Homosexuality, Islam and Gender Identity

The formative period of Islam remains highly contested. From the beginning of modern scholarship on this formative period, scholars have questioned traditional Muslim accounts on early Islam. The scholarly fi xation is mirrored by sectarian groups and movements within Islam, most of which trace their origins to this period. Moreover, contemporary movements from Salafi sts to modernists continue to point to Islam's origins to justify their positions. This Handbook provides a defi nitive overview of early Islam and how this period was understood and deployed by later Muslims. It is split into four main parts, the fi rst of which explores the debates and positions on the critical texts and fi gures of early Islam. The second part turns to the communities that identifi ed their origins with the Qur ʾ ā n and Mu ḥ ammad. In addition to the development of Muslim identities and polities, of particular focus is the relationship with groups outside or movements inside of the umma (the collective community of Muslims). The third part looks beyond what happened from the 7th to the 9th centuries CE and explores what that period, the events, fi gures, and texts have meant for Muslims in the past and what they mean for Muslims today. Not all Muslims or scholars are willing to merely reinterpret early Islam and its sources, though; some are willing to jettison parts, or even all, of the edifi ce that has been constructed over almost a millennium and a half. The Handbook therefore concludes with discussions of re-imaginations and revisions of early Islam and its sources. Almost every major debate in the study of Islam and among Muslims looks to the formative period of Islam. The wide range of contributions from many of the leading academic experts on the subject therefore means that this book will be a valuable resource for all students and scholars of Islamic studies, as well as for anyone with an interest in early Islam.

There is only very limited evidence for the life of the sixteenth century English renegade and eunuch slave, Hassan Agha, whose birth name was Samson Rowlie. Until now, he has been known from a single letter written in 1586, supplemented by a striking watercolour portrait from 1588. However, new research on early English diplomatic relations with the Ottomans has uncovered further evidence of Hassan Agha's later life and continued contacts with his fellow Englishmen. This previously unstudied evidence includes a report of Hassan Agha's premature death in sinister circumstances, presumed murdered. This paper will present these original research findings in the context of England's early diplomatic and commercial relations with the Ottoman Levant. Particular attention will be paid to the position of eunuch slaves within Ottoman government and society, as well as questions of personal identity and loyalty amongst renegade ministers and officials. This will address the proposed conference topics of 'consular, diplomatic and commercial interactions' and 'individual or family histories that reveal aspects of the Levantine world'.

In his 2006 article in the Journal of the Islamic Medical Association of North America (JIMA), Dr. Ahmed qualified the predominant psychiatric view on " homosexuality " by recourse to opinions prevalent within reparative therapy circles. Conservative Muslim thinkers, online counselors and other professionals continue to hold opinions similar to those delineated by Dr. Ahmed in his journal article. We use his paper as a focal point to critique the general opinions upheld by conservative Muslim thinkers by alluding to the harms associated with reparative therapy and by rejecting the unreasonable prescription of permanent celibacy. We critique Dr. Ahmed's association of " homosexuality " with mental health issues, fatal diseases, alcoholism and illicit sexual intercourse. Investigating the Muslim tradition, we encourage conservative Muslim leaders to facilitate Muslim gays and lesbians in their legitimate human need for intimacy, affection and companionship.

This lesson plan is intended for a college undergraduate audience. The objective of this lesson is to shed light on emerging Islamic scholarship that affirms Muslim same-sex unions in contrast to the neo-traditional stance on the prohibition of homosexual acts.

Commentary on the hifz furuj (protection of private parts) verse and derived juristic principle (the default status of accessing the female pudenda is prohibition). Orienting the discourse to that of a legal contract where the principle is that of permissibility, and anchoring the case for same-sex marriage through verse 4:28.

Reformist authors in the West, most notably Scott Kugle, have called Islam’s prohibition of liwāṭ (sodomy) and other same-sex behavior into question. Kugle’s “Sexuality, Diversity, and Ethics in the Agenda of Progressive Muslims” (Progressive Muslims: 2003) and Homosexuality in Islam (2010) serve as the scholarly center for those who advocate sanctioning same-sex acts. Kugle traces the heritage of the Lot narrative’s exegesis to al-Tabari (d. 310/923), which, he contends, later exegetes came to regard as theologically axiomatic and thus beyond question. This study argues that Kugle’s critical methodological inconsistencies, misreading and misrepresentation of al-Tabari’s and other traditional works, as well as the anachronistic transposition of modern categories onto the classical sources, completely undermine his argument.

