Before you start raving and ranting, I am referring to DEVOUT Muslims that are struggling with their homosexuality. People who are not disgracing religion (not the camp/drama queen/cross dressing types) but men and women of the Muslim faith who are courageous and defiant about their sexuality and choice of lifestyle.
I recently watched the film ‘A Jihad for Love’ which is a documentary on the plight of gays and lesbians in the Muslim world, it reveals how the devout attempt to reconcile their sexual orientation and their faith.
For those of you that have not seen it, You can watch ‘A Jihad for Love’ via Netflix /youtube or Contact Us
A brief synopsis I found:
“Parvez Sharma’s A Jihad for Love marks one of the very first documentaries to examine the occasional overlaps between Islam and homosexuality. Evincing great sensitivity to both the subject matter and the interviewees, Sharma hones in on a transcontinental group of homosexual individuals who attempt to reconcile their faith in the Koran (where, according to many interpretations, same-sex relations are condemned) with their non-heterosexual identities. Hailing from countries as diverse as France, South Africa, Turkey, and India, these individuals typically find themselves in a delicate position; forced to hide their private lives in their native Muslim communities under fear of death, the next best option that exists involves immigrating out of the Middle East and thus abandoning their home cultures. At the core of her film, Sharma suggests that the answer may lie in an unusual source of hope: the devout individuals who, in lieu of relinquishing Islam, make the difficult and commendable decision to try to reconcile their sexual and romantic proclivities with their Islamic faith.”
Back to the point, I have always been led to believe that homosexuality is not allowed in Islam, correct me if I’m wrong, from the story of Lut?
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.” - Holy Quran 7:80-81
However isn’t the Muslim Ummah divided into different schools of thought, each with its own perspective but all which agree that Islam is a multifaceted religion and that believing in the Shahada is what classifies someone as a Muslim, not being a heterosexual?
One of my closest friends is both gay and Muslim. He is one of the most loving, sincere, and compassionate human beings that I have encountered. He exemplifies Islam by serving others and dedicating himself to a lifestyle of good. I understand that Islam is not a radical belief system, but rather a tolerant and accepting faith that accommodates all people regardless of race, creed, ethnicity, or sexual orientation. Then why are homosexuals ostracized by the Muslim community and branded as “perverse” by such bigots?
So this leads me to:
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If you pick and choose which maxims of Islam apply to you, are you still a Muslim?
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On what basis is this a psychological problem / disease as the Imam stated in the film?
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What has caused their sexual orientation? Is it nature or nurture, If the latter, Muhsin (a gay Imam) Hendricks was born and brought up into a generation of Imam’s and pious people, how can his homosexuality be justified by nurture?
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Can you be gay, a good muslim and still be Islamically conscious?
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Who should feel shame, gay Muslims, or the Muslims that oppress them?
Please engage but don’t use this as a homosexual bashing thread.
