Among the most laughable arguments of Christian missionaries and atheists is their argument to show that Islam does not prohibit homosexuality and that it is permissible in Islam. This is indeed an ideal example of how ignorance and incompetence can make a person a joke before his opponents. Well, just to dispel the Islamic illiteracy of these people we are providing an educational guide to those who ignore that homosexuality is utterly prohibited and given the capital punishment in Islam.
Before we bring our legal proof that homosexuality is prohibited and punishable in Islam, let’s think logically: does not homosexuality fall under the category of adultery? Isn’t adultery - by definition - the sexual intercourse between two unmarried persons, thus including homosexuality? Unless you provide a proof that Islam permits the marriage of two men, we can logically consider it a subcategory under adultery.
Homosexuality is described as lewdeness in the Qur'an, Grand Imam al-Shanqiti explains:
The Almighty said, "Do ye commit lewdness such as no people in creation (ever) committed before you?" (al-A'raf: 80). Allah has explained that what is meant by lewdness is sodomy, for He said after that, "For ye practice your lusts on men in preference to women." And He clarified that by saying, "Of all the creatures in the world, will ye approach