, 2010
Homosexuality in the Quran
And (remember) Lout (Lot)! When he said to his people. Do you commit Al Fâhishah (evil, great sin, every kind of unlawful sexual intercourse, sodomy, etc.) while you see (one another doing evil without any screen, etc.)?" (An-Naml 27:54
"Do you approach men in your lusts rather than women? Nay, but you are a people who behave senselessly." (An-Naml 27:55)
There was no other answer given by his people except that they said: "Drive out the family of Lout (Lot) from your city. Verily, these are men who want to be clean and pure!" (An-Naml 27:56)
So We saved him and his family, except his wife. We destined her to be of those who remained behind. (An-Naml 27:57)
And We rained down on them a rain (of stones). So evil was the rain of those who were warned. (An-Naml 27:58)
March 22, 2010
Sahra
A'udhu billahi mina shaytani rajeem! The Hour is near and the callers to falsehood are many!
Anyone who changes the deen of Allah, by either adding to it or removing from it is an innovator.
Anyone who denies a part of the Qur'an or the Sunnah is a guilty of an act of kufr.
Anyone who knowingly denies a part of the Qur'an or Sunnah is a kafir.
Is there any doubt this man is part of Hizbu (the party of) Shaytaan?
The Prophet, sallallahu alaihi wa salam, told his followers that the Muslims would divide into over 70 sects and all of the sects would be in the fire save one. The companion asked about this group and he replied it is what I and my companions are on today.
Stick to the Sunnah & The Understand of the Pious Predecessors (The Salaf)
http://salafipublications.com/sps/apps_sharhussunnah.cfm
March 22, 2010
Gustavo Gutierrez
Jason,
Muslims have same sex desires and most conservative clerics will be willing to acknowledge the reality of such feelings among a minority of Muslims who struggle with their faith and sexual orientation.
So are you a convert to Islam who seems to know more about Islam than those who were born in the faith? I must in error, right? I can't be "true" Muslim, I can't be flawed and struggling within myself to understand how my faith and desires will intersect, right?
I have to pretend to be something I'm not. I know far too many unhappy Muslim heterosexuals who struggle to live the life of a "Bedouin" in America, emulating foreign customs of the Saudis and deeming this "right Islamic practice."
March 22, 2010
Jason Salahuddin
La howla wa quwatta illa billah... Lord have mercy! Are you serious!!!??? This article in a magazine I once respected????!!! Get it together editors!
Disturbed.
Salaams
March 22, 2010
N Horowitz
From that Wikipedia article:
Mohamed El-Moctar El-Shinqiti, a contemporary Mauritanian scholar, has argued that "[even though] homosexuality is a grievous sin...[a] no legal punishment is stated in the Qur'an for homosexuality...[b] it is not reported that Prophet Muhammad has punished somebody for committing homosexuality...[c] there is no authentic hadith reported from the Prophet prescribing a punishment for the homosexuals..." He argues that both hadiths on stoning and killing homosexuals are weak: Hadith scholars such as Al-Bukhari, Yahya ibn Ma`in, An-Nasa'i, Ibn Hazm, Al-Tirmidhi, and others impugned the two hadiths.
Abu Bakr Al-Jassas (d. 370 AD/981 AH) argued that the hadiths on killing homosexuals "are not reliable by any means, and no legal punishment can be prescribed based on them."
March 19, 2010
PhotonBit
Read this before jumping on the gun:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGBT_topics_and_Islam
People do what they think is right, but when there is the word by God it is the word by the God, no argument.
Islam is not what "people think according to their culture" ... Islam is what started from Adam and completed on Muhammad.
March 19, 2010
N Horowitz
Mia wrote, "You can not believe in the shahada or kalima of the Sunni's AND the Shias."
Which did Mohammad (pbuh) believe in?
March 19, 2010
Mia
Gustavo,
You said, "To me, the schisms Muslims subscribe to came after the death of the Rasul and are unimportant. A Muslim is one who believes in the pillars of the faith, as for the details, everything is debatable."
Unfortunately, the 'details' are what constitutes 'Islam'. You can not believe in the shahada or kalima of the Sunni's AND the Shias. That's inconsistent. And yes, we do have differences of opinion :)
March 13, 2010
Gustavo Gutierrez
Mia,
We have differences of opinion. However, I do not subscribe to one particular "brand" of Islam. I am part Persian, so my family falls under Twelver Shia Islam. I do not know of any Shia mosques in my area, so I attend a non-madhab specific Sunni mosque. However, in Iran and Afghanistan, where my mother's family is from, Sufi thought permeates traditional forms of Islam there.
