homosexuality

mik_freeman

as a homosexual would I be accepted in islam if I were non-practicing, for reasons of faith?

BuffyBot

I presume you mean would you be accepted as a non-practising homosexual as opposed to a non-practising Muslim?

My understanding is that generally the consensus is that any sins or behaviour commited before one becomes a Muslim is wiped when one makes the testimony of faith. Therefore, in theory, if you became a Muslim and did not practice your sexual orientation afterwards then yes you would be accepted.

That's a pretty black and white definition, if you want something more specific I'm sure if you ask someone will come up with some answers.

InFront

mik_freeman wrote: »

as a homosexual would I be accepted in islam if I were non-practicing, for reasons of faith?

Welcome to the Islam forum mik_freeman. I would like so say in advance that I don't intend to sound offensive to some people in this post, but it may unintentionally come across that way.

The answer is a complicated one on one level, but one aspect of it is very clear. No individual has the right to "reject" someone else from Islam or to say that embracing Islam is not allowed for them, be they an alcoholic, a drug user, a homosexual, an adulterer, etc. In fact, there is a strong onus on Muslims to help such people or to at least put forward an alternative way of living through Islam.

Practicing homosexuality is a thing which is rejected by the vast majority of Muslims, being seen as contrary to God's law. It is seen as a great sin, it was the sin of the people of Lut for which they were punished most severely.

However, as for a Muslim who overcomes his urges and struggles to avoid this sin, and succeeds, I imagine that is something that is quite in the spirit of Islam, and I cannot understand why anyone would criticise or reject it. In fact, surely such behaviour is to be admired.

Osman

Hello,

As far as my understanding goes, it is homosexual acts that are disliked in Islam rather than than the sexual orientation itself (which I suppose people have no control over anyway).

Regards

InOffice

I haven't read the Qur'an, (on the mantel peace, I'll get around to it), but my boyfriend has. It refers to the Sodimits in the old testament but does not explicitly say your not to have homosexual sex. Unless you know the reference where it does say it?

Plus I was told that in Yemmin they do practise homosexual sex as they can only have sex with women for procreation. But it's not homosexual in the way the west thinks of it. I wish I could find the study again, it was done in UCD.

Remember in the time of the prophet Muslins could drink alcohol.

Plus I don't know many religions that do accept "gays", maybe the budists.

mik_freeman

thanks guys for the informative replies.

Hobbes

Just in case anyone is wondering. the OP registered to pretend to be someone else and has been site banned because of it (independent of this forum). The original question is valid, however this is not the real mik_freeman.

Sesshoumaru

Good article in IHT about Gay muslims in Berlin

http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/01/01/europe/berlin.php

A little dismayed to see some feel their family would kill them if they found out they were gay. Clearly some way to go before Muslims come to accept homosexuals.

wes

A sad state of affairs if these people feel in danger from there own families.

A very good article over all and its good that it mentions that heightened levels of homophobia isn't just present among the Muslim community.

philologos

InFront wrote: »

Practicing homosexuality is a thing which is rejected by the vast majority of Muslims, being seen as contrary to God's law. It is seen as a great sin, it was the sin of the people of Lut for which they were punished most severely.

Are you referring to Sodom and Gomorrah whereby the towns were destroyed with sulphur?

padser

Does islam differentiate between male and female homosexuality?

Haris83

padser wrote: »

Does islam differentiate between male and female homosexuality?

No, there is no difference between male and female homosexuality...

Both of them are strictly forbidden.

Filan

Iran apparently forces Homosexuals to have Gender Reassignment....therefore making them heterosexual in their new Gender.

Tehran is allegedly one of the sex-change capitals of the world....and a major factor in such is apparently it's Homosexual Penal code....Read that a majority of such patients are not real Transsexuals..merely homosexuals..haven't a link..but I assure you this is a sincere post.

The Ayatollah Khomeni issued a fatwa supporting Gender Reassignment for individuals suffering from Gender Identity Disorders. An apparent paradox that a country which so oppresses homosexuals facilitates 'Sex Changes' in large numbers.

Bottle_of_Smoke

Filan wrote: »

Iran apparently forces Homosexuals to have Gender Reassignment....therefore making them heterosexual in their new Gender.

Tehran is allegedly one of the sex-change capitals of the world....and a major factor in such is apparently it's Homosexual Penal code....Read that a majority of such patients are not real Transsexuals..merely homosexuals..haven't a link..but I assure you this is a sincere post.

The Ayatollah Khomeni issued a fatwa supporting Gender Reassignment for individuals suffering from Gender Identity Disorders. An apparent paradox that a country which so oppresses homosexuals facilitates 'Sex Changes' in large numbers.

??? you got a link, thats the funniest thing i've read in a long time
What do they do with gay couples?

Boston

This has been discussed at great length in the past on this forum. The belief I came to was as follows

1) Practicing homosexuality is no in line with islamic teaching
2) To have one practiced homosexuality to to have now stopped and feel it is sin full seems acceptable to "moderates".
3) To not practice homosexuality but to believe there is nothing wrong with homosexuality is view as sin full, regardless of sexuality.

Filan

Unfortunately I don't have a reliable link currently ....but if you do a search I'm sure you'll find something relating to it. Yes Iran forces homosexuals to undergo Gender Reassignment..it has allegedly 'no' homosexuals...but one of the world's highest rate's of 'sex change'.

Gender identity Disorder is seen as a medical condition. Homosexuals are given the choice of Capital Punishment (.ie flogging/death or a sex change)...therefore making them heterosexual...

It would appear that Homosexuality in Iran is considered a symptom of Gender Dysphoria...not merely being sexualy attracted to one's own gender. It metamorphasises homosexual men into heterosexual women.

This actualy featured quite a lot last year on l.g.b.t. sites.

Kuwait also supports the rights of Transsexuals.....though not as an inversion of homosexuality.

Schuhart

Bottle_of_Smoke wrote: »

you got a link

With Google, you never need a link. Just type 'sex change Iran' and you get this article on BBC.

However, before we lose the run of it, Iran is not entirely representative in this regard.

This means that Allah, the Almighty, created each of us in one gender, in one shape, while he or she likes another gender, but as a Muslim and believer he or she has to accept the destiny of Allah.

In the light of the above-mentioned basic facts, I would conclude by saying that it is not allowed in Islam to change the gender, and doing so will be changing of Allah’s creation.

The only exception to this ruling is related to a person who has both genders potential in body, so a medical treatment can be sought to unify one gender. In this case it will be a correction, and not a change in the creation of Allah, the Almighty. This issue has been previously discussed by our earlier Fuqahaa’ (jurists) and the same ruling has been given.

Ayatollah Khomeini, for reasons that are not theologically clear, set aside that traditional understanding that sex change operations were only permitted for hemaphrodytes. Reportedly, an Iranian campaigner called Maryam Molkara was instrumental in drawing the Ayatollah's attention to the issue.