This essay is an examination of classical jurists' legal determinations pertaining to liwāṭ (sodomy) and siḥāq (tribadism), both of which have been little studied in their legal context. In exploring jurists' logic and legal categorizations, I argue that three major factors contributed to their legal injunctions: (1) their use of zinā (illicit sex between a man and a woman) as the paradigm by which to punish liwāṭ and siḥāq, (2) their perception of sexual intercourse as an exclusively male act of phallic penetration, and (3) an individual's legal status within the social hierarchy as reflected in jurisprudential discussions of illicit sexual intercourse (zinā). Juristic disagreements over the semantics and definitions of these three factors extended to the treatment of liwāṭ and siḥāq and, ultimately, became normative doctrine.

"The first theoretical part of the paper will be devoted to a critical reflection on what analytical categories we could use when dealing with “homosexuality” in the Middle East. In the second part of the article will look at the contemporary discourses on homosexuality, looking both at the dominant perspective, where the “classical” approach seems to prevail, and at the competitive perspective, where the “new” approach is appearing.
"

The objective of this paper was to streamline the case for Muslim same-sex unions that was comprehensively made in Jahangir and Abdullatif (2016). Additionally, we try to address same-sex unions on the basis of non-binary gender, gender expression and sexual orientation. Based on our work, we argue that the case for Muslim same-sex unions can be made on the basis of broad principles of human dignity and affection and therefore through marriage or through the specific arguments of repelling harm and legal authority. In this regard, going beyond the overarching Islamic value of human dignity, we specifically argue that the case for same-sex unions can be anchored on verse 4:28 on facilitating a legal outlet for sexual expression.

Altogether, with its emic perspective, the book provides an extensive reference source on the inner-Islamic discussion for gay and lesbian Muslims and can be used as a strong base for an argumentation that situates same-sex unions within Islamic law tradition. For scholars of gender, sexuality and religion the book is an interesting source for studying a queer-religious argumentative strategy developing a progressive-positive Islamic understanding of homosexuality and same-sex unions.

In the backdrop of increased political and social visibility of LGBTQ Muslim groups, conservative Muslim scholars have begun to engage with progressive Muslim scholarship on homosexuality. Most recently, they have supported a rebuttal, thirteen years after the publication of Scott Kugle’s seminal essay “Sexuality, diversity and ethics in the agenda of progressive Muslims” and six years after his book Homosexuality in Islam. Mobeen Vaid’s critique emboldens conservative Muslim leaders to equate LGBT Muslims with Lot's people and downplay the legitimate human need for affection, intimacy and companionship as mere urges and whims. The objective of this article is to deconstruct the salient points made in that critique and to address the misconceptions that Muslims generally have on homosexuality.

Among the salient points made in this article, it is argued that any consensus on homosexuality does not hold, permanent celibacy violates Islamic values, medieval knowledge should be updated in jurisprudence and oppression in Allah’s name still constitutes oppression. It is emphasized that the issue at hand is not the permissibility of sexual acts but that of the validity of a legal contract for same-sex couples.
 
Dispelling misconceptions, it is asserted that sexual abuse or watching pornography do not determine sexual orientation and that Muslim health professionals don’t necessarily support sexual orientation change efforts. Finally, it is underscored that conservative leaders and scholars should be open minded enough to recognize that others who have a greater stake in the issue may be better suited at finding a legal accommodation of gay Muslims in Muslim society.