To me, the schisms Muslims subscribe to came after the death of the Rasul and are unimportant. A Muslim is one who believes in the pillars of the faith, as for the details, everything is debatable.
March 13, 2010
Anon
You have to be easy on others. A man came to the prophet saw and said...I committed adultery, now punish me. The prophet saw said...well maybe you just looked at her. The man repeated his statement 4 times, and the prophet saw made an excuse each time until he could no more. The prophet then went on to say, well maybe you just touched her, maybe you just kissed her.
The actual physical act committed by homosexuals is no more a sin that one who commits adultery or one who drinks. At the end of the day, the person is still a Muslim.
There was a man who loved to drink wine at the time of the prophet saw and the companions wanted to punish him so they brought him to the mosque. The prophet saw became upset and told the companions to leave the man alone, but the man loved God and His messenger.
We are told to begin everything in the name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful. And His mercy encompasses EVERYTHING. Even those who transgress.
We need to worry about ourselves more and leave the judgment up to Him.
Peace
March 12, 2010
Mia
Gustavo,
I'm not saying that having impure thoughts of the same sex is haram. To actually perform them is. People should abide by the Quran and the teachings of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). And those teachings, do not allow someone to be openly gay. By openly gay, I mean to have an illegitimate relationship. The fact that these people are committing this act so flamboyantly is what is wrong. Surely if homosexuality was allowed by Allah, then He would have mentioned somewhere that you can marry a man OR a woman if you're a man. Visa versa for lesbians. However there isn't any place that says that. To the people who follow Islam according to their own benefit; the Quran even tells you this," Al-Ahzab [33:36] It is not fitting for a Believer, man or woman, when a matter has been decided by Allah and His Messenger, to have any option about their decision: if anyone disobeys Allah and His Messenger he is indeed on a clearly wrong Path." The story of Lut (AS) should be clear and enough evidence of Islam's perspective and ruling on homosexuality. Quranic Ayaat. "And Lut, who said to his nation: 'Do you commit such indecency (sodomy) in a way that no one has preceded you in the worlds? YOU APPROACH MEN LUSTFULLY INSTEAD OF WOMEN. Truly, you are a nation who exceed (in sin).' The only answer of his nation was: 'Expel them from your village. They are people who keep themselves purified.' We saved him and all his family, except his wife, who was made to remain, and We rained down upon them a rain. So look how was the end of the evildoers."
—Qur'an 7:80-84
That is all.
P.S. How can you be a SuShFi with contradicting view points within the sects?
March 12, 2010
Gustavo Gutierrez
Mia,
Pakistan now recognizes "hijras" (transgendered, transsexual, transvestite community). Iran ranks after Thailand in the number of sex-change operations performed in the world, Bangladesh combats the AIDS epidemic among male homosexual prostitutes in mosques, and Egypt's Al-Azhar University has issued some surprisingly progressive queer-friendly fatwas.
Even the most conservative Muslims I know say same sex desire is not addressed in Islam, only the act of sodomy is specifically addressed. Therefore, male intimacy is not haram, but certain acts which are often associated with it are.
Throughout much of the Muslim world, Western binaries of gender and sex differ from the norms here in the United States. The United States is more hypermasculine than the United Kingdom in terms of concepts of masculinity and manhood.
Thoughts from a SuShiFi (Sunni-Shia-Sufi) Muslim.
March 12, 2010
Mia
This is disturbing to think about how people can interpret the Qu'ran or Islam for that matter to their own liking. The whole point for us human beings existing in this world is to strive for Jannah with our own dealings. Therefore we have to pass these 'tests' that are handed to us be it in the form of homosexuality or some other calamity (each one of us faces a different struggle), to earn that position in Jannah. The point is the resist Shaytaan and overcome your Nafs. You can't just ignore the shari`ah and live according to your own beliefs. This goes for Shia's as well. Who are you to deny that Prophet Muhammad wasn't intended for Prophethood and Ali RA was? Are you going to argue with Allah? Ridiculous.
March 10, 2010
Gustavo Gutierrez
The homophobia harbored by some Muslims is not surprising but all the more disturbing.
In post-9/11 America, Muslims and homosexuals are pretty despised and looked down by many as "less than human."
