By Imam Murtadha Gusau
In the name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful
All Praise is due to Allah, We praise Him and we seek help from Him. We ask forgiveness from Him. We repent to Him; and we seek refuge in Him from our own evils and our own bad deeds. Anyone who is guided by Allah is indeed guided; and anyone who has been left astray, will find no one to guide him. I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, the Only One without any partner; and I bear witness that Muhammad (Peace be upon him) is His servant and His Messenger.
Dear brothers and sisters! Islam’s teaching about homosexuality is referred to in a story found in the Qur’an. This is the story of the Prophet Lut (may Allah’s peace be upon him), who criticised the men of his town for their homosexual practices. Allah the Almighty stated:
“And remember Lot (Lut) when he said to his people: ‘Do you commit the worst sin such as none before you have committed among creation? Indeed, you practise your lusts on men instead of women. Nay, but you are a people transgressing beyond bounds.’” [Qur’an, 7:80-81]
Some people today (who engage in, or justify same-sex relationships) have tried to claim that the prohibition (in the Qur’anic verse above) refers to non-consensual sex between homosexuals. Others assert it refers to homosexual relationships outside of marriage. Both of these views clearly contradict this Qur’anic verse because Allah the Almighty stated:
“Indeed, you practise your lusts on men instead of women.”
If the Qur’anic verse was referring to homosexual rape (or non-consensual sex), then that is equally forbidden against women. However, Allah the Almighty (in this Qur’anic verse) allowed sex between heterosexuals (and within marriage). Also, if the verse was only forbidding homosexuality outside of marriage, then sex between a man and woman before marriage is forbidden so why would Allah the Almighty say:
“instead of women”?
Therefore, the only authentic and correct conclusion that can be drawn from this Qur’anic verse is that sexual relationships between people of the same sex are prohibited.
Furthermore, arbitrarily changing one’s gender from male to female (or vice-versa) does not alter the reality of the prohibition because there is a principle in Islam that states:
“Changing the name of something does not change its reality.”
So changing the name of alcohol to milk does not alter its reality nor the ruling of prohibition.
Allah the Most High also said:
“You come to the men of creation and you leave those wives whom Allah has created for you? Nay! You are a transgressing people.” [Qur’an, 26: 165-166]
Abdullah Ibn Abbas narrated that Allah’s Messenger (Peace be upon him) stated:
“The curse of Allah is upon the one who engages in the act of the People of Lut (sodomy). The curse of Allah is upon the one who engages in the act of the People of Lut. The curse of Allah is upon the one who engages in the act of the People of Lut.” [Reported by Ahmad and graded sahih by Ahmad Shakir; see As-Silsilatus-Sahihah of Sheikh Al-Albani, who graded it authentic]
Jabir Ibn Abdullah narrated that the Prophet (Peace be upon him) said:
“What I fear most for my followers (my ummah) is the act of the People of Lut (i.e., sodomy).” [At-Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah, and graded as hasan by Sheikh Al-Albani]
When the people ignored the Prophet Lut’s message, Allah destroyed the town and every transgressor in it, and He saved Prophet Lut (Peace be upon him) and his daughters. This event is a sign for the people who reflect. This story is also mentioned in the scriptures of the Jews and Christians.
Respected brothers and sisters! Muslim scholars throughout the history have taken this story to mean that Allah has prohibited homosexuality absolutely, i.e. courtship and sexual relationships between men. Muslims see homosexuality as an unnatural condition, an immoral inclination, even a mental illness which is dangerous for the individual and society in terms of its goodness and morality. Islam teaches that a Muslim cannot be pious and obedient to Allah and be a practising homosexual; the two states are incompatible. However, Muslim doctrine (Aqidah) does not remove from the fold of Islam the one who practices the major sin of homosexuality.
Imam Shaikh Ibn Baz (may Allah have mercy on him) was informed that some youth display signs of feminine behaviour. He advised that they should spend time with men until they learn (to be masculine) and they benefit from that, and the feminine inclination passes. He was also asked concerning the man who becomes a Muslim but before he embraced Islam he was a practising homosexual. Once he became a Muslim, he repented from that sinful un-Islamic behaviour. However, his soul desires homosexuality. Shaikh Ibn Baz answered by saying:
“He should cling to his repentance and all praise is for Allah.” [See Sharh Bulugh Al-Maram, Kitab Al-Hudud]
Clinging to repentance means: to give up the sin, feel remorse for disobeying Allah, seek Allah’s forgiveness and be resolute in not returning back to the sin.
