Homosexuality in Islam

Answered by Ustadha Shazia Ahmad

Question:

I was surfing the net and found a website for gay (homosexual) Muslims. They claimed that the Quran says nothing about homosexuality being a sin, nor does it say anything about having sex outside marriage. They claim that the word adultery refers to a free, married woman having intercourse with someone else than her husband. I am quite confused about what they are claiming!

Answer:

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

On homosexuality from The Reliance of the Traveller (p17.0):

In more than one place in the Holy Koran, Allah recounts to us the story of Lots people, and how He destroyed them for their wicked practice. There is consensus among both Muslims and the followers of all other religions that sodomy is an enormity. It is even viler and uglier than adultery.

Allah Most High says:

Do you approach the males of humanity, leaving the wives Allah has created for you? But you are a people who transgress. (26:165-66)

The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said:

  1. May Allah curse him who does what Lots people did.
  2. Lesbianism by women is adultery between them.

On fornication from the Reliance of the Traveller (p12.0):

Allah most High says:

  1. Approach not fornication, it is surely an indecency and evil as a way.(17:32)
  2. The fornicator and the fornicatress, scourge them each a hundred stripes and let no pity for them take you. (24:2)
  3. The fornicator shall not wed other than a fornicatress or idolatress. The fornicatress, none shall wed her but a fornicator or idolator. That is unlawful for believers.(24:3)

(p12.2) The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said,

Whoever fornicates or drinks wine, Allah takes his faith from him as a man takes a shirt off over his head.

And Allah knows best.

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