Introduction
Traditionally, Islam has been standing on guard against the proliferation of sexual depravity. Together with other fundamental religions, the Quran and its commentaries strongly prohibit 'untraditional' sexual relationships both, inside and outside the matrimony. Kecia argues that traditional schools of the Islamic law describe any homosexual act as sinful and punishable (Kecia, 79). The majority of countries, where Sharia law regulates social order, define homosexuality as legally or socially persecuted (and many of them the both restraints are in force). In the most orthodox countries, like Afghanistan, Nigeria, and Saudi Arabia any homosexual intercourse is punishable by the death penalty. The practice demonstrates that the overwhelming majority of Muslim countries oppose any move to the advanced further popularization of LGBT rights and privileges, which are traditionally brokered by the United Nations Organization and the Western World.
The purpose of this essay is to discuss classic and contemporary Islamic interpretations of Quran and other sacred texts in the context of homosexuality and other sexual deviations. In particular, this paper seeks to advocate that the ideas of LGBT, freedom of sexual experiments, and other unnatural types of sexual intercourse are alien to the true believers of Allah, and that Islam is one of the most effective tools in terms of protecting the humanity from the advent of perverted civilization, global depravity, and sexual chaos. To be more specific, this paper highlights that not a single sexual deviation is tolerated by Quran, and no exceptions are possible in this regard. Any attempt to reconcile homoeroticism with Quranic legal thought is invariably doomed. Furthermore, the focus of this paper is made from the recently released scandalous movie A Jihad For Love, while theoretical interpretations of the Prophet Mohammed and his followers legacy are based on Don't Ask Don't Tell: Same-Sex Intimacy in Muslim thought.
Many types of untraditional sexual intercourse are recognized by the Islamic scholars as sinful and, therefore, severely punishable. Among them are illicit sexual intercourse between a male and female, anal intercourse between two males, with livestock, with a female stranger, the practice of tribadism (when the role of the man is replaced by a woman). Furthermore, the focus is made on the fact that the list of banned sexual practices is not giving an exhaustive way. Different scholars identify from 17 to hundred sexual enormities, which can be potentially exercised by people (Kecia 2006, 76-77). The scholars specifically focused on listing them because their main mission is to inform the readers of any act, which is understood as an enormity the voice of the Lord Almighty.
It is important to provide a distinction between a homosexual identity and a casual homosexual relationship. The first one purports innate, biological inclinations of an individual to enter into a sexual or romantic relationship with the same-sex partner. The second one means an occasional (or regular) sexual act, committed by the same-sex partner in order to receive sexual gratification only while desiring to marry the partner of another gender. The views of Islamic thinkers relating to these two concepts are different. The second one is typically tolerated, when a person, who engaged in such type of relationships experiences some form of social hardships. The first one is always condemned and should never be tolerated by the community.
As argued by Kecia, “Feminine egocentrism received comparatively little scholarly attention in Islam (Kecia, 80). In the few cases, where the females are mentioned, the discussion revolves around the axis of the appropriate punishment for their wrongdoings. In contrast to unnatural sexual relationships between the males, no deliberations in the sharia court was whether on whether the woman should be held accountable ever take place - the court simply identifies the methods of punishment or 'ordaining', as prescribed by several verses of Quran
However, some contemporary scholars spoke about the way Quran presents the concept same-sex relationships. In particular, some scholars advocate the idea that the Holy Scripture is sharply explicit in its vocal condemnation of any homosexual relationships, leading practically no loophole for theoretical speculations of sexual intercourses in Islam, while others decide that in any part of Quran not a single explicit prohibition can be found. Furthermore, the revolutionist Islamic thinkers argue that the Holy Scripture addresses particular acts only, remaining silent about homosexual identities and innate desires. Therefore, their message is that hypothetically, there are some platforms, which may allow same-sex people to engage in unnatural relationships, if some sort of scholarly interpretation of their acts is developed (Kecia, 81).
Some scholars discussed the possibility of using the Divine Commandments as the methods of social persecution (Kecia, 92). The works of various religious activists unanimously advocate the notion that the prohibition of unnatural sexual acts should not be positioned as the message of prosecuting or judging. Only witness testimony or personal confession of the accused is sufficient to establish probable cause for further investigation of the matter and punishment of the wrongdoers by the state. Those, who go with impunity, will deal with the consequences of their perverted behavior in the afterlife, when they will be held accountable before the God on the Judgment Day. The most important meaning of this message is that those, who managed to engage in any forms of untraditional sexual intercourse secretary, will not be absolved from punishment.
In general, theoretical framework of Islam on this subject has many dimensions, but the prevalent idea is that under no circumstances untraditional intercourses between males, females or involving animals is legitimized in the light of Quran and other Holy Scriptures. Furthermore, the evolution of Islamic thought on homosexuality is continual. To be more specific, the medieval thinkers argued that under some circumstances unnatural relationships between the males or females were possible when driven by natural instincts. Nowadays, they are prohibited under all circumstances, both in the context of a homosexual identity or impulsive attempt to gratify ones sexual instincts.
Challenging the common view
Some scholars speculated about the possibility of legitimizing untraditional sexual intercourses between men or women under exceptional circumstances, like a military campaign or others. However, the overwhelming majority of Muslim scholars in general, and for Ibn Hajar, in particular, this question is of ludicrous nature:
“Any type of a licit same-sex relationship should be understood as a categorical impossibility” (Kecia, 2006, 78).
