rainbow background with text: Do Muslims kill homosexuals?

Do Muslims Kill Homosexuals?

What's all the divine-origin religions (specifically Judaism, Christianity and Islam) perspective on Homosexuality and Sexual Perversion as a

Islamic Perspective on Homosexuality and Sexual Perversion as a Whole

     Ever since Adam to modern day, all divine-origin religions (specifically Judaism, Christianity and Islam), have condemned and prohibited all sorts of sexual perversion. Here, we mainly focus on Islam’s prohibition of sexual perversion, considering it a major sin. Also, emphasizing how heinous a crime it is; sexual perversion in general and homosexuality in specific. That is to say, Islam accepts what is viewed as “normal marital sexual behavior” according to Islamic authentic texts and forbids that is otherwise.

1. We explore (Religious views on homosexuality)

Let us go through this chronologically,

  • Since the beginning of man’s existence, time of Adam, sex – weather legal (marital) or not – has been between a husband and wifethe natural human disposition ‘fitrah'”; we are told in all three divine books. The first mention of homosexuality ever is in the story of the people of Lot (a messenger of God). In fact, his people were the first ever to practice homosexuality. God states in the Qura’n that they were the first people to commit this immorality,

And [We had sent] Lot when he said to his people, ‘Do you commit such immorality as no one has preceded you with from among the worlds?”  [Qur’an 7-80 ] (1)

So, according to the Qur’an, people lived “normally” for thousands of years before the introduction of homosexuality at the time of Lot.

  • In Torah, we find Leviticus 20:13: “If a man lies with a man as one lies with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination; they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.” In fact, this is so clear, it does not even need elaboration. Also, in Leviticus 18: 23: “Do not have carnal relations with any beast and defile yourself thereby; and let no woman lend herself to a beast to mate with it; it is perversion“. It is very clear how Judaism prohibits all forms of non-marital sex.

 

  • In the Christian Bible (New Testament) there are at least three passages that refer to homosexual behavior and its prohibition: Romans 1:26–27, 1 Corinthians 6:9–10, and 1 Timothy 1:9–10.  A fourth passage, Jude 1:7, is often interpreted as referring to homosexuality (debated upon). Christian author and counselor Joe Dallas says that the Biblical passages relating to homosexual acts uniformly prohibit that behavior.

Christian objections to homosexual behavior are based upon their interpretations of the Bible. Also, some Christians interpret the book of Leviticus (87-90) as prohibiting homosexual sex. Some Biblical scholars interpret Genesis 19:5 as indicating that homosexual activity led to the destruction of the ancient cities of Sodom and Gomorrah.  

This is the uncontested historical teachings of Judaism and Christianity.

2. Islam’s (being the final Message) view of sexual perversion (homosexuality)

  • In the Qur’an, we can find mention of homosexuality within the story of the people of Lot. This story is mentioned ten times in different places and chapters of the Qur’an, each of which with a unique perspective of the story to conclude various pearls of wisdom and guidance. The Qur’an, as did the two previous divine books (Old Testament – New Testament), states that homosexuality is major immorality and the penalty of homosexuals is death as the people of Lot. They were punished with a rainstorm of baked clay stones and their city was turned upside down. 

Allah says in the Qur’an,

And We turned the cities ˹of Sodom and Gomorrah˺ upside down and rained upon them stones of baked clay [Quran 15-74] (2)

The logical debate between Lot and his people was as follows,

“ And [mention] Lot, when he said to his people, ‘Do you commit immorality while you are seeing (while fully aware)? Do you indeed approach men with desire instead of women? Rather, you are a people behaving ignorantly.’ But the answer of his people was not except that they said, ‘Expel the family of Lot from your city. Indeed, they are people who keep themselves pure’. So We saved him and his family, except for his wife; We destined her to be of those who remained behind. ” [Quran.com 27/54:57] (3)

Those verses show the gravity of homosexuality as a sin and how it started with the people of Lot rendering them intoxicated with sin and wandering blindly. They even considered purity (of Lot and those who followed him refraining from homosexuality) a cause to expel them out of their city. They were punished with a rainstorm of baked clay stones and their city was turned upside down.

  • In Hadith, Prophet Muhammad, the last Messenger of Allah, said:

“Whoever you find doing the action of the people of Lot, kill the one who does it, and the one to whom it is done.” [sunnah.com /urn/1268780] (4)

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “… cursed is the one who has intercourse with an animal, cursed is the one who does the action of the people of Lot.” (Saheeh al-Jaami’)

Those are evidence from the Quran and Hadith, showing the verdict on homosexuality being a sinful act and a deviated behavior, and demonstrating its punishment in Islam from authentic Islamic sources (Quran and Hadith).

3. Logical contemplation on Islamic position towards sexual perversion (especially homosexuality)

It is important to note that it is perverse and homosexual behaviors and acts that are prohibited, not perverse or homosexual orientation. There are those who have those inclinations and are fighting to stay pious and pure, those are the ones who are rewarded for their Jihad (striving for the pleasure of Allah).  

