Is Gayness a Test from Allah? Typologies in Muslim Stances on Homosexuality

Abstract

The article presents a spectrum of views within Muslim discourse on questions such as: “Is non-hetero predilection congenital and as such created by God?,” “Are non-hetero feelings/actions sinful as such?,” “Should the authorities in Muslim states punish homosexual acts?,” “Should lesbian and gay Muslims marry partners of the opposite gender?” The stances presented are based on texts by Yusuf al-Qaradawi, Heba Gamal Kotb, Abdelwahab Bouhdiba, Amreen Jamal and Scott Siraj al-Haqq Kugle. Stances presented by various Muslim internet sites are also considered. The review is grouped into a four-way typology: strongly traditional; moderately traditional; moderately progressive; and strongly progressive. The second part of the article reflects on how non-hetero Muslims cope theoretically and practically with their religious and sexual identity. The various stances and practices are grouped into six types based on the correlation/tension between “right” (divinely revealed) and “good” (in a human sense): (i) rejecting all kinds of non-hetero identities, feelings and practices; (ii) accepting feelings and identity, but rejecting practice; (iii) unsuccessful efforts to reject practice; (iv) accepting one's identity and practice due to interpretations of the Qur'an and theological reflection; (v) accepting non-hetero practices without regard to religious rules pertaining to this issue; (vi) accepting non-hetero identity and practices combined with (secretly) rejecting Islam due to the question of homosexuality.

Keywords:

• Islam
• homosexuality
• gay
• lesbian
• queering
• identity
• typology

Notes

1. Kugle and others use the term “neo-traditionalist” rather than “traditionalist” (Kugle and Hunt 2012) in order to underline differences between some ancient authors and the neo-traditionalists of today. Others use terms such as “fundamentalist” (Habib 2010, xxiii), “orthodox” (Shah 2010, 115) or “neo-orthodox” (Zollner 2010, 199). Since modern traditionalists intend to be loyal to classical tafsīr and the classical schools of law, I find the term “traditionalist” to be the most appropriate.

2. Heba Gamal Kotb has two doctoral degrees – one in medicine and one in clinical sexology (Kotb 2004). She hosts her own television programme on sexual matters and is said to have revolutionized the Middle East's sexual openness while remaining true to Muslim norms. This combination has made her quite popular in the Arab world.

3. Abdelwahab Bouhdiba was born in Tunisia in 1932. He is a professor of Islamic Sociology at the University of Tunis and president of the Tunisian Academy of Sciences.

4. A one-dimensional dichotomy generates at least two types. Each additional dimension doubles the number of types, which means that n number of dimensions theoretically generates x types according to the formula: x = 2ⁿ. The first typology in this paper is one-dimensional, ranging from traditional to progressive. Between the poles two others are added, but within the same line – which means one dimension and four types. The second typology is three-dimensional, but the third dimension only generates one extra type, because division is caused within only one of the four types in the two-dimensional scheme. In this case, three dimensions generate five types (Eidhamar, forthcoming).

5. Al-Fatiha Foundation was a USA-based support network for Muslim LGBTQs during the period 1998–2011. The British branch changed name to Imaan in 2004 (Yip 2008, 110; see www.imaan.org.uk).