Does Islam need to reform its stance on LGBTQ?

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  • Studies conclude the effects of acquiescing in the agenda of the LGBTQ movement.
  • Research compared the development of children of heterosexual couples with those of lesbian and gay parents

Early this year, the controversial videos of TikTok star Jeffery Marsh sparked much outrage online, as traditional observers of Abrahamic faiths became increasingly exasperated by the social acceptance of Marsh’s behaviour. In response, Muslim Youtuber Zeeshan Ali of Smile 2 Jannah, rebuked Marsh’s actions in his video:

However, is all of this truly necessary? The question arises, are Muslims in need of reforming their stance on LGBTQ? Surely this would create a more harmonious and cohesive society?  

Given the widespread acceptance of homosexuality in many societies today and the legalisation and normalisation of gay marriage, why would anyone object to two people being “in love” and living their lives in the way they seem fit? Could it be the recalcitrant nature prevalent in some human beings? Surely, challenging the status quo would only contribute towards the degradation of one’s social profile (as is evident in the case of comedian, Dave Chappelle), “See what I didn’t realise at the time and what Kevin (Hart) had to learn the hard way, we were breaking an unwritten and unspoken rule of show business, and if I say it, you’ll know I am telling you the truth. The rule is that no matter what you do in your artistic expression, you are never, ever, allowed to upset the alphabet people… you know who I mean; those people who took 20% of the alphabet”, Chappelle jokes with a brawny undercurrent of truth in his 2020 Netflix show, ‘Sticks and Stones’. Therefore, could it be, that perhaps in many of the individuals above, there is the awakening of truth or “Fitra” (the innate disposition of man); ironically, the more apt definition of “Wokesim”.

It is common knowledge that for Muslims and people of the Book or Abrahamic faiths, homosexual acts are a sin, as can be seen in the divine scripture of the Holy Qu’ran:

“Indeed, you approach men with desire, instead of women. Rather you are a transgressing people.” (Quran, 7:81) 

As Muslims, we take any action first and foremost due to our obedience to Allah and what he has stipulated for mankind. We understand that Allah SWT always does what is best for us and stipulates laws for the productivity of society.

Consequently, for Muslims, the morals, ethics, and guidelines derived from the holy Quran must be robustly adhered to and preserved, even in these most challenging of times. Evidently, this was seen in the outcry and protest from British Muslim parents in Birmingham regarding the teaching of gay relationships being incorporated into the National Curriculum. Similarly, the fiery debate seen on ITV’s ‘Good Morning Britain’, between our brother Dilly Hussain from the 5 Pillars Muslim News Website and Piers Morgan Here we see Muslims who are trying to hold onto their religion as the beacon of light in these testing times, as stipulated by the Prophet Mohammed (saw), who stated,

“There will come a time when holding on to your religion will be like holding burning coal” (Sunnan Al-Tirmidih 3058).

The good news for us as Muslims, as that we have been promised in the Hadith:

The Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “c2″>“The greater the tribulation, the greater the reward. When Allah loves people, He tests them. So whoever is content, for him is pleasure; and whoever is discontent, for him is displeasure.”  
Sahih- [Ibn Maajah]

Sahih- [Ibn Maajah]

Therefore, it is only “Muslims who are intolerable and I am not saying that disrespectfully because if you are tolerant of everything then you stand for nothing. Christians are so tolerant now, you don’t believe, they even have gay pastors”. Andrew Tate said prior to his conversion to Islam.

The politicisation of the LGBTQ movement is quite possibly at its all-time high, this was notably seen last year during the Tory race for the next Prime Minister. With the British MP, Penny Mordaunt accused of ‘throwing trans people under the bus’ as ignited in a Twitter storm only hours prior to the launch of her Tory leadership bid, as she posted the following words with, with caps lock energy, “DO I KNOW WHAT A WOMAN IS?”. Synonymously, Matt Walsh’s documentary, “What is a Woman?” caused much controversy in Western societies, which have blindly embodied the ideals, morals, and ethics of a robust, leftist, liberal agenda that has been bolstered into the Education system and into the homes of Muslims.