When reverts (converts) to Islam adopt an Arab name and the dress of the Gulf Arab states, I wonder why being Muslim means relinquishing your identity? These people usually adopt some of the same social prejudices which are all too prevalent in the Middle East.
I have lived in the Middle East, and the Arabian peninsula was no "paradigm" of Islamic living to me. As with other societies, you had your social issues, power dynamics, and prejudices.
In the Middle East, being a person of Persian ancestry in an Arab country, I was a second class citizen. In many Gulf Arab kingdoms, prostitution was the local vice which also included gay prostitution for men with "that desire."
Gay and lesbian Muslims do exist. I see them all the time in the masallah. Many are married with children, I choose to abstain from marriage because though I would be a good husband, I could never fully love a woman in the same manner as a man.
March 2, 2010
Gustavo Gutierrez
Observe5,
Maybe Muslims should stop claiming victim status in this country, right? Afterall, in Turkey and Tunisia you have restrictions on the hijab. In Turkey, their are laws which prohibit the broadcast of the Kurdish language. In Sudan, the Arabs of Khartoum are persecuting Nubians in the north, non-Arab Blacks in Darfur, and Dinka in the south. In Iran, the incumbent can steal an election.
Considering most Muslims live in less than desirable societies, why should we western Muslims protest when people confront us with casual Islamophobia?
Why not just turn the other cheek? If we revere the example of Prophet Isa, perhaps emulating some of his behaviors would be in order, right?
Gays and lesbians, regardless of how you feel about them, deserve basic civil rights in a secular society.
In Islam, there is no such thing as a "homosexual" but "eunuchs" and "sodomy." Applying medieval law on modern notions of understanding sexuality and gender in Islam, is simply obsolete.
March 2, 2010
Observe5
Interracial marriages have nothing to do with being gay, the equation doesn't work, sorry. I wish gay people would stop equating themselves to the interracial marriages and minority civil rights. Two different genders can pro create, same genders can't period.
March 2, 2010
sarah
thank you illume for raising consciousness about gay and lesbian muslims. Especially in the bay area we need to show leadership and be accepting and tolerant about homosexuality. People come here form all over the world to be safe in a less heterosexist environment. People just want simple dignity and human rights. I really appreciate the article because it takes a stand against hurting people because of who they are and teaches people it is important to be opennminded toward LGBT Muslims.
March 2, 2010
Observe5
I will not articulate or even go into a discussion, but Musud Khan gave a good response. Illume Magazine you have reached a new level of bravery posting.
February 26, 2010
Abu Hamzah
The Dead Sea is a living testament to the story of the people from Lut or Lot. They were destoryed because the men prefered men instead of women. I use to read the story in the Quran and say I've never seen fire rain down from the sky, then one night I saw a shooting star Masha Allah. What Muslims do and what Allah s.w.t. says are two totally different subjects. And until we do what Allah says not what we "think" is correct we will continue to be taken advantage of.
February 26, 2010
Gustavo Gutierrez
The YouTube clip you provided states, "We do not excommunicate on the behavioral indiscretions that they commit."
When this phrase is taken out of context, this means Usama bin Laden cannot be excommunicated for the indiscriminate targetting of Muslim and non-Muslim civilians in "Sunnism." This is the logic of the speaker.
I find it interesting, that usually people who speak on issues of homosexuality in Islam in America tend to be African American.
Even the "gay imam" I have heard of for sometime, is also African American.
However, in the Black community, homophobia seems very intense compared to other communities.
As I mentioned, in Indo-Iranian Muslim culture, where you have Shia and Sufi strains which tend to be more tolerant of sexual variance compared to Saudi forms of Islam which are currently gaining a following throughout much of the Muslim world, you find some level of tolerance.
The tolerance is not ideal, but at least an imam is willing to address this issue.
I think gay Muslim issues will never be resolved until issues of gender and healthy heterosexuality are addressed.
Sexual frustration even among married straight Muslims in America is not always adequately addressed.
In Muslim discourse, there is a hesitance to address sticky issues for fear of non-Muslims disparaging the damaged image of Islam.
February 26, 2010
Gustavo Gutierrez
Amy,
What is "an authentic Islamic position"?
My family is culturally Twelver Shia yet I attend a Sunni mosque and have read Salafi and Deobandi (Tablighi Jamaat) writings, taking what I consider of value from these sources and politely rejecting the rest.
I consider it the fourteenth Islamic century, my Afghan grandfather considers it the thirteenth century, since to him the Islamic lunar calendar begins the "martyrdom" of Ali.