En este trabajo se va a tratar el tema de la homosexualidad en el mundo árabe e islámico, dedicando una especial atención al Líbano, país objeto de estudio. Para poder desarrollar el tema han sido consultadas numerosas investigaciones sobre la homosexualidad en el mundo árabe, y fuentes específicas sobre el Líbano.
En el trabajo se ha estudiado la terminología que se utiliza en árabe para referirse a la homosexualidad y se ha investigado sobre los diferentes movimientos asociativos activos actualmente en Líbano a favor del colectivo LGBTQI. A raíz de la revolución de 2019 están siendo siempre más frecuentes las protestas del pueblo libanés, así como las protestas del colectivo homosexual que pide y demanda más derechos.
El trabajo ha precisado del uso de una metodología cualitativa, llevando a cabo unas entrevistas para conocer la realidad de la situación. Todos los datos de la entrevista han sido recopilados, y las entrevistas han sido enteramente transcritas. Las personas entrevistadas son todas de origen libanesa y uno de los requisitos más importantes es que no hayan dejado el país hace más de 5 años y que sigan teniendo contacto con su país de origen. Todos los entrevistados confirman una hipótesis que yo tenía y es que aún falta para que los homosexuales puedan tener derechos esenciales en Líbano.
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This paper will deal with the issue of homosexuality in the Arab and Islamic world, with a special focus on Lebanon, the country under study. In order to develop the topic, numerous research studies on homosexuality in the Arab world and specific sources on Lebanon have been consulted.
The work has studied the terminology used in Arabic to refer to homosexuality and has researched the different associative movements currently active in Lebanon in favour of the LGBTQI community. In the wake of the 2019 revolution, protests by the Lebanese people are becoming more and more frequent, as well as protests by the homosexual community asking for and demanding more rights.
The work required the use of a qualitative methodology, conducting interviews to get to know the reality of the situation. All the interview data has been collected, and the interviews have been entirely transcribed. The interviewees are all of Lebanese origin and one of the most important requirements is that they have not left the country for more than 5 years and that they still have contact with their country of origin. All the interviewees confirm a hypothesis I had, which is that homosexuals still have a long way to go before they can enjoy basic rights in Lebanon.

Artikel ini menguji argumen-argumen psikologis dan teologis yang dijadikan pijakan untuk menganggap orientasi seksual non-hetero sebagai normal dan legal. Argumen kenormalan yang didasarkan pada keputusan APA mendeklasifikasi homoseksualitas dari DSM akan diuji dengan mengurai konteks sejarah serta faktor-faktor politis yang melatari keputusan tersebut. Lebih jauh, basis epistemologi ilmu psikologi moderen juga diuji untuk membutikan adanya bias worldview Barat di dalam keputusan APA tersebut. Selanjutnya akan dipaparkan pandangan Islam terkait homoseksualitas. Dalam Islam orientasi homoseksual dianggap sebagai ujian terhadap fitrah manusia sehingga harus dilawan dengan menguatkan iman menambah ilmu tentangnya dan melalui bantuan terapi.

Although most traditional Muslim scholars condemn same-sex desires and acts, revisionist Muslim scholars have offered a more tolerant approach on this issue over the last two decades. Building on an essentialist approach to same-sex desires and acts, these scholars argue that Islam accepts difference and diversity, including sexual diversity, as part of God’s creation. Homosexuality, which in their view is an innate disposition to the same sex, is an alternative sexuality and, thus, accepted by Qur’an/Islam. This paper argues that an essentialist approach is not suitable to defend all manifestations of same-sex desires and acts, not only because it is narrow (as it excludes both bisexual Muslims and homosexual Muslims who believe that their sexual orientation is socially constructed), but also because it even cannot argue the case for the view of homosexuality as inborn. This paper proposes to open up the debate beyond essentialism and constructivism, which both have their limitations, to accommodate a more inclusive and tolerant Islamic approach to same-sex desires and acts.
Keywords: Bisexuality, essentialist, epistemology, homosexuality, Islam,
Muslim revisionist scholars, same-sex desires and acts, social constructivism

Introductory courses dealing with sex, gender and sexuality are usually quite biased, going as far as to deny the reality of biology. Drawing on the Catholic tradition (Aquinas), this article presents an accessible argument aimed at restoring deliberative balance in the classroom.

Es ist vom Gesandten Allahs nicht erwiesen, dass er bei Analverkehr ein Urteil sprach oder die Betroffenen steinigte. Frühe Überlieferungen, die mannmännliche anale Penetration verurteilen, gehen auf den Prophetengefährten ibn Abbas zurück. Nachdem ähnliche Gelehrtenmeinungen in Rechtsschulen verbreitet wurden, fanden sie auch ihren Niederschlag als Hadith. Erst Mitte des zweiten islamischen Jahrhunderts finden sich verurteilende Positionen zum Analverkehr mit Überlieferungsketten, die bis auf den Propheten zurückgeführt werden – allerdings über verdächtige Überlieferer.

