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Islam and Homosexuality: Difference between revisions
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Some modern academics have argued that the blame for the Islamic hostility towards homosexuality is due to "the adoption of European Victorian attitudes by the new Westernized elite."<ref>El-Rouayheb, 2005, p. 156</ref> For more than a thousand years, however, the Islamic tradition has drawn its views on homosexuality from the accounts of Muhammad's perspective found in the hadith, for Muhammad is described in the Quran (the word of Allah) as [[Uswa Hasana|'the perfect example' (''uswa hasana'')]] for all of humankind. Muhammad instructed, "''If you find anyone doing as Lot's people did, kill the one who does it, and the one to whom it is done.''”<ref>"''Narrated Abdullah ibn Abbas: The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: If you find anyone doing as Lot's people did, kill the one who does it, and the one to whom it is done.''" - {{Abudawud|38|4447}}</ref> He also condemned the mere “appearance” of homosexuality, when he cursed effeminate men and masculine women and ordered his followers to ''"Turn them out of your houses."''<ref>"''Narrated Ibn 'Abbas: The Prophet cursed effeminate men (those men who are in the similitude (assume the manners of women) and those women who assume the manners of men, and he said, "Turn them out of your houses ." The Prophet turned out such-and-such man, and 'Umar turned out such-and-such woman.''" - {{Bukhari|7|72|774}}</ref> This ruling on homosexuals was naturally adopted by his later successors. The father of [[Aisha]] and Muhammad’s first successor, [[Abu Bakr Abdullah ibn Uthman|Abu Bakr]], had a homosexual burned at the stake. The fourth Rightly-Guided [[Caliph]], Muhammad’s son-in-law [[Ali ibn Abi Talib|Ali]], ordered homosexuals to be stoned, and even had one thrown from the minaret of a mosque.<ref>Serge Trifkovic - [http://97.74.65.51/readArticle.aspx?ARTID=20145 Islam's Love-Hate Relationship with Homosexuality] - FrontPageMag, January 24, 2003</ref> These events pre-date any sort of Western influence on Islamic thought and have since shaped the Islamic perspective on homosexuals in religious contexts. This said, the individual and even societal perspectives of Muslims, irrespective of the views and practices of the Islamic establishment, have, of course, varied through time. | Some modern academics have argued that the blame for the Islamic hostility towards homosexuality is due to "the adoption of European Victorian attitudes by the new Westernized elite."<ref>El-Rouayheb, 2005, p. 156</ref> For more than a thousand years, however, the Islamic tradition has drawn its views on homosexuality from the accounts of Muhammad's perspective found in the hadith, for Muhammad is described in the Quran (the word of Allah) as [[Uswa Hasana|'the perfect example' (''uswa hasana'')]] for all of humankind. Muhammad instructed, "''If you find anyone doing as Lot's people did, kill the one who does it, and the one to whom it is done.''”<ref>"''Narrated Abdullah ibn Abbas: The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: If you find anyone doing as Lot's people did, kill the one who does it, and the one to whom it is done.''" - {{Abudawud|38|4447}}</ref> He also condemned the mere “appearance” of homosexuality, when he cursed effeminate men and masculine women and ordered his followers to ''"Turn them out of your houses."''<ref>"''Narrated Ibn 'Abbas: The Prophet cursed effeminate men (those men who are in the similitude (assume the manners of women) and those women who assume the manners of men, and he said, "Turn them out of your houses ." The Prophet turned out such-and-such man, and 'Umar turned out such-and-such woman.''" - {{Bukhari|7|72|774}}</ref> This ruling on homosexuals was naturally adopted by his later successors. The father of [[Aisha]] and Muhammad’s first successor, [[Abu Bakr Abdullah ibn Uthman|Abu Bakr]], had a homosexual burned at the stake. The fourth Rightly-Guided [[Caliph]], Muhammad’s son-in-law [[Ali ibn Abi Talib|Ali]], ordered homosexuals to be stoned, and even had one thrown from the minaret of a mosque.<ref>Serge Trifkovic - [http://97.74.65.51/readArticle.aspx?ARTID=20145 Islam's Love-Hate Relationship with Homosexuality] - FrontPageMag, January 24, 2003</ref> These events pre-date any sort of Western influence on Islamic thought and have since shaped the Islamic perspective on homosexuals in religious contexts. This said, the individual and even societal perspectives of Muslims, irrespective of the views and practices of the Islamic establishment, have, of course, varied through time. | ||
