There are several challenges that are facing Muslims which were not even an issue a generation or two back. One of the most serious of these is that of the LGBTQ movement or homosexuality. There is a need to have this conversation because the lines are being blurred. Kids in Maktabs innocently ask, “What is the problem with a Muslim being gay?”
The general rule when faced with these confusing matters is to ask oneself, “What have I signed up for when I claimed to be Muslim, and acknowledged Allah Ta’ala as my Lord, God and Creator?” In Surah Shura of the Noble Quran (42:10), Allah Ta’ala gives us an important principle, that any issue of confusion should be referred to Allah Ta’ala for a decision, “And in anything over which you disagree, its ruling is (to be referred) to Allah.” To get this, we need to ask the Ulama who will give us the ruling from the Noble Quran and the sublime Hadith.
“That is Allah, my Lord; in Him alone I have placed my trust, and to Him alone I turn (in every matter).” I trust Allah Ta’ala completely, that His decisions are the absolute best for me, my family, my community and the universe, in this world and beyond. If I slip up, I turn back to Allah Ta’ala, “And to Him I always turn.” Based on the evidence around me, I acknowledge Allah Ta’ala as my Creator, and the Controller of every particle, “He is the Creator of the heavens and the earth.” (Noble Quran 42:11)
Allah Ta’ala then outlines the natural system He has put in place, “He has made for you mates from among yourselves, just as He has made mates from the animals.” The purpose for making males and females is that to procreation, “He makes you multiply in this way.” Through this system the human race and the animal kingdom continues.
What is the Islamic viewpoint on LGBTQ, homosexuality, lesbianism and transgender?
“And Loot (Lot) when he said to his people, ‘Do you commit the shameful act in which nobody in the world has ever preceded you?’” (Noble Quran 7:80) The people of Sodom and Gomorrah in present day Palestine, around 4000 years ago, began engaging in homosexuality. Prior to this, no one had engaged in this unnatural act. “You come to men with lust instead of women.” (Noble Quran 7:81) When the Angels came to Prophet Loot alaihis salaam in the form of handsome youth, his people came running. Paedophilia is a common theme in the homosexuality today as it was in the past.
Prophet Loot alaihis salaam’s wife was punished for sympathising with their cause. It is common to hear that you can’t judge a person. This is certainly true that we can’t judge a person’s end result, but when something is clearly, unambiguously and unanimously prohibited in the Noble Quran and the Hadith, we need to be clear that the action is wrong. We hate the sin just as much as we hate alcoholism, drug abuse or theft. Due to the western media propaganda, people say that we should not be harsh in condemnation of this sin, and that it should not be taken so seriously. What was Prophet Loot alaihis salaam’s answer to his people, “I detest your actions,” (Noble Quran 26:168) and find them disgusting and reprehensible. There needs to be a clear message that homosexuality has no place within Islam.
There can be no compromise on a matter of belief. A person can be doing all the actions of Islam but cannot come to terms with Angels and rejects them as farfetched. His faith has left him as a result. If you reject a fundamental of Islam established from the Noble Quran, belief has been abandoned.
The Hadith
- “Allah Ta’ala curses the person who engages in the act of the people of Loot alaihis salaam (i.e., homosexuality).” (Ahmad)
- “The thing I fear most for my nation is the action of the people of Loot alaihis salaam.” (Tirmidhi)
- “Allah Ta’ala will not look at a man who satisfies his sexual desire with a man or woman through their rear private part.” (Tirmidhi)
When Muslims speak about homosexuality as a sin, it is from their religious rights perspective. They hate the sin and not the sinner, but at the same time they don’t need to justify or compromise their principles. It is within the freedom of speech espoused by western liberalism that they critique sodomy on factual grounds. We do not interfere in someone’s so called choice to engage in the sin, but neither do we need to advocate for it.
When Allah Ta’ala makes something Haraam (prohibited) there is definitely a tangible harm in it. To gain a meaningful insight into the dangers and harms of homosexuality, we need to go behind the scenes of the gay activist lobby. The first argument that the gay lobby brought was that it was their choice of lifestyle. When the United States Supreme Court judged in 1986 that states could criminalize sodomy, the gay lobby decided to claim minority status by stating that sex orientation is immutable like eye, skin and hair colour. This has been proven by several studies to be unfounded. They were no longer making it identity centered.
- There was an orchestrated propaganda campaign to desensitize homosexuality. To lower people’s guard, the imagery used was neutral such as the unicorn, the rainbow flag and calling homosexuals gay, not sodomizers.
- Through the media, Hollywood, books, graphic novels and the like, people were made to feel bad for despising homosexuality. Homosexuals were cast as victims.
The Born Gay Hoax
- Many homosexual writers themselves have written against the claim that a person is born with homosexual feelings. The hadith states that all people are born on the natural way of life. External experiences, emotional and social factors, as well as trauma play a role in driving a person towards same sex attraction.
- Studies of twins who share the same DNA, show that if one is homosexual, nine times out of ten the other is not. If this was built into one’s genes, this would not have been the case. Dr Robert Spitzer has written about his experiences with psychological remedies for sexual orientation and found that no depression occurred as a result of “repressing” the feelings. It was actually the opposite. The American Psychological Association, among others, affirmed that there were no findings to validate the born gay claim.
