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Madinat al-Muslimeen Islamic Message Board
| How can you tackle these people ? |
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| BroHanif |
| 06/18/03 at 18:37:51 |
| Salaams, A very sick article where an imam says it's ok to pactice homosexuality. Man is this the shape of things to come ?May Allah save us all from this evil sin. Ameen Hanif http://www.canoe.ca/NationalTicker/CANOE-wire.RELIGION-Gay-Muslims.html June 18, 2003 Canada's gay Muslims unite to celebrate their faith and their sexuality TORONTO (CP) -- When Faisal Alam e-mailed thousands of Muslim students six years ago, asking if any among them were gay, he unknowingly lit a flare that illuminated a community largely hidden in the shadows. A trickle of responses soon became a deluge, leading to this weekend's first Canadian-sponsored conference on homosexuality and Islam. Gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered Muslims from Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom and South Africa will gather in Toronto for three days of exploring how they can reconcile their sexuality with a faith understood by many to forbid same-sex relationships. "A lot of what happens to Muslims is that they reject the faith because they don't think they'll find a place for themselves in it," said Asif, a member of Salaam Toronto, one of North America's first associations of gay Muslims. Muslims who remain committed to their faith and sexuality often face estrangement from their family, expulsion from their mosques and, in some cases, the risk of physical abuse. "People have their own interpretation of what Islam says on homosexuality," said Asif, 30, who did not want his last name used. "I say: God made me the way I am." This weekend's conference is organized in conjunction with the Washington, D.C. group Al-Fatiha, started by Alam after his now legendary e-mail. While it is the group's fourth international conference, it is the first held in Canada. Al-Fatiha means "the opening," and is the title of the first chapter of the Qur'an. Entitled Liberating Tradition, Celebrating Culture, the conference reflects the growing numbers of Muslims demanding a more liberal interpretation of their faith. Islam's perceived prohibition on homosexuality is derived from a story in the Qur'an, the Islamic text that lays down the fundamentals of Islam. The story is that of Lut, known in the Judeo-Christian tradition as Lot, the resident of a town in which men were found engaging in sex with each other. Allah is said to have destroyed the town as punishment for those sexual acts. According to Imam Abdullah, one of the very few gay imams in North America, the people of Lut's town were not condemned for their sexual acts, but their acts of violence. The passage, he said, and others which deal with sex outside of marriage, must be re-examined in order to convey the true spirit of Islam. "Allah is inclusive. Human beings are exclusive," said Imam Abdullah, who works from Washington, D.C. "In order for the Qur'an, Allah's message and guide, to be available to all of humankind for all time, it has to have an inclusive aspect because all of humankind has not come yet." Traditional Muslims maintain that the Qur'an is not open for re-interpretation. "There is no need to revise the Qur'an or the teaching of Islam on the issue of homosexuality," said Mohamed Elmasry, president of the Canadian Islamic Congress. "It is clear that homosexuality is forbidden and if someone wants to insist on doing it, that is their personal decision. They will be held accountable in the end." Jewish and Christian denominations have been tackling the conflict between faith and sexuality since the 1970s, and some of the more progressive branches have ordained gay priests and rabbis and run gay congregations. Elmasry said that most Islamic communities in Canada disagree with the way other religious denominations interact with their gay and lesbian congregants. "Churches in this country did a disservice to homosexuals by going to two extremes," he said. "One on extreme they closed their doors to them, and on the other they accepted them entirely. We think that these two extremes are not an option." Imam Abdullah completed his training last year, and while he does counsel some gay and lesbian Muslims, as well as perform same-sex marriages, he said that his outreach is mostly online. Members of Salaam Canada say that the gay Muslim community here is more spiritual than religious, although talks have started on establishing a progressive mosque. At this weekend's conference, men and women will stand side-by-side, leading prayers. "We understand that a lot of the faith we have learned comes through our culture and not our faith itself," said Alam. "The roots of Islam are peace, love and justice. If those three concepts are really used to look at this issue, we will understand that accepting our sexuality is a small part of our faith. There are a lot of larger issues to deal with." Issues such as the image of Islam in the post-9/11 climate. Conference organizers are concerned that delegates from the United States and overseas will have difficulty re-entering their home countries after travelling abroad. "The anti-Muslim feel is everywhere," said Asif. "On top of dealing with being gay, we have to deal with being Muslim too. It's a challenge." |
| NS |
| Re: How can you tackle these people ? |
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| theOriginal |
| 06/19/03 at 10:09:13 |
| [slm] Actually, I had the misfortune to meet a woman who is very active in the "Homosexual Muslim Community" in Toronto. (I think they changed the name now)... Anyway, it was just really, really sad. What was even sadder was that she had found a very vulnerable niche to preach what she practiced (or so to speak) by visiting high schools and universities at forums where sexual orientation is discussed. (Ontario has new laws about sexual orientation awareness, and how it should be brought up in schools.) Ameen, to your duaa, brother. |
| Re: How can you tackle these people ? |
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| Nomi |
| 06/19/03 at 14:06:27 |
| [slm] Evil and good have been there since the very beginning. I think Allah lets such evil exist so that we may learn from the ugliness of it !! [slm] Asim Zafar |
| 06/19/03 at 14:10:36 |
| Nomi |
| Re: How can you tackle these people ? |
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| Rameeza |
| 06/19/03 at 15:24:01 |
| [slm] This makes me think of the signs of the nearing of the day of judgement. Remember it says that there will be so many sects of Islam and only one of these will be practicing the true Islam. As is we have so many different ideas on practicing Islam and this is one more. May Allah make all of us amongst the set of people whom he has guided and not amongst those whom he has let to go astray - Ameen. |
| Re: How can you tackle these people ? |
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| panjul |
| 06/19/03 at 23:56:57 |
| [slm] This kind of stuff no longer shocks me. The shock ended for me when I found out that a gay "married" man that i know, also has a boyfried--who's a "muslim" and who is also married to a woman and has kids with her. astaghferuallah. may Allah protect us all. |
| Re: How can you tackle these people ? |
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| se7en |
| 06/27/03 at 12:04:39 |
| as salaamu alaykum, It's one thing if people have personal weaknesses or things they struggle with.. but a completely different story when someone seeks to change the deen to suit their own personal inclinations and preferences. [quote]According to Imam Abdullah, one of the very few gay imams in North America, the people of Lut's town were not condemned for their sexual acts, but their acts of violence. The passage, he said, and others which deal with sex outside of marriage, must be re-examined in order to convey the true spirit of Islam. [/quote] ??? I think the Qur'an is quite clear on this. [i] We also (sent) the prophet Lut: He said to his people: "Do you commit an indecency such as no people in creation committed before you? For you practise your lusts on men in preference to women: you are indeed a people transgressing beyond bounds." [/i] -- 7:84-85 [i] When their brother Lut said to them: "Will you not guard (against evil)? Surely I am a faithful messenger to you; so keep your duty to Allah and obey me. And I do not ask you any reward for it; my reward is only with the Lord of the worlds. Of all creatures, you approach males, and leave those whom Allah has created for you to be your mates? No, you are a people transgressing all limits." They said: "If you desist not, O Lut, you will surely be of those expelled." He said: "I am in truth of those who hate your conduct. O my Lord, deliver me and my family from such things as they do." [/i] -- 26:161-168 |
| 06/27/03 at 12:12:51 |
| se7en |
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