Dear servants of Allah! Today some people think that a person can be born homosexual – and through this, they justify their sexual leanings. However, Islam teaches that every child is born upon the fitrah, a natural inclination, which means that they were created with inclinations that Allah is pleased with for human beings and fulfil the natural functions of the body. With that in mind, Muslim scholars state that homosexuality comes about due to a corruption of the natural state which can be triggered by various events and environmental factors such as:
- The way they are brought up with the idea that there is no difference between the two sexes.
- Being exposed to homosexuality constantly so it becomes normalised.
- Being nurtured on theories and ideas that oppose science, nature and the intellect (e.g. two people of the same sex were not physiologically “designed” to have sexual relations or produce offspring).
- Being sexually abused as children can lead to confused ideas about sexuality and sexual preferences.
- School indoctrination of children from an early age that goes against nature, health and wellbeing.
- Relentlessly encouraged from a young age to explore same-sex relationships and “gay” role-play in schools.
- Ostracising and seeking to criminalise all forms of dissent against the powerful LGBTQ movement in the West.
- Muslim scholars state that just as people have ‘learned’ to be homosexual, they can also learn not to be if they choose to correct their behaviour and are helped in that process; and therefore, they return back to their natural state of being, or at least desist from homosexual activity if they are not able to be heterosexual.
The Qur’an does not say how homosexuality should be punished, but a saying of the Prophet (Peace be upon him) makes clear:
“Whoever you find engaging in the action of the people of Lut (sodomy), execute the one who does it, and the one to whom it is done.” [Ibn Majah and Tirmidhi]
And mind you, this Hadith must not be used by individuals as an excuse to enact or incite violence against homosexuals and lesbians, or to take laws into their own hands.
Prescribed punishments for homosexuality and lesbianism can only be carried out by the legal authority in a country or state that practices shari’ah or Islamic Law; and there must be clear evidence that actual sex had taken place. The Muslim penal code carries out punishments on the basis of the unlawful act that is committed and not on the basis of a person’s inclinations where no illegal act has been committed.
This is the view of all of the famous Islamic scholars and jurists (Fuqaha) of Islam in line with the punishment dealt to the people of Lut (in the Qur’an) and the Hadith of the Prophet (Peace be upon him).
A Muslim, regardless of which state or country he lives in, is not allowed to physically harm those he regards to be sinners, nor incite others to do so. Vigilantism goes against Islamic teachings because it creates an anarchic, unjust and disorderly society.
Dear brothers and sisters! Today there are homosexuals and lesbians who consider themselves to be Muslims, and they know they are sinners in the sight of Allah just as there are some Muslims who fornicate, steal, lie and deal in usury. They recognise their sins. These sins are not considered unbelief (Kufr) that exit Muslims from the fold of Islam; but they are major sinners under the threat of Allah’s punishment as purification for their crimes.
Dear servants of Allah! Homosexuality and lesbianism is illegal in virtually every Muslim country in the world with punishments ranging from fines and prison to corporal punishment and execution. There are over 75 countries across the world, Muslim and non-Muslim, that consider homosexuality and lesbianism to be a criminal offence.
The Bible (Old Testament) is followed by millions of Jews and Christians in the world, and it too forbids men from having sexual relations with men. Chapters 18 and 20 of Leviticus list prohibited forms of intercourse:
“You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; it is an abomination.” Chapter 18 verse 22 said:
“If a man lies with a male as with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination; they shall surely be put to death; their blood is upon them.” Chapter 20 verse 13
Deuteronomy 22:5 states:
“A woman must not wear men’s clothing, nor a man wear women’s clothing, for the Lord, your God, detests anyone who does this.”
This is a clear prohibition of cross-dressing.
The New Testament (Bible) also condemns homosexual practices. Romans 1:26-27 states:
“Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones. In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed shameful acts with other men and received in themselves the due penalty for their error.”
Paul wrote in the First Epistle to the Corinthians 6:9-11 states:
“Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men; nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And that is what some of you were.”
The words men who have sex with men translate two Greek words that refer to the passive and active participants in homosexual acts.
In recent times organisations and groups have been established to give support to lesbian, gay, bi-sexual, transgender (etc) Muslims. These groups do not see their homosexuality as being wrong; they claim they were born gay, lesbian or trans etc. Furthermore, they do not believe that Allah’s prohibition in the Qur’an and Sunnah is applicable in these times; or they believe that these texts do not apply to people who “are in love.”
However, Muslims (almost as a whole) regard homosexuality and lesbianism to be sinful based upon the clear textual proofs of the Qur’an and Sunnah, the consensus (ijma’) of the first three generations after the Prophet, the agreement of the Four well-known Schools of Islamic Jurisprudence and in accordance with the view of the Sunni scholars spanning more than 1,445 years of Islamic history.