According to Saudi scholar Shaykh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid: "''The spread of homosexuality has caused man diseases which neither the east nor the west can deny exist because of them. Even if the only result of this perversion was AIDS – which attacks the immune system in humans – that would be enough.''"<ref>Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid - [http://www.islam-qa.com/en/ref/10050 Why does Islam forbid lesbianism and homosexuality?] - Islam Q&A, Fatwa No. 10050</ref> Even among the 3% of the world's Muslims living in "more-developed regions",<ref>''"As of 2010, about three-quarters of the world’s Muslims (74.1%) live in the 49 countries in which Muslims make up a majority of the population. More than a fifth of all Muslims (23.3%) live in non-Muslim-majority countries in the developing world. About 3% of the world’s Muslims live in more-developed regions, such as Europe, North America, Australia, New Zealand and Japan."'' - [{{Reference archive|1=http://www.pewforum.org/The-Future-of-the-Global-Muslim-Population.aspx|2=2012-12-02}} The Future of the Global Muslim Population], The Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life, January 27, 2011</ref> | According to Saudi scholar Shaykh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid: "''The spread of homosexuality has caused man diseases which neither the east nor the west can deny exist because of them. Even if the only result of this perversion was AIDS – which attacks the immune system in humans – that would be enough.''"<ref>Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid - [http://www.islam-qa.com/en/ref/10050 Why does Islam forbid lesbianism and homosexuality?] - Islam Q&A, Fatwa No. 10050</ref> Even among the 3% of the world's Muslims living in "more-developed regions",<ref>''"As of 2010, about three-quarters of the world’s Muslims (74.1%) live in the 49 countries in which Muslims make up a majority of the population. More than a fifth of all Muslims (23.3%) live in non-Muslim-majority countries in the developing world. About 3% of the world’s Muslims live in more-developed regions, such as Europe, North America, Australia, New Zealand and Japan."'' - [{{Reference archive|1=http://www.pewforum.org/The-Future-of-the-Global-Muslim-Population.aspx|2=2012-12-02}} The Future of the Global Muslim Population], The Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life, January 27, 2011</ref> homosexuality is generally held to be unacceptable, though there is a trend towards more socially liberal views. A Gallup survey carried out in early 2009, for instance, found that British Muslims have zero tolerance for homosexuality - not a single British Muslim interviewed believed that homosexual acts were morally acceptable.<ref>[{{Reference archive|1=http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2009/may/07/muslims-britain-france-germany-homosexuality|2=2011-11-30}} Muslims in Britain have zero tolerance of homosexuality, says poll] - The Guardian, May 7, 2009</ref><ref>[{{Reference archive|1=http://www.euro-islam.info/wp-content/uploads/pdfs/gallup_coexist_2009_interfaith_relations_uk_france_germany.pdf|2=2011-11-30}} The Gallup Coexist Index 2009: A Global Study of Interfaith Relations] - Section 2: Public Perceptions Toward Integration, p. 31</ref> A more liberal trend is apparent in an Ipsos-MORI review of poll data conducted in 2016. According to their analysis, while 52% of British Muslims polled thought homosexuality should be illegal in Britain, 28% of younger British Muslim respondants aged 18-24 said instead that homosexuality should be legal compared to 18% of British Muslim respondants overall.<ref>[https://barrowcadbury.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/IPSOs-Mori-Muslim-report.pdf A review of survey results on Muslims in Britain] - Ipsos-MORI - February 2018</ref> | ||
Similarly, according to a Zogby International poll of American Muslims taken in November and December of 2001, 71% opposed "allowing gays and lesbians to marry legally."<ref>[http://www.asylumlaw.org/docs/sexualminorities/Islamic%20World100202.pdf Islamohomophobia] - WorldNetDaily, October 2, 2002</ref> However, a survey by Pew Research Centre found that 52% of American Muslims believe society should be accepting of homosexuality, up from 39% in 2011 and 27% in 2007.<ref>[https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2017/07/26/political-and-social-views/pf_2017-06-26_muslimamericans-04new-06/ Like Americans overall, Muslims now more accepting of homosexuality] - Pew Research Centre, 25 July 2017</ref> | |||
