Imaan Gay.com feature February 8, 2007
Posted by Rasheed Eldin in Media, Queer Muslims, Responses.trackback
An interview with Farzana, chair of Imaan, appeared on Gay.com a few days ago. It is by Hassan Mirza (yep, him again) and includes a photo of Imaan at Europride. They’ve blurred the faces, but the one on the right is of course none other than Out-n-Proud Pav. At the bottom of the feature, this blog gets a mention! Here’s the link to read it, and of course it won’t escape my comments…
MIRZA: And there’s even more to say about the Gay Muslims, who to the casual observer may seem particularly self-hating – in light of violence-preaching Imams (some fanatic ones who preach the death of gays) displayed in popular British media.
Not many Imams “preach the death of gays”, because they don’t tend to talk on the issue at all. But ask any scholar, and almost certainly he’ll explain that homosexual acts are forbidden, and that Islamic law stipulates a punishment – according to the majority, it is death – for those proven guilty of the worst of these acts (sodomy), in the context of a state governed by that law and after due process.
A few might be less than clear on the detailed stipulations, and still fewer might be quite blunt and uncompassionate about the matter – but the opinion that homosexual sodomy is a capital crime in Islamic society is not a “fanatical” one, and those who explain this law should not be considered “fanatics” or condemned for “outrageous and dangerous expression of homophobia”.
What do you want them to say? You can hate this opinion if you wish. If you’re a Muslim, you should know that hating a clear law of our Lord is not a small matter. Denying it is worse. But let’s not pretend that it’s just irrational homophobia imposed by a few people on the Qur’an. This is the mainstream view, and always has been. Those who claim that it’s a modern “homophobic” view can only rely on poetry and random stories [e.g. see debate in comments section below this post].
MIRZA: While some Muslim leaders are quick to condemn homosexuality, this group has admirably stood defiant and stayed together, and deserve respect for managing to embrace a religion which publicly rejects them.
Islam does not reject anyone. Unless you want to complain also that Islam rejects atheists? The point is rather that Islam forbids homosexual behaviour. If these folks want to repent, we trust that Allah will forgive them everything in their past. And if they don’t repent, we still don’t deny that they can be Muslims. They don’t deserve respect for “managing” to be Muslim – they would deserve respect if they respected God’s laws.
Speaking of laws, Farzana ennumerated the Pillars of Islam, then added:
Note: there is nothing in the above that says you must be heterosexual to be a Muslim or that you need to be a terrorist. Strangely a lot of people are a bit confused about those points.
Very wry. But of course not all the laws of Islam are among the 5 Pillars. Those are only the principal acts of worship. There are other obligations. Beyond obligations, there are prohibitions. Slander and lying are haraam. Eating pork and drinking alcohol are haraam. Fornicating and committing sodomy are haraam. Not all of these are on the same level – but sexual sins are among the worst.
It seems that the spokepeople for the Gay Muslim Movement are woefully ignorant of their religion, even when they are not engaged in flagrant deceit. It might help if they would at least discuss their theories with people who could hold them up to the light.
FARZANA: We have made tentative steps to gauge the possibility of working with mainstream Muslim organisations through talking to various influential individuals. It’s not something that will happen over night but Inshallah (God Willing) it will happen.
Let me remind you of how Farzana threw our brother Mujahid’s offer of dialogue back in his face. That was nearly two years ago, so maybe their attitude has changed. Until they come to their senses, we just have to keep replying to interviews like this.
See also:
If you’re so ‘passionate about Islam’…
(commentary on interview with Imaan secretary Ubaid)
Shariah TV “keen” for gay couple
(scroll down for comments on Ubaid’s e-mail)
Eye on 'Gay Muslims' 
For visitors from the Infidel Bloggers, one small note to clarify my point – just in case any of you should actually care about anything apart from hating Islam and Muslims.
When I say that the opinion about capital punishment is not “fanatical”, I mean that it is not the preserve of “fanatic” Muslims. But of course some people can only think in terms of Islam=fanaticism, so this distinction won’t matter.
Ah well.
You should read this question sent to Islam Online, and response by Abdullah Abdur Rahman of the “Ask About Islam” team:
About Homosexuality in Islam
EXCERPTS:
“As to the actual means of punishment, there are different opinions among Muslim scholars. There is definitely no consensus that the punishment is death. However, it is important to know that the basis upon which some scholars have founded their opinions is their comparison between the punishment for fornication (which can only be punishable if there are four witnesses to the act itself) and homosexuality, as both acts despite their differences, are also similar. As marriage in Islam — the only possibility for sexual relations — can only be between a man and woman, any homosexual behavior will immediately be a form of fornication anyway. […]
“You have nothing to fear, though. Muslims do not go around wanting to punish homosexuals! On the contrary, they do not have the right to do so, according to Islam. Only an Islamic government has the right to do so and only in the case of a confession or the testimony of four witnesses as mentioned. Also, the law only applies to Muslim citizens not to non-Muslims. […]
“The maximum a Muslim should do is to invite his homosexual friend to what the Muslim regards as the right path. A Muslim would regard this as being his duty; he would believe he owes friendship that much. He might preach to him a bit, but that’s it! No killing.”
Oh yes Rasheed, you’ve been linked to by a devoted right-wing anti-Islam writer whom we’re supposed to believe was a Muslim who abandoned the faith because other Muslims engaged in conspiracy theories after 9/11.
http://www.faithfreedom.org/Testimonials/IsaacSchrodinger.htm
Nothing in there about God or anything. But why should there be?
Yeah I did look his background up. About that answer at IOL, thanks for that – it’s surprisingly good, ma sha’ Allah.
ughh the agony, since its pretty hard to gather 4 witnesses for catcching two boys in the act of some sodomy then why do people even stress this issue, because as far as im concerned i dont have 4 people watching me during sexual relations (im not gay or a guy btw) so who the hell is going to hang me. I think this 4 witness thing is the very reason why things should be left to God and not man. how many gay boys had 4 witnesses ratting them out to some government about but sex lmfao imagine
“Left to God and not man”? Not if you mean that we should neglect the indisputable duty of enjoining the right and forbidding the wrong!
human beings have not been created to be judges but to enjoy life… this whole thing about what is right and wrong has no real meaning as values change over time… now the quran speaks of 4 witnesses for the very reason that we should just let people enjoy life , be good people to others , what do we care what they do behind close doors… thanks to gay and lesbian the problem of over population is probably under control…
Kay says: “human beings have not been created to be judges but to enjoy life”
God says: “I did not create men and jinns except to worship Me.” (Qur’an 51:56)
This is so bad whats happening to all the people in the world when i hear or see anything about gay stuff i get disturbed people are so dirty it show how much of a pervert they are i know some people can’t help themselves to be straight but being gay is a really big sin and i hate it when they blame god by saying god made us like this or we were born this way but no this world is only a test its all an illusion and your all going to find out when its the end of the world i feel so sorry for parents who don’t want their kids to be like this its so upsetting their ruining the name of islam!!!