Interview with Adnan Ali March 6, 2006
Posted by Rasheed Eldin in Media, Queer Muslims, Responses.trackback
“Britain’s first gay Muslim activist” has popped up again to share his views on religion being “appreciative of sexual diversity”. This follows his appearance on the Channel 4 documentary “Gay Muslims” – I dealt with Adnan’s claims shortly after: do check it out!
The interview by Hassan Mirza is rather fluffy, but perhaps the following two Q&A’s are worth a look.
Why do you think it is important for there to be gay groups with religious affiliations? What do these groups accomplish??
It is a personal choice. The secular notion of the West is still a minority concept. Majority of the people in the world are not secular. We have to accept this fact while living in the West, whether we like it or not. More and more gay people are being discriminated and treated horribly due to conservative religious interpretation of the theology.
Therefore it is quite significant to question this religious banishment by actually finding out what a particular religion says about homosexuality. You will be surprised to learn that a religion can be appreciative of sexual diversity. So it is important for some of us to have religious gay groups. However, I don’t expect everyone to have affiliations.
These groups do strive hard to accomplish a very basic sense of integrity with and within a sexual-religious minority, whether through cultural and ritual celebrations or intellectually stimulating debates on theology.
The problem is, what sort of “intellectually stimulating debate” is possible without coming head to head with these “conservative religious” folk? The queer Muslims tend to speak of them with such contempt, and act as though they have already finished the argument. In fact, they have failed utterly to present a case that is convincing in terms of Islamic jurisprudence. What they keep doing is using the standard Western secular model (with its own notions of identity and of rights) and throwing it in Muslims’ faces, saying that anyone who doesn’t get with their lingo is obviously backward. They also dabble in the sorts of justifications that Christians and other religious people used to justify practising acts and lifestyles clearly forbidden by their scriptures as well as faith communities.
I dare say that the approach I take is, while firm, also understanding of what people are trying to say. So I am perhaps an ideal person for them to involve in discussion and debate. So come on guys, I’m waiting as always. Get in touch.
What do you think is the best way to challenge anti-gay attitudes from Muslims in the UK?
More visibility of LGBT Muslims and dialogue with and within the mainstream Muslims on the issues surrounding Islamic instructions on homosexuality are very important.
We need to dispel the invalid ideas such as the idea that being gay is a “western thing” or “a white man’s disease”.
To challenge anti-gay attitudes, one must be very confident of his/her own sexuality. Imaan and Safra Project are two support groups in the UK, who are doing commendable work in providing that support to LGBT Muslims, their friends, and allies.
Yes, dialogue. But are you willing to change your views too, as well as being so bent on “dispelling” our “invalid ideas”? I neither see “being gay” as a “white man’s disease” or a “western thing” – but concepts need to be understood within their historical context: let’s remind ourselves where, when and how this category of identity developed. Then let’s evaluate how well it fits into Muslim cultural norms, as well as Islamic theology and jurisprudence. Adnan should be more humble about how his supposed truths reached him, and how he too may have inherited assumptions – but those assumptions just happen to suit him just fine.
Adnan Ali stikes me as incredibly brave to chart such territory. I am impressed to hear a voice of reason in a jungle of extremes. The Qu’ran does not even mention homosexuality, only through Sharia law is there a written stance held for tradition. I believe a possibility exists to allow for homosexuality within the contents of Muslim faith more stongly than within the Judeo/Christian texts. May ground be gained on this front.
It is true, the qur’an does not mention the word homosexuality by word in qur’an, but the sin itself is clearly mentioned and prohibited several times.
But you may also like to take note that JESUS was not mentioned in the hebrew bible either, does that mean jesus was not mentioned, you only started using the word jesus recently, as well as the WORD homosexuality…….but the sin itself ( homosexuality ), is mentioned in the qur’an……….and the person ( jesus ) is mentioned in the bible
The Qur’an probhibits same gender sexual acts and is clear about the only legal sexual acts being between spouses those that are male and female. Either way, Rod, the Sharia is not ONLY based on the Qur’an (though it is the major source) there are other sources for shariah including the Prophetic hadiths as well as numerous other methods.
