Homosexuality
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[1304002; Holy Quran, sony sugema digital quran 3.0, Description: The Islamic understanding of homosexuality.By Aisha Stacey (© 2013 IslamReligion.com]
Homosexuality
is one of the 21st century’s hot topics. The issue of gay
marriage is being debated around the world. Strangely however many people do
not understand what the word homosexuality means nor do they understand what
Islam says about the issue.
In
this article we will define the term, look at scientific evidences related to
homosexuality, discuss the view of other religious groups & finally see
just what Islam says about the issue.
Homosexuality
is the manifestation of sexual desire toward a member of one’s own sex or the
erotic activity with a member of the same sex. (The Greek word homos means the
same). A lesbian is a female homosexual. More recently the term “gay” has
come into popular use to refer to both sexes who are homosexuals.
The Merriam
Webster
free online dictionary, in its concise encyclopaedia defines
homosexuality as sexual interest in & attraction to members of one's own
sex. Female homosexuality is frequently referred to as lesbianism; the word
gay is often used as an alternative for both “homosexual” & “lesbian,”
though it may (on occasion) refer specifically to male homosexuality.
The
role of biological factors in the development of human sexual orientation is
a widely debated topic. There is a wide spectrum of opinions about the effect
genes, prenatal hormones & brain structure can have on the development of
a heterosexual, homosexual, bisexual or asexual person.
It
seems unclear even to those who declare homosexuality an innate trait. At a
PrideWorks[1]
conference for lesbian, gay, bisexual, & transgender minors it was
stated that "sexuality is fluid" & "may change over
time" however, homosexual activists continue to maintain that they are
"born gay."
The
latest research by the National Institute for Mathematical & Biological
Synthesis (NIMBioS) suggests that homosexuality is not written in our DNA
sequence, which explains why scientists have failed so far to find “gay
genes,” despite intensive investigations. Instead, they say, it is in certain
modifications to how & when DNA is activated. These changes can have
environmental roots, so are not normally permanent enough to be passed from
parent to child.
There
is a post script however, because apparently, occasionally they are passed
from parent to child. This is a branch of science called epigenetics.[2]
Throughout
history particular cultures & societies have treated homosexuality in a
number of ways. Homosexual behaviour has variously been encouraged,
approved of, tolerated, punished, & banned. The three so called Abrahamic
faiths Judaism, Christianity, & Islam have generally viewed
homosexuality as sinful, although many religious leaders of all three faiths
have said or implied that it is the act, & not the inclination that is
sinful.
Attitudes
toward homosexuality are generally in flux, due in part to increased
political activism, however until the early 1970s many medical organizations,
including the American Psychiatric Association, classified homosexuality as a
mental illness. In the past couple of decades many Christian denominations
have changed their views quite significantly & we now see homosexual
ministers & an acceptance of same sex marriages, this however is not the
case with the Catholic Church. In late 2012 the Vatican spoke out against any
suggestions that traditional marriage had been defeated, following
significant victories for gay marriage activists in the United States &
Europe.
In
his Peace Day message the pope said, "(There is) a need to acknowledge &
promote the natural structure of marriage as the union of a man & a woman
in the face of attempts to make it equivalent to radically different
types of union. Such attempts actually harm & help to destabilize
marriage, obscuring its specific nature & its indispensable role in
society." Earlier in the year the pontiff declared that same sex
marriage threatened human dignity & the future of humankind.
Judaism
is also struggling with modern day attitudes to homosexuality. The known
history of homosexuality in Judaism begins in Leviticus, where intercourse
between male homosexuals is a capital offence. "[A man] shall not lie with another man as [he would] with a woman, it
is an abomination" (Leviticus 18:22). Thus Orthodoxy’s
foundational beliefs concerning the Divinity of Torah & the authority of
halachah (received Jewish law) declare homosexuality (the sexual act) as a prohibited action.
In
late 2012 the USA’s largest rabbinic organization, the Rabbinical Council of
America (RCA) formally withdrew its support of JONAH (Jews Offering New
Alternatives to Homosexuality). Judaism’s approach to homosexuality has long
been one of rehabilitation, as has the Mormon Church. In America Jews
struggling with homosexual inclinations are encouraged to seek therapy to
help them overcome unnatural desires. At this point it is interesting
to note that both JONAH & various gay organisations refer to homosexuality,
as fluid, a state that can fluctuate.
Many
ex-homosexuals agree that homosexuality is a choice. Greg Quinlan, president of Parents & Friends of Ex-Gays &
Gays (PFOX), says,
“I, as a
former homosexual, along with tens of thousands of others who left
homosexuality, [am] proof that it is not immutable; you can change." &
"It is not innate; you are not born that way."
There
are also a number of Islamic ex-gay groups aimed at attempting to guide
homosexuals towards heterosexuality; including the Straightway Foundation a
UK based ex-gay organization which works with homosexual Muslims seeking to
eliminate their same-sex attraction.
In the Quran God explicitly condemns homosexuality.
“When their brother Lot said to them, “Will
you not fear God? Verily! I am a trustworthy Messenger to you. So fear God &
obey me. I ask no reward from you, for my only reward is with the Lord of the
Worlds. Must you, unlike [other] people, lust after males & abandon the
wives that God has created for you? You are exceeding all bounds" (Quran 26: 161-166)
There
is a consensus among Islamic scholars that human beings are naturally
heterosexual. Homosexuality is seen as a perverted deviation from the norm &
all schools of thought & jurisprudence consider homosexual acts to be
unlawful. Islam considers that our relaxed attitude in this day & age is
a product of the times in which we live, where morals have been completely
liquefied.
Homosexuality
is considered the sin of the people of Prophet Lot[3]
& its Arabic word is lutiyya. Liwat is the word for
sodomy, under which heading the topic of homosexuality is found in the books
of Islamic jurisprudence. Under Islamic law both the (same-sex)
sodomizer & sodomized are condemned to death.
However
it must be pointed out that the death penalty is applied only under strict
conditions & rules of evidence, & only in places that live under
Islamic law. It is the act itself that is punishable not homosexual
desires or tendencies. There is no fixed prescribed punishment for lesbianism
since sexual intercourse does not take place, however it is undoubtedly,
prohibited & sinful.
In
words that are reminiscent of the Catholic pontiff speech in December 2012,
the Quran tells us that marriage, a union between the two sexes is a
combination of love, tenderness, & care, so that each finds in the
other completeness, tranquillity, & support (Quran 30:21). According to
the Quran it is through this spousal connection that
men & women find comfort, peace of mind, satisfaction, & fulfilment. These
relationships extend beyond the physical sexual contact & to
psychological, spiritual relations.
Islam
says unequivocally that even if one harbours an urge for homosexual contact
the nobility of the human spirit is able to overcome such urges through
dedication to pleasing God, & submitting willingly to His commands that
are undoubtedly designed for our benefit.
Footnotes:
[2] For more detailed information
(http://healthland.time.com/2012/12/13/new-insight-into-the-epigenetic-roots-of-homosexuality/) |
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