Religions are mainly concerned with people’s acts and deeds, not desires and intentions. Focusing on a person’s actions rather than a person’s desires in reward and punishment is the core of justice. It may be someone’s trial in this life, having those inclinations; fighting them or surrendering into temptation is each one’s choice and trial. How that person acts upon those inclinations is his/her way to salvation or everlasting torment.

Can we honestly believe for a fact that homosexuality is truly something hardwired in the brain of an invert, as most gay activists claim nowadays?  Are religions mistaken? Is God unjust for punishing people for the very nature He created them on? Then, is a man/woman who acts upon those desires not morally responsible for his/her actions?  Food for thought.

Away from religion, we must conceive the fact that heterosexual family structure was and has always been the bedrock of civilization. Same-sex relationships contradict the natural design for normal societies, families and marriages, and offers no offspring, let alone a healthy normal environment for that offspring’s growth and development.

4. Here are some scientific facts for scientific people

  1. “Hypothesis of gay gene” started in 1993 by Dr. Hamer. He published a paper saying, the gene xq28 on the X chromosome may be responsible for homosexuality. This research has never been reproduced; not for the lack of trying; so it is certainly false results of pseudoscience.
  2. The myth of the gay gene has been demolished when the “Journal of Sex Research” published a scientific paper on how media transformed a weak hypothesis into a social fact (not scientific) without any acceptable scientific evidence, and has been vigorously used to lobby for more liberties, acceptance and power for homosexuals by pressure groups and lobbyists.
  3. It is no secret that WHO and PAHO; the two biggest health organizations in the world; fight vigorously any hope or trials to a “cure” for all types of perversion especially LGBTs. In 2001, Prof. Robert Spitzer concluded that some highly motivated individuals whose orientation is predominantly homosexual can become predominantly heterosexual with some form of reparative or conversion therapy. The man was crucified and forced to offer an apology and a retraction.
  4. In 1975, after the sex and drugs mania of the sixties and early seventies and STDs, especially AIDS, spread, the American Psychological Association removed homosexuality from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual.  This meant considering it not a pathological treatable condition but rather a biological genetic condition and urged mental health professionals to work toward removing the stigma from homosexuality.
  5. Homosexuality was replaced with Ego-Dystonic homosexuality (defined as being homosexual but wishing not to be). This distinction was later dropped in 1987 (Haldeman, 1994).
  6. Cases of AIDS between homosexuals is 78% according to the American CDC in 2010 and climbing.

  7. David Bincof published a study ‘All the gay parenting studies are flawed’ that showed 60% of researchers coming up with results favoring homosexuality are homosexual themselves. He also said that he does not know about 25% of the rest. That’s 70% of all papers, imagine that!
  8. Statistics show that between 80-90% of homosexuals were raped or molested as young children (below the age of six and other studies take it up to 18 years of age) and the rest were somehow in contact with the society of homosexuals. Also, most homosexuals are males and a few (2-3%) are females.
  9. Homosexuals are of types: those who are purely into same-gender sex which are few, those who are homosexuals but have a marriage and full family life as well, and those who explore or force themselves into homosexuality without real inclinations. That says a lot about it being a deviated behavior and misconduct rather than a gene or illness.
  10. If homosexuality is a genetic trait, this gives way to considering those people helpless, for example as Mongols, and this means they can’t help themselves. Things will follow for criminals, rapists and so on. A book by Thorn Hill and T. Palmer argued a gene called the warrior gene is responsible for criminal behavior. Criminals already use it in their defense to get vindicated of their crimes. Rapists use a similar claim from results of studies to escape punishment. How is this possible without concrete scientific evidence? This even contradicts Darwinism which claims natural selection. How is homosexuality, which produces no offspring, a way to evolution?

To conclude

     All divine religions in general and Islam in specific prohibit and condemn sexual perversion, and promise worldly and eternal punishment for those who practice, declare and/or spread it. There is no concrete scientific evidence for a gay gene or it being a biological disease. There are tons of evidence and actual success stories of behavioral adjustment treatments for homosexuality. Heavy punishments are designed to discourage people from committing crimes and help restrain criminal behaviors; and so is the punishment for perversion in Islam.


References

(1) Meaning’s interpretation of chapter 7 (The Heights) – verse 80

(2) Meaning’s interpretation of chapter 15 (The Rocky Tract) – verse 74

(3) Meaning’s interpretation of chapter 27 (The Ants) – verses 54:57

(4) Sunan Ibn Majah » The Chapters on Legal Punishments

 

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About Abeer Eltahan

Abeer El Tahhan is a pediatrician and a Quran and Arabic tutor. Abeer is deeply involved in Islamic studies and dawah activities. She is fluent in Arabic and English.