Muslims are not honest about sexuality.
In my family, not to perpetuate negative stereotypes of Muslims, child molestation of the oldest daughter by a known male caregiver has been an inter-generational problem recently.
Yes, here in America. My family roots are in Iran and Afghanistan. The treatment of women in that part of the world is not exactly received well in the West.
But women in my family have been victimized sexually through contact, usually involving the frontal genitalia.
These women have been disbelieved when the revelations come out, and in this country, these men are not prosecuted for their crimes.
In cases of child sexual abuse, little evidence is usually present, perhaps for unusual bruising or lesions in the private areas.
I'm in nursing, and I have bisexual tendencies. I'm attracted to both men and women.
When I was in Bahrain, I was once propositioned by a Muslim man from Kerala, India.
The Gulf Arab states is home to a large South Asian community, many Muslim men leave their wives in the subcontinent for work opportunities. I declined his forwardness.
I have struggled with my identity. I abstain from sexual intercourse with men because I don't personally find it pleasurable.
Will marriage with a woman resolve this conflict, probably not. But some Muslimahs feel I would make a great husband, because of my feminist stances.
My feminism in Islam comes from a Moroccan (Maghrebi) writer named Fatima Mernissi. And in Iranian Shia discourse, there is a strain of feminist thinking.
For most in the Muslim community, I have been told to keep my desires unannounced and to struggle with this dilemma.
February 26, 2010
HoldFast
I am appalled and completely disgusted by this. It is wrong and against the Law of God. This is a sin against God, and against society. I pray Allah make manifest His Truth against falsehood, Ameen.
February 26, 2010
Amy H.
Also, interracial marriages are extremely common in the Muslim world and especially in the American Muslim community, so including that here as a position taken by this supposed imam is ridiculous. Interfaith marriages are also somewhat common - it's only gay marriages that are rare (only done by this person and a couple other lone individuals professing their own status as leaders) and this is forbidden in the religion.
February 26, 2010
Amy H.
Here's an authentic Islamic position on this topic. The sin does not preclude someone being Muslim, but it is also not a valid combination in terms of a descriptive label: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HisIwWhyU34
February 26, 2010
Masud Khan
Sexuality in Islam is for the private sphere and not for public show, if you are homosexual then that is between you and God; it is no one else's business and does not need to be in the public sphere. Muslims are not "openly hetrosexual" so why should gay Muslims be "openly homosexual"?
In life people are tried by God with many trials, if one is addicted to sex or is promiscuous it is the same as someone with homosexual tendencies, these are all diseases of the heart. The purpose of spirituality is not to give in to one's base desires and appetites, it is to rise above them.
Those Muslims amongst us who have such tendencies should be helped and not shunned. Sex outside of marriage is a sin whether homo or hetro, and there is no sanction in the Shariah for gay marriages. Those who have such tendencies are rewarded for their abstinence and the sin only occurs in the act, not in the thought or the desire.
February 26, 2010
Gustavo Gutierrez
In some Muslim cultures, a "third gender" was permitted, though not always welcomed, these people were permitted to exist and traditional Shariah is almost silent on the topic.
In Iran and Egypt, the ulema have ruled that intersexed people are permitted to have sex reassignment surgeries if they suffer from a genuine case of gender dystopia.
Western homophobia and Western concepts have unfortunately tainted traditional views of Islam. Far too many Muslims see sexuality in Islam through a British colonial Victorian prism.
Islam has never been "gay friendly" but neither were Muslims permitted to be homophobes and bigots.
February 26, 2010
Gustavo Gutierrez
Scooby,
Let me take you to task. The Qur'an does not acknowledge homosexuality, but condemns the act of rape.
Homosexuality in various degrees has been practiced in Muslim countries from Afghanistan to nations like India/Pakistan where we have the phenomenon of the "hijra" (transsexuals) commonly seen at Muslim weddings and the shrines of Sufi saints.
Muslims are not open about homosexuality.
We are not even open when it comes to things like heterosexuality.
We shun dating, but we have "matrimonial" sites. We are forced to marry strangers and the courtship period is extremely short and abbreviated.
Plus, America is not the only country producing "heresy upon heresy." Saudi Arabia is no paragon of Islam either.
February 26, 2010
scooby
This is nothing short of disgusting. Heresy upon heresy that only America produces. Gay Imams? Absolutely disgusting.
February 25, 2010
