Homosexuality

Salam!

Bismillah

So a sister posted an article about homosexuality in Islam HERE. She asked us to tell her what we thought about it.

I started to compile my thoughts and it started to get pretty loonnnggg lol. So I thought I would write a post here and share the link inshaAllah.

So, in my opinion this issue breaks down into two separate ideas:
I. How I would treat gay people as a believing Muslim
II. What Islam and the Qur'an actually say about homosexuality

I. How would I treat gay people
Simply: with tolerance. Would I condemn someone who is struggling not to sin, maybe winning sometimes and losing others? Absolutely not. I have been and am in the position where I struggle daily with a certain sin(s). Would I condemn a brother who drinks but is trying desperately to stop for the sake of Allah? No. This is jihad and is something commendable!
Allah gives tests to EVERYONE. Whether you see them as good or bad, easy or hard: It makes no difference. Allah knows better than we do. He clearly told us what to do in the Qur'an subhanAllah.

However, if I see someone who tries to warp the teachings of the Qur'an to suit their viewpoint, I will not support this. It is wrong to say that something that is haraam is halal in any way, even makruh (disliked). If it is forbidden, then it is forbidden. It is our job as brothers and sisters in Islam to give gentle naseeha (advice) to help correct this, but we should not do it in a way to make others turn from Islam.

So to me, I see two categories of gay people:
a. those who realize that these actions are a sin and struggle in the way of Allah to control these actions
b. those who try to say that being homosexual is not a sin, just another way to love. This is shaytan wispering you guys. He's waswas-ing all over the place! The Qur'an is clear on this, there is no ambiguity! (as I will show in the next part) To say it is not that bad when Allah says it is crossing the line is WRONG!

II. What the Qur'an says about homosexuality:
I believe that if we are going to talk about Islam and homosexuality we should throw out some daleel (evidence). Saying things like "I don't think Allah would do this" or "I don't think it is fair for Allah to do this" is not daleel. Allah and HIS WISDOM is above what we "feel" or "think" because we do not have the knowledge. HE does, subhanAllah Alhamdulillah.

26:165-166, 168-169
"Must you, unlike other people, lust after males and abandon the wives that God has created for you? You are exceeding all bounds... So he (Lot) said, 'I loathe what you do: Lord, save me and my family from what they are doing."

In this passage, lust for men and abandoning women as mates are the only charges brought against Lot's people, and these alone are enough to cross Allah's line. Allah created man and woman for each other and He knows best why.

11:78
"His (Lot's) people came rushing towards him, the used to commit foul deeds. He said, 'My people, here are my daughters. They are more wholesome for you, so have some fear of God and do not disgrace me with my guests. Is there not a single right-minded man among you?'

When the men of the town came to take the messengers, Lot offered them his daughters (or the daughters of his people). IF rape was the main objectionable crime (as some claim), he would not offer his daughters to such a fate! Would your father offer you up to be raped? Then how can you claim that Lot, a prophet of Allah 3layhi salam, would do that?!? Rather, he was asking the men of his town to turn away from other MEN and instead have conjugal relations with the WOMEN of the tribe, which is more wholesome.

Again, for those that claim that RAPE was the issue with Lot's people and not homosexuality, note that there was not ONE SINGLE right minded man in the town. This was not an issue of rape, but rather an issue of ALL of the men lusting after each other. As they say, "you can't rape the willing."

27:55
"How can you lust after men instead of women? What fools you are!"

Here the objection is not over "lust" vs "love" as some claim, but lusting for MEN vs. lusting for WOMEN. This is a contrast between what is crossing the line and what is acceptable.

4:16-18
"If two men commit a lewd act, punish them both; but if they repent and mend their ways, leave them alone-God is always ready to accept repentance, He is full of mercy. But God only undertakes to accept the repentance from those who do evil out of ignorance and soon afterwards repent: these are the ones God will forgive, He is all knowing, all wise. It is not true repentance when people continue to do evil until death confronts them and then says, 'Now I repent'..."

I don't think it is coincidence that these verses appear together, and this is the verse that gave me the idea of the two kinds of homosexuals. One is the repentant person who realizes it is wrong and struggles to control themselves. The other is the repeat offender who is not actually repentant.

Allah says punish those that don't repent and repentance means
a. realizing that what you did is wrong
b. asking Allah for sincere forgiveness
c. not repeating the action

Those that try to say that homosexuality is not really "that" haraam are not fulfilling the requirements of repentance.
If you are living in sin and indulging in the same sin repeatedly, then you are, as defined by the Qur'an, not truly repentant.

Now that said: am I the judge of these people? Nope. This is just my personal view on the Qur'an from my own personal study. I am not a scholar and this is not a reproduction of someone else's research, and Allah knows better. However, I do not believe there is any ambiguity. Allah forgives and punishes where he will, so "wait if you wish, I too am waiting (52:31)" and Allah will be the best of judges.