Throughout the world, Muslims explore ways
to be gay and still be part of the Muslim
community. Although prohibitive Islamic
attitudes towards homosexuality may seem
to make this difficult, these are not shared by
all Muslims. There is also a counter-culture
of Muslim queerness that demonstrates that
not all religious scholars were necessarily
against homosexuality. This article discusses
understandings of Islam that accommodate
homosexual relationships.

Liebster Sascha(Beck) Habibi = Geliebter, Liebling, mein Süßester (Xylitol - Gewöhnlicher Zuckeraustauschstoff oder Wundermittel auf academia(punkt)edu) (und auch für alle Anderen),

hier meinem Auszug vom Academia-Text "Homosexualität in arabisch-islamischen Gesellschaften von Linda Hewitt in einfacher Sprache mit persönlichen Hervorhebungen und Ergänzungen (gut 14 aus 48  Seiten.

Und ergänzend noch im Anhang ein Auszug aus Arno Schmitt: Schwule? Islamisches Recht? Ein Aufklärungsgespräc,h  geschrieben in ziemlich derber, rüder Sprache, so dass der Eindruck entsteht, dass der Autor ein schwuler Macho-Orientalist oder Islamwissenschaftler ist (( 4 von 18 Seiten):

YOU ARE IMPORTANT TO ME
I NEED YOU TO SURVIVE
DIR sendet vratlichst nach Kilchberg
LOVE

YOUR
Ravi

Salah satu satu soalan yang sering diajukan ialah bagaimanakah kita harus bersikap terhadap golongan LGBT (Lesbian Gay Biseksual Transeksual) apabila mereka mulai menuntut ‘kebebasan’. Untuk pejuang hak asasi manusia yang beragama Islam mahupun Kristian, soalan ini sentiasa memerangkap. Persoalan LGBT tidak dibincangkan secara terbuka satu masa dahulu. Akan tetapi dua dekad kebelakangan ini, Malaysia tidak lagi terkecuali dalam berdepan dengan gejala LGBT. Bersabit dengan LGBT di Malaysia, maruah manusia (human dignity) pengamalnya harus dilindungi. Mereka tidak wajar diaib dan didiskriminasi. Pun, sebagai ingatan semula hak-hak LGBT di Malaysia bagaimanapun sangat bergantung kepada nilai-nilai moral (moral values); ketenteraman awam (public order); dan hak-hak manusia lain (rights of others). Sebagai anggota masyarakat pengamal LGBT dijangka akur dengan formula di atas. Untuk generasi muda di Malaysia pula, yang harus didedahkan kepada mereka adalah apa itu perbezaan dan bagaimana menanganinya dengan betul. Bukan mengajar mereka melakukan pelabelan dan stigma.

El objetivo del presente artículo es analizar la casuística homoerótica y pederasta en el islam clásico, a través de la antología poética Basṭ al-a‘ḏār ‘an ḥubb al-‘iḏār [Exposición de los pretextos sobre el amor de los aladares] del jatib al-Minhāŷī (m. 1585). Se parte de una introducción al concepto de homoerotismo en la legalidad islámica y se presentan los factores principales acuñados por los poetas árabes sobre esa pasión platónica-homosexual por muchachos adolescentes, imberbes y barbipungentes.

The experience of gender transition can be a deeply troublesome and religiously fraught experience. Often, the individual who discloses gender diversity becomes ostracized from religious elements in their families. Both Christianity and Islam have historically been reticent to deal with modern movements toward expanded gender diversity. This reticence can lead to an exodus of people from one faith tradition to another tradition – or no tradition at all – this reticence leads to a loss of beloved theological resources that can provide comfort amid the tumults of life. This paper will use theological and philosophical resources from both Islamic and Christian traditions to engage in constructing a new means of understanding gender transition as a healing process rather than as a fragmentary event which leads to destruction or degradation of the religious community.

According to Henry Corbin, in Islamic philosophy, “divine language" is seen as an inexhaustible creative power that ensures nature’s ever-changing configuration. In this essay, I claim that American poet Kazim Ali’s compositions show us that there is continuity between divine, natural and poetic language and that it is through the verbal acts of his creatures that God’s scripture goes on writing itself. Ali’s work is thus in line with Islam’s “lettristic” tradition, which shows us the religion allows room for the kind of broad-minded views about natural diversity and sexuality that some critics accuse the West of smuggling into Islamic countries.