However, in the light of some unorthodox contemporary interpretation of the divine law, some self-identified queer Islamic theoreticians started to challenge this view. They tried to affirm that sexual orientation is granted by the divinities, and, therefore, some sort of religiously valid relationships between the two same-sex people may be hypothetically established. Although these ideas received some popularity the United States, the vast majority of the conservatively oriented Islamic world subjected this view severest forms of criticism. Rejecting this claim, Kecia argues that:
‘The fact, that some Muslims have engaged in homoerotic activities does not mean it is religiously legitimate to do so.’ (Kecia 2006 80)
Many verses of Quran, as well as many legal commentaries articulated that neither zina, nor any other sexual variations, except the traditional ones, are permitted for the true believers (Kecia, 2006, 83).
A Jihad for Love and Its Significance
Although there are many irreconcilable tensions between the conservatively focused Christians, Muslims, and Jews, they have common ground in terms of their aggressive disdain for any forms of homosexuality and lesbianism as types of deviant behavior. Islam is known for its utmost intolerance to any forms of sexual depravity, and all gay individuals yarning for acceptance within their families and communities are shunned and reviled. The main message sent by "A Jihad for Love" is that preaching Islam and remaining openly gay or lesbian is possible. The cultural significance of this artistic product is underestimated, because it is the first documented attempt of the Muslim community to speak about homosexuals and lesbians. It highlights that in pursuit of love and happiness these people suffer incredible pain, loneliness, wrath and condemnation from their closest friends and relatives.
The title of the movie may be somehow confusing for a general spectator. Jihad is popularly presented by the media as a holy war waged by the Muslims against the Western World while in reality it means “struggle”. The context of this movie signifies that open lesbian and gay members of the society fervently struggle to have their sexual inclinations reconciled with their devotion and sincere service to Allah Almighty. In their attempts to vindicate sexual misbehavior before the eyes of the conservative religious community, they actively try to reshape conventional religious wisdom. For instance, Muhsin Hendricks, who was an acknowledged scholar of Islam and Imam, spreading the world of Allah in South Africa, plunged into active deliberations about Sodom and Gomorrah. Being an open gay himself, he highlighted that the destruction of those cities should be understood as divine castigation and condemnation of rape, but not as the formal reproach of the same-sex relationships. His opponents aggressively criticized him, calling an apostate and emphasizing that in Islam not only his crime is punishable by death, but also any attempts to vindicate it in the divine context as well.
Other protagonists of this movie experienced serious hardships as well. In general, the communities, where Islam is the dominant religion rejected them. To illustrate, Mazen, who was convicted and imprisoned in the Egyptian jail for his sexual beliefs, confessed that his sexual orientation forced him to escape the France, fearing retaliation from the Orthodox Muslims. He told, that he had been raped in the prison and, he "was lucky to get out alive". An interesting motive is traceable in his story - Orthodox Muslims, who raped him in prison, did not consider their act of rape as something contradictory to the postulates of Islam - they considered it as a mere punishment. Hence, they should not be held accountable before the Lord, whereas Mazen was guilty because he liked and desired to have intercourses with the males.
However, not only external conflicts with the community, but internal conflicts with the personal self are emphasized by the movie producers. For instance, Maryam a woman from Morroco, who lives in France, sincerely believes that in the afterlife she will be severely punished by Allah for her intimate relationships with a female partner from Egypt. She realizes that Allah and Prophet Mohammed strictly prohibited any forms of sexual relationships between the women and that she is doomed to eternal punishment in the afterlife. In this life, she is virtually tortured by her love and by her religious obligations. In fact, if she is ever taken by the Sharia law enforcement authorities a cruel punishment awaits her.
The message sent by A Jihad for Love is clear - openly gay and lesbian Muslims suffer enormously. Their love is sometimes punishable by death, and if the authorities failed to catch them, internal conflict between the desire to serve Allah in the way they are supposed to serve and biological instincts becomes impossible to deal with. These people have been already punished by their deviation, and castigated them further is neither humane nor productive.
Discussion and conclusion
The problems of the today's Muslim world have been seriously aggravated by the rising number of lesbians and gays. The religion has to react somehow, and nowadays the most popular reaction is condemnation and punishment. In contrast to other religions, Islam is known for its strong discipline and intolerance to violations of all commands of the Lord.
There are explicit verses of Quran and other sources of Islam, which declared that any sexual relationship between same-sex partners contravenes the will of Allah, and, therefore, should be punished by his faithful adepts. The life of those, who try to reconcile their Faith, and unnatural love becomes torturing - they are rejected by the community and the majority of them feel that they will be castigated in the afterlife. Although some attempts to preach Islam, while being openly gay have been made by Muhsin Hendricks, the criticism of his highly reputable opponents made his campaign ineffective and poorly supported. Neither his nor the voice of his was heard.
Hence, Islam should be as regarded as the last and the most effective method of protecting our civilization from the spread of unrestricted lewdness cultivated in the Western communities. Islam and homosexuality are completely incompatible issues, and the true believers should either abandon their unnatural drives or leave the hands of Allah.
Works Cited
Ali, Kecia. Sexual Ethics and Islam: Feminist Reflections on Qur'an, Hadith, and Jurisprudence. Oxford, England: Oneworld Pub., 2006. Print.
A Jihad for Love. Halal Films, 2007.