Islam teaches that Muslims must obey Allah by doing what he has commanded and by keeping away from what he has prohibited.
A Muslim who legalises (makes permissible) what is clearly forbidden in the Revealed Texts (Qur’an and Sunnah) such as making lawful fornication, drinking alcohol, gambling, homosexuality or lesbianism, then that person has left the fold of Islam. They are no longer Muslims.
However, Muslims who commit major sins (less than idolatry) such as fornication, robbery, homosexuality or lesbianism whilst affirming their transgression against Allah’s Law and affirming their sin, they remain within the Religion, albeit with weakness in their faith (Iman). These people are threatened by Allah’s punishment in the Hereafter unless they repent from their sins. And if they enter the Fire, they will not remain in it eternally.
Respected brothers and sisters! Muslims who find they are afflicted with temptations or unnatural desires must learn to resist, turn to Allah, supplicate to Him for strength and guidance (and get married). They must pray their five daily prayers, pay the Zakah and fast the month of Ramadan, etc. They should keep company with righteous people and keep their desires under control and eventually dominate over them.
Not every desire needs to be satisfied! A believer is commanded to keep his soul in check and his passions within the limits of Allah’s commands. We are living in difficult times where religiosity, morality, chastity and good conduct are actively discouraged, and immorality, foul behaviour, irreligious conduct, ill-manners, sexual depravity and lewdness are championed.
Nevertheless, a Muslim must remain pious, and remember that holding steadfastly to Islam, the Sunnah and Islamic morals and ethics in these times brings along with it a greater reward from Allah for the patient. The Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) said:
“Know that which has passed you by was never going to befall you, and whatever has befallen you was never going to miss you. And know that victory comes with patience, relief comes after affliction and ease comes after hardship.” [Reported by Ahmad and others]
In reference to the times of hardship that were to come the Prophet (Peace be upon him) stated that:
“Ahead of you are days of patience, when holding onto the religion will be like holding onto hot coals, and whomsoever holds onto his religion in that time, then his reward will be the reward of fifty men.” The Companions said, “O Messenger of Allah, fifty times the worth of their reward?” He said, “Rather fifty from you.” [Abu Dawud, At-Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah, Al-Hakim who declared it authentic, Adh-Dhahabi agreed and Al-Albani declared it sahih in As-Sahihah]
Examples of commands from Allah the Almighty: Worship Allah alone, pray, fast, give zakah (obligatory charity), perform Hajj, be dutiful and kind to parents, give in charity, wear hijab, etc.
Examples of prohibitions from Allah the Almighty: Idolatry, interest (Riba), adultery, drinking alcohol, murder, stealing, sex before marriage, homosexuality, lesbianism etc.
A Muslim is commanded to encourage people with doing good actions and to advise them against doing things that Allah has forbidden. In this way, he follows the way of the Prophets.
Lastly, I pray:
Ya Allah, guide us with those whom You have guided, grant us well-being among those You have granted well-being, be an ally to us along with those whom You are an ally to, and bless what You have bestowed upon us, and save us from the evil of what You have decreed. For verily You decree and none can decree over You. He whom You support can never be humiliated. Glory is to You, our Lord, You are Blessed and Exalted.
Ya Allah, We ask You for all that is good, in this world and in the Hereafter, what we know and what we do not know.
Ya Allah, we seek refuge with You from all evil, in this world and in the Hereafter, what we know and what we do not know.
Ya Allah, we ask You for the good that Your servant and Prophet (Muhammad) has asked You for, and we seek refuge with You from the evil from which Your servant and Prophet (Muhammad) sought refuge.
Ya Allah, we ask You for Paradise and for that which brings one closer to it, in word and deed, and we seek refuge in You from Hell and from that which brings one closer to it, in word and deed. And we ask You to make every decree that You decree concerning us good.
All praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds. May the peace, blessings and salutations of Allah be upon our noble Messenger, Muhammad (Peace be upon him), and upon his family, his Companions and his true and sincere followers.
Murtadha Muhammad Gusau is the Chief Imam of: Nagazi-Uvete Jumu’ah Mosque; and Late Alhaji Abdur-Rahman Okene Mosque, Okene, Kogi State, Nigeria. He can be reached via: gusauimam@gmail.com; or +2348038289761.
This Friday sermon (Jumu’ah Khutbah) was prepared for delivery today Friday, 28 Rajab, 1445 AH (February 09, 2024).