Islam 'recognizes homosexuality'

Abdul Khalik ,  The Jakarta Post ,  Jakarta   |  Fri, 03/28/2008 1:38 AM  |  Headlines

Homosexuals and homosexuality are natural and created by God, thus permissible within Islam, a discussion concluded here Thursday.

Moderate Muslim scholars said there were no reasons to reject homosexuals under Islam, and that the condemnation of homosexuals and homosexuality by mainstream ulema and many other Muslims was based on narrow-minded interpretations of Islamic teachings.

Siti Musdah Mulia of the Indonesia Conference of Religions and Peace cited the Koran's al-Hujurat (49:3) that one of the blessings for human beings was that all men and women are equal, regardless of ethnicity, wealth, social positions or even sexual orientation.

"There is no difference between lesbians and nonlesbians. In the eyes of God, people are valued based on their piety," she told the discussion organized by nongovernmental organization Arus Pelangi.

"And talking about piety is God's prerogative to judge," she added.

"The essence of the religion (Islam) is to humanize humans, respect and dignify them."

Musdah said homosexuality was from God and should be considered natural, adding it was not pushed only by passion.

Mata Air magazine managing editor Soffa Ihsan said Islam's acknowledgement of heterogeneity should also include homosexuality.

He said Muslims needed to continue to embrace ijtihad (the process of making a legal decision by independent interpretation of the Koran and the Sunnah) to avoid being stuck in the old paradigm without developing open-minded interpretations.

Another speaker at the discussion, Nurofiah of the Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), said the dominant notion of heterogeneity was a social construction, leading to the banning of homosexuality by the majority.

"Like gender bias or patriarchy, heterogeneity bias is socially constructed. It would be totally different if the ruling group was homosexuals," she said.

Other speakers said the magnificence of Islam was that it could be blended and integrated into local culture.

"In fact, Indonesia's culture has accepted homosexuality. The homosexual group in Bugis-Makassar tradition called Bissu is respected and given a high position in the kingdom.

"Also, we know that in Ponorogo (East Java) there has been acknowledgement of homosexuality," Arus Pelangi head Rido Triawan said.

Condemnation of homosexuality was voiced by two conservative Muslim groups, the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) and Hizbut Thahir Indonesia (HTI).

"It's a sin. We will not consider homosexuals an enemy, but we will make them aware that what they are doing is wrong," MUI deputy chairman Amir Syarifuddin said.

Rokhmat, of the hardline HTI, several times asked homosexual participants in attendance to repent and force themselves to gradually return to the right path.

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Rusmanto (not verified) — Tue, 06/23/2009 - 11:45am

Dear Kemal,

As long as I know, the only knowledge in which people is able to know about God is religion. If religion itself already determine which things are really created by God and which emerge during human history, we cannot use our logic to force religion stating that homosexual is created by God.
Religion is something complicated to think but is easy to live. No religion is allowing people to act freely instead it lead people return to be what they are intended to be. It is the image of God.

Kemal (not verified) — Sat, 06/20/2009 - 12:09pm

Yes, homosexuality is created by God. But using the same logic, so is earthquake, flood, tsunami, Black Death, giant meteor, leper, malaria, dengue fever, ebola, terrorist, fundamentalist and other horrors in life. Just live your life simple, will you? Why do people need God's backing everytime? Without it, so what?

Religion makes things complicated. No other aspects in human life that is so baseless and yet demand sacrifice and obedience of billions of life. If homosexuality's for you, live it and be happy about it. Just do not expect other people to have the same view. The day homosexuals force their views, that's the day new fascists are born.

