Inayat Bungawala waxes ecstatic over the fact that a new online forum to discuss Islamic issues has been set up. "An opportunity to exchange views online with senior religious figures in Saudi Arabia ought not to be missed" as the byline to the Guardian article has it.
Oh goody. Here’s a question for you: Where in the Qur’ân and Sunnah does it tell us that homosexuality is unlawful?
Although I note that homosexuality was misspelled as homoseuality on the site – a simple oversight probably, and unfamiliarity with English perhaps, or the inability to get good typists these days. Anyway, it’s good to know that the answer comes from the Fatwa Department Research Committee – chaired by Sheikh `Abd al-Wahhâb al-Turayrî. And I’m sure he’s a lovely man. So, what do they say?
Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) made it clear that homosexuality is a sin and specified the punishment for the deed: “Whomever you find doing the act of Lût’s nation, then kill both parties.” [Sunan al-Tirmidhî]Here, our Prophet (peace be upon him) clearly states that the punishment for this sin is death.
Ah, I see. You do realise Inayat, that this does rather put a strain on my ability to have any sort of meaningful dialogue with your friends at the Islamtoday web site? Not that, I suspect, you give a damn about that. Anyway, moving on, let us return to the rest of the answer:
Even if none of this evidence were available, homosexuality would still be forbidden, simply because Islam expressly forbids any sexual contact out of marriage.
Oh, well, that’s clear then. But hang on, I am married. To a man. So homosexuality is OK then as long as it is within marriage?
Allah, in the Qur’ân, also strictly defines whom we can marry. Allah states for the man all the women that he is prohibited to marry and then says that others are permissible, while continuing to refer to those with whom it is lawful by the feminine gender. Therefore, men are restricted to marrying women and women are restricted to marrying men.
Bugger. I should just go and kill myself now. No, I’ve got a better idea, Inayat. You can take your Islamtoday web site and stuff it where the sun don’t shine. It has nothing to do with humanity, but everything to do with superstitious nonsense.
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