But we come back to your comment about “homosexuality”. What is banned in Islam is same gender sexual acts. You may want to take a look at this post: http://gaymuslims.wordpress.com/2006/06/15/the-quranic-narrative-french/
Brave, perhaps. Reasonable…doubtful.
MR. Adnan Ali
You Give feeling of your family and you cast by your this emberassing thing. That is not you fault ectually , It is your elders gunah-e-kabeera (I mean Your Father & brother And you Grand father.) You are a punishment for them by Allah. Because of there mis behaves there attributs and what they was doing woith otheres , for that you are deserve to feel them embarassing whole of there live who alive what ever if they died . they feel shame because of you after death on the day of dome. I know about you and your family very much especialy about your father . I know He is died because of your this dicission. If you think I’m lying then I give you satisfaction hint that: Your father is Chain smoker of K2. and You are go on the scholarship of england . And your education and Your all master degrees for university of london is not give them honor how much you studied or earn or become a richist person in whole your family. you donot get respect from any pakistani aur them who belong to your cast. You are not realized what you have done .. and your climax it will be same like the nation of Hazrat Loot (A.S) as written in Qu’ra’n.
I am not homosexual but I feel warmth and respect for gay Muslims who are trying to live their life honestly, they don’t deserve abuse from other people, who are you to abuse and judge someone, it’s not your place to judge.
Love for all, hatred for none.
God is Great!!!
Emma, care to actually read the arguments presented in this or other articles, and make a reasoned response, rather than just abusing us by saying we are abusers? Abuse is easy, analysis and critique require something more. If you’re up for it, welcome – otherwise, save your slogans for a Gay Pride march.
Salaam, as a struggling gay muslim I have to agree that Adnan Ali’s arguements are based on secular ideologies and he fails to address Islamic refferences related to homosexuality. However since I have the platform, people should stop comparing homosexuality to rape/pedophiles/etc. as these are acts of forced sex and I would like to thank straightpath for providing a source of dialogue and support for people like myself. May Allah reward you for your efforts and kindness. (ameen)
Salaam and thanks for your comment brother, and I agree with you about the stark difference between something forbidden but consensual (homosexual acts generally) and something forbidden and forced (rape or child abuse). It doesn’t do any good in a discussion to mix such things up, and if anyone wishes to make comparisons, they should make clear what analogous aspects they intend to highlight.
I don’t think it is right for us to judge any fellow Muslim. Earlier and even now, pederasty was fairly common among Muslims in Asia–Indian sub-continent, and this ‘amradparasti’ or ‘aghlam bazi’ as it was called in Urdu, had a kind of social sanction, which we today find unusual.
So I just don’t know. May be the gay Muslims are struggling with this problem. As long as they say they are Muslim, I feel the same and I have no locus standi to say whether they are sinning or not.
Dear Indian Muslim,
I don’t follow your logic. First you mention some deviant practices once being common, while surely not claiming that this is a proof of it being acceptable to God?
I agree, this is a struggle for many people. But the true struggle is to obey Allah despite your desires. The point is not to declare anyone outside of Islam, but it is certainly legitimate (nay, a duty) to declare sin as being sinful, with reference to the authentic sources of Islamic law and ethics.
i`m a gay Muslim and i live in Kuwait, which is full of gay people..
so there is no big deal being weird between groups of weirds lol
Abdulrhman, it depends what you mean by “no big deal”. You may find a group of people who share your wrong actions and support you in them (as of course did the people of Sodom), but it’s another matter to consider your standing before Allah. The Day of Judgement is a Very Big Deal. If you agree with me on that, then maybe we have something to talk about.
Gay muslims are not muslims at all, Allah has prohibited homosexual activities and it is against what was taught by our beloved Prophet s.a.w, I suggest you all start reading the translations of the Quran if you do not understand Arabic and you will find all the answers then. But being ignorant and doing what your heart desires will only bring bigger punishment in the hearafter. I find it difficult to understand how one can call himself a Muslim if he is not following what Allah requested in the first place.