In Indonesia, due to growing pressure from the conservative Islamic population, some local authorities were given permission to use Islamic laws, criminalizing homosexuality.<ref>[http://www.globalgayz.com/country/Indonesia/view/IDN/gay-indonesia-news-and-reports-2#article9 Muslim Communities Thwart Indonesian Protections For Gays] - 365Gay.com, October 4, 2006</ref> Attempts to legalize homosexuality in India were stifled for some time by Islamic clerics who maintain that "Homosexuality is an offence under Sharia Law and haram (prohibited) in Islam," and that "Legalization of homosexuality is an attack on Indian religious and moral values."<ref>[http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Muslim-leaders-join-Deoband-slam-gay-sex/articleshow/4723843.cms After Deoband, other Muslim leaders condemn homosexuality] - Times of India, July 1, 2009</ref> In September 2018, the Indian Supreme Court legalised homosexual intercourse, overturning a 2013 judgement which had upheld a colonial era law.<ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-45429664 India court legalises gay sex in landmark ruling] - BBC news, 6 September 2018</ref> | |||
===Treatment of homosexuals=== | ===Treatment of homosexuals=== | ||
The following are excerpts on homosexuality, taken from the Saudi Ministry of Education Textbooks for Islamic Studies:{{Quote|1=[http://www.hudson.org/files/pdf_upload/Excerpts_from_Saudi_Textbooks_715.pdf Saudi Ministry of Education Textbooks for Islamic Studies: 2007-2008 Academic Year]<BR>Center for Religious Freedom of Hudson Institute|2="Homosexuality is one of the most disgusting sins and greatest crimes.... It is a vile perversion that goes against sound nature, and is one of the most corrupting and hideous sins.... The punishment for homosexuality is death. Both the active and passive participants are to be killed whether or not they have previously had sexual intercourse in the context of a legal marriage.... Some of the companions of the Prophet stated that [the perpetrator] is to be burned with fire. It has also been said that he should be stoned, or thrown from a high place."}}Whereas the admission of LGBT rights is now mainstream in western societies, religious and governmental authorities in much of the Muslim world maintain that LGBT persons should either be executed to subjected to harsh punishment. | The following are excerpts on homosexuality, taken from the Saudi Ministry of Education Textbooks for Islamic Studies:{{Quote|1=[http://www.hudson.org/files/pdf_upload/Excerpts_from_Saudi_Textbooks_715.pdf Saudi Ministry of Education Textbooks for Islamic Studies: 2007-2008 Academic Year]<BR>Center for Religious Freedom of Hudson Institute|2="Homosexuality is one of the most disgusting sins and greatest crimes.... It is a vile perversion that goes against sound nature, and is one of the most corrupting and hideous sins.... The punishment for homosexuality is death. Both the active and passive participants are to be killed whether or not they have previously had sexual intercourse in the context of a legal marriage.... Some of the companions of the Prophet stated that [the perpetrator] is to be burned with fire. It has also been said that he should be stoned, or thrown from a high place."}}Whereas the admission of LGBT rights is now mainstream in western societies, religious and governmental authorities in much of the Muslim world maintain that LGBT persons should either be executed to subjected to harsh punishment. | ||
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In Turkey, there is widespread persecution and violence against homosexuals and non-Muslim minorities, with eleven gays being killed in the first half of 2009 .<ref>[http://www.ilmediterraneo.it/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1657&lang=en&Itemid=7 Homosexuals in Turkey: Istanbul week for gay rights] - ANSAmed, June 24, 2009</ref> A survey released in November of 2009 found that 67% of Turks "would continue acting in accordance with their religious beliefs if the Parliament passed a law that contradicted religious laws" where as a minority, 26%, "would obey the country’s law in this case".<ref>[http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/n.php?n=8216religion-loves-tolerance-but-is-not-tolerant8217-2009-11-17 'Religion loves tolerance, but is not tolerant'] - Hürriyet Daily News, November 17, 2009</ref> | In Turkey, there is widespread persecution and violence against homosexuals and non-Muslim minorities, with eleven gays being killed in the first half of 2009 .<ref>[http://www.ilmediterraneo.it/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1657&lang=en&Itemid=7 Homosexuals in Turkey: Istanbul week for gay rights] - ANSAmed, June 24, 2009</ref> A survey released in November of 2009 found that 67% of Turks "would continue acting in accordance with their religious beliefs if the Parliament passed a law that contradicted religious laws" where as a minority, 26%, "would obey the country’s law in this case".<ref>[http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/n.php?n=8216religion-loves-tolerance-but-is-not-tolerant8217-2009-11-17 'Religion loves tolerance, but is not tolerant'] - Hürriyet Daily News, November 17, 2009</ref> | ||
==Articles== | ==Articles== | ||
The following are summaries of other pages discussing Islam, in relation to Homosexuality: | The following are summaries of other pages discussing Islam, in relation to Homosexuality: | ||