Essentially homosexuals are a group of people who choose to identify as such. In reality it is a political ideology, not an inbuilt inclination.
The harms of a homosexual lifestyle are abundantly clear:
- The family unit is undermined. Islam advocates chastity within the structure of marriage to build a stable, happy family with distinct roles for males and females. This as well as clear gender identity needs to be cultivated within our kids.
- Paedophilia is an integral part of gay activist lobbying. Many prominent gay activists have been working to lower the age of consent in the name of child rights so that they can have access to young kids. The paedophile tourism trips to Thailand, Philippines and Sri Lanka are well documented, with several rings being broken. Cory Feldman, a former child actor, said that the number one problem in Hollywood is paedophilia. The elite engage in homosexual abuse of vulnerable boy actors, and media, government and law agencies know about it, and cover it up. One can understand why films and cartoons are increasingly depicting homosexuality as acceptable when these are the producers.
The media portrayal of LGBTQ makes for interesting reading. From 2012–2020 representation of LGBTQ characters on Broadcast TV in the USA rose from 4% to 10%. Insider found a 222% increase from 2017–2019 in the number of LGBTQ characters in new kid’s shows. In 1985 there were no LGBTQ characters in cartoons. By 2018, there were 25 explicit and 37 implicit LGBTQ characters.
- Homosexuals make up an estimated 2% of society but statistics indicate that they represent 20-40% of child molestation cases. The child molestation epidemic is a direct societal harm of homosexuality.
- HIV/Aids began in the homosexual community in America and still represents the major proportion of new cases. In 2010, young gay and bisexual men 13-24 years old accounted for 72% of new HIV infections in that age group.
- The rear private part is not designed for the abuse of sodomy. HIV positive men are 90 times more likely to develop anal cancer. 25% of homosexuals suffer from anal incontinence. And the list goes on
The Hadith teaches us that, “Never does immorality spread in a community except that diseases and plagues which the previous people never experienced will afflict them.” (Ibn Majah)
The gay lobbyists are trying to force their agenda especially on the youth through the sexualisation of children in the school syllabus, through digital and print media, and through entertainment and legislation.
What is our approach to a Muslim who says that he or she is gay?
Don’t aim to disgrace or humiliate the person. Resent the sin and deal with the person like you would any other alcoholic, drug abuser, gambler or adulterer. Engage with dignity and respect that we afford to all human beings. At the same time, we cannot compromise our principles and stance. Try and offer help wherever we might be able to make a difference.
An effective answer to homosexuality is where does one draw the line? Would we allow for fulfilling one’s desires through incest where a mother sleeps with her son, or where people incline towards animals? The only real law which is objective and not subjective is the Law of Allah Ta’ala. Otherwise, there is no end to what will be allowed.
How does a Muslim who has same sex attraction or is engaged in homosexuality deal with it? Here are some ideas, but bear in mind it is not a one size fits all solution:
- Always regard homosexuality as a sin and wrong. If you commit a sin, but regard it as wrong, your faith is still intact, and there is a hope that one will reform.
- Moulana Ashraf Ali Thanwi rahimahullah states that the physical and mental gaze needs to be diverted. There is no doubt that the primary reason for the rise in unnatural sexual attraction is the proliferation of public displays of sexuality. Minimize exposure to the avenues which inflame and stir these feelings. If you sit near a fire, you will feel the heat and breathe the smoke.
- Diverting the mental gaze is to divert the mind and thoughts into another direction. Don’t try to remove the thoughts or attempt to work out what is causing them as it will just compound the problem. When the Sahaba radhiallahu anhum complained to the Prophet sallallahu alaihi wa sallam of the terrible and evil thoughts that came into their minds regarding Allah Ta’ala, the Prophet sallallahu alaihi wa sallam told them that this was a clear sign of faith. A thief comes to a place where there is treasure. These poisonous thoughts come from the devil to those in whom he has lost hope in tempting towards sin. Recite Aamantu billahi wa rusoolih to calm the mind in such instances.
- Avoid being alone or in the wrong company.
- Seek help from Ulama and psychologists.
It is not an easy road to defeat the devil but ultimately, when you work on it, your mind will reset to a calm state. The devil calls our bluff, making us think that if we don’t give in to our sinful cravings and addictions we will die or suffer health issues. The reality is that if you keep ignoring the temptation, you will find inner peace and you will master your desires.
Allah Ta’ala loves those who turn to Him constantly in repentance and seek to purify themselves. Imagine, He Loves the sinner, the one who committed the worst of filthy, debased acts, but shows remorse and a will to reform. The doors of repentance are open to anyone to take them through to the highest of ranks. Someone asked Hazrat Umar radhiallahu anhu, “Who is better: the one who does not experience the desire to sin and does not do it, or the one who feels the desire but does not commit it?” He replied that the latter were better. They are the ones whom Allah Ta’ala has refined their hearts for Taqwa (piety). They will get forgiveness and an immense reward.
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