In order for sound deductions to be made on the effects of homosexuality in society, a comprehensive evaluation of the broad corpus of research on the alteration of the family unit and how homosexual couples raising a family impact children was necessary. This necessitates an understanding of gender functionality, gender identity, and what components or attributes are required to successfully raise children. To consider the implications of this, I would like to draw your attention to the research conducted on The emotional dynamics of disruptions in attachment relationships: Implications for theory, research, and clinical intervention. by Kobak (1999). Kobak deduced that “Children who were deprived of maternal care during extended periods in their early lives lacked feeling, had superficial relationships, and exhibited hostile or antisocial tendencies as they developed into adulthood”. This vast body of research deduced findings after examining infants who were raised by homosexual men in comparison to infants who were raised by heterosexual couples. In addition, it was concluded that “Mothers are more responsive to the distinctive cries of infants; they are better able than fathers, for example, to distinguish between their baby’s cry of hunger and cry of pain”. This evidently illustrates the imperative nature of the mother’s role in raising children.

This useful manner in which to conceptualise the attributes required to raise children successfully and the signs of emotional depravity and psychological turmoil seen in young people and adults raised in same-sex households makes us ponder how reactive cognitive abilities must be at the forefront of every parent’s mind. Children ought not to suffer because of the unwavering desires of those who raise them, but instead ought to be given the best possible outcomes and life chances in this world and the next. This should be the sole purpose of parenting.

In 2022, Zarr. S, conducted a study on the Concerns of emerging adults who were born and raised in planned lesbian-parent families, the following deductions were made from the Longitudinal study of a cohort of 75 American-born, 25-year-olds: “The offspring from lesbian-parent families reported typical and common concerns during emerging adulthood. Most concerns were not related to family of origin, work, or education, but were focused on individual psychological issues concerning their health and well-being and about starting a committed romantic relationship.

Consequently, given all of the data evidenced above, it becomes somewhat problematic to pose the notion that children can flourish in a home with same-sex parents. The narrative presented will inevitably be maligned and stigmatised by Neo-Liberals as ‘homophobic’ or hateful. However, this is not the case, and given the data produced, children are our future, and surely their rights must be placed at the forefront.”

Regarding mortality rates, Cameron (1998) concluded in his work Does homosexual activity shorten life? – PubMedHo (nih.gov) that the median age of death for homosexuals is less than 50 years old. He highlights the 4 studies used to obtain his conclusions and deduces that the average life expectancy of a gay man is therefore reduced by 20 to 30 years.

The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention website, reported in 2014, how Sexually Transmitted Diseases Among Gay and Bisexual Men; homosexual acts accounted for 83% of primary and secondary syphilis cases in the United States. Other sexually transmitted diseases prevalent in men who engage in homosexual acts include chlamydia and gonorrhoea infections. HPV (Human papillomavirus), the most common STD in the United States, is also a concern for gay and bisexual men. Some types of HPV can cause genital and anal warts, and some can lead to the development of anal and oral cancers. Gay and bisexual men are 17 times more likely to get anal cancer than heterosexual men. Men who are HIV-positive are even more likely than those who do not have HIV to get anal cancer.

It cannot be deemed a victory that the advancement of medication over the years has helped control diseases such as HIV. However, the widespreadness of diseases amongst gay men and why anyone would want to subject themselves to a life of disease and a poor quality of life, which will enviably shorten the life span of a homosexual man in comparison to his heterosexual counterpart, is something that is difficult to fathom. Furthermore, it has been estimated that the average HIV care cost in England: a cross-sectional analysis of antiretroviral treatment and the impact of generic introduction was £200,00. This, in turn, impacts society economically, emotionally, and psychologically. In revisiting the drive for our motives, we wrestle thoughtfully with what we see around us, and it comes to light that indeed, when we transgress the laws of Allah in the land, there will be chaos.

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