The struggle of Muslim homosexuals in Pakistan, South Asia, or as expatriates is not just about LGBTQ rights but part of the larger fight for inclusion and pluralism within Islam. My essay published in The Boston Globe Ideas section (July 31, 2016)  on South Asian and Muslim attitudes towards homosexuality, reproduced here with additional links, info and photos, as well as parts not included in the final published version. The attack in the Orlando gay nightclub put the spotlight not just on the perpetrator, but his victims — Muslim gay (queer) folk who are particularly vulnerable to homophobia besides facing as Islamophobia in the West, and receiving little or no support from the Muslim community at home and abroad. Additionally, they are now increasingly targeted by extremists claiming legitimacy from Islam.

Interviu/ Alina Isac Alak, islamolog: " Interzicerea niqabului în școli pedepsește direct nu musulmanii reali, ci, paradoxal, mai delicat și dificil de controlat, musulmanul imaginar " Alina Isac Alak este doctor în filosofie, islamolog şi a publicat cărți, precum și numeroase articole și studii academice atât în volume colective, cât și în prestigioase reviste de specialitate din țară și din străinătate. Ea ne oferă o imagine complexă despre interzicerea niqabului în şcoli, pornind de la ultima Propunere legislativa pentru modificarea şi completarea Legii educaţiei naţionale nr.1/2011, în interviul acordat lui Vladimir Adrian Costea, pentru Europunkt. Vladimir-Adrian Costea: Pentru început, vă rog să ne spuneți care este miza interzicerii niqabului în școli. În ce măsură reprezintă o prioritate? Alina Isac Alak: Putem identifica fără mare efort faptele reale, concrete, verificabile. Avem o lege care vizează prevenirea unui fenomen declarat oficial, în același text al proiectului de lege, drept inexistent, anume pericolul terorist în România. Cum ne protejăm de amenințarea ipotetică a terorismului? Interzicând acoperirea feței prin orice fel de material, în spațiile destinate educației și formării profesionale, unei categorii inexistente de oameni: femeile musulmane purtătoare de niqab. Niqab-ul reprezintă vălul care nu acoperă doar părul, ci și chipul femeii musulmane, lăsând cel mult expuși vederii doar ochii acesteia. Purtarea niqab-ului este o practică rar întâlnită și în țările cu populație musulmană, fiind destul de controversată, multe școli islamice de jurisprudență încadrând vestimentația respectivă mai degrabă în categoria practicilor culturale locale și nu în a celor normative islamice. În România, în prezent, nu se cunoaște nici un caz al unei femei musulmane purtătoare de niqab care să frecventeze cursurile unui liceu sau ale unei universități. La poliție nu este înregistrat nici un caz al unei musulmane purtătoare de niqab care să fi cerut eliberarea actelor românești de identitate. Există, rarisim, persoane care vin în vizită pe teritoriul țării noastre și care poartă niqab. Au existat trei, patru românce musulmane convertite care au adoptat temporar practica niqab-ului, însă, din câte știu eu, nici una nu a participat, nici măcar ocazional, îmbrăcată la cursuri astfel. Două dintre aceste persoane nici nu mai sunt musulmane astăzi. A emite o lege, preventiv, care evident nu răspunde nici unei nevoi sociale sau politice reale, pentru un grup de oameni care nu există, îmi pare a fi o strategie legislativă futilă, ridicolă, dar nu mai puțin gravă și îngrijorătoare. În ce măsură aceste propuneri generează forme de discriminare? Din nefericire, și aici rezidă întreaga problemă, legea referitoare la interzicerea niqab-ului nu lucrează cu obiective practice, ci mai degrabă cu strategii simbolice și retorice. Pare a nu afecta direct musulmanii reali, deși, paradoxal, mai delicat și dificil de controlat, atacă un musulman imaginar, purtător al unei vini colective în aceste circumstanțe socio-politice turbulente. Între a

Why is it that religion and homosexuality are being so often rhetorically linked in public discourse? Is it just same-sex sexuality has often been condemned on religious ground? Why then have they? How does the religious diversifaction of Western Europe and North America matter to LGBTIQ movements -- and to the experience of same-sex sexuality?