Rusmanto (not verified) — Mon, 06/15/2009 - 12:39pm

Well. Finally, we know that homosexual is not the nature of human being. It's not created by God, but it emerged during human history. It's created by the human will that since Adam and Eve fall into since, uncontrolled.
I am a Christian. I disagree with homosexual. God never create homosexual. He did create Adam and Eve and all animals and plan. But remember that God created Adam and Eve in a deference way. God made both Adam and Eve from soil. Not just saying a word, then give them a breath so that they can multiply and conquer the world (by descending). The only natural way for human to multiply is by conceiving through sexual activity between man and woman. No other activity is relevant.
If some people think that God permitted homosexual, He would not have punished Sodom and Gomorrah. Perhaps they never learn about religion which is believed as the faith record of their ancestor. Or maybe their mind has become like those of Sodom and Gomorrah, following the will of their heart, not the will of God.

Peter Boom (not verified) — Tue, 06/09/2009 - 3:16am

Dear HUMAN, you don't think human enough and perhaps you didn't read my Philosophy of Pansexuality. Sexology has proved that human beings can change their sexual approach to other humans, to themselves, to animals and also play with many different items. That is NATURE. It's the normal "sexual drive".Some religions started to consider sexual intercourse as a sin if not between a woman and a man aiming at producing children. This is of course ridiculous. Also masturbation was seen as a sin like homosexuality. Scientifically, since many years these attitudes are no more considered a sickness. If you want to repress yourself you are of course free to do so, but in the end that will make YOU sick and fanatic.
All the best, Peter.

Human (not verified) — Mon, 06/08/2009 - 3:31pm

To Peter Boom, Are u insane? I do agreed with Ahlam. As u said that "you mean you want to judge the creations of God". Homosexuality is not the thing created by God, it is human sickness. And one more things, we are human not animals or plants. We are far better smarter than the those other creatures. Dont make ur self lower than that. Animals and plants cant think like human beings, dont put urself equally with them. Think logically!!!God give u brain to think not to manipulate the situation.

Paco Fernández (not verified) — Sun, 05/24/2009 - 6:14am

The reading of all these comments and opinions leads me to the conclusion that religion does not really shape people. I would rather say that all religions are given form and reinterpreted according to everyone's character and ideology. Liberal, permissive open-minded people do not get fanaticized by religions, instead they interprete their sacred books in a more open and liberal way! The same counts for the conservative and close-minded type.

Peter Boom (not verified) — Thu, 05/07/2009 - 4:42am

Dear Ahlam, you mean you want to judge the creations of God. Homosexuality is perfectly natural and you can see that in Nature, where not only human beings, but also animals and plants live various sexual behaviours. See please the Theory and the Philosophy of Pansexuality on the site http://digilander.libero.it/pansexuality which I hope will open your eyes and help you not to judge.
May your God help you to throw away terrible prejudices which cause marginalization, death, injustice and social disorder.
All the best, Peter.

Ahlam (not verified) — Tue, 05/05/2009 - 6:27pm

What's this nonsense? Are those people who recognize homosexuality true Muslims? Don't they fear God for coming up with such a conclusion. All rational sane persons who can read the Quran and the Sunnah of the Prophet peace be upon him can understand that homosexuality is a sin, it is something very obvious. Homosexuality is against nature and the law of God. homosexuality is sick and disgusting.
May Allah guide people to the right path and may He protect us and our children from the insanity and immorality of some people, ameen!

Peter Boom (not verified) — Tue, 04/14/2009 - 4:44pm

I want to express my appraisal for the translation of the Koran's al-Hujurat (49:3) that one of the blessings for human beings is that all men and women are equal, regardless of ethnicity, wealth, social positions or even sexual orientation.
This should be an example also for the catholic and other churches who still preach discrimination and hatred.
Thank you very much, Peter.

Good (not verified) — Tue, 04/14/2009 - 9:51am

"Conference of Religions and Peace cited the Koran's al-Hujurat (49:3) that one of the blessings for human beings was that all men and women are equal, regardless of ethnicity, wealth, social positions or even sexual orientation."

i am a Muslim and Arabic is my mother language, al-Hujurat (49:3)means = And if they had patience till you could come out to them, it would have been better for them. And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

thats the correct translation

source: http://www.searchtruth.com/search.php?keyword=Allah&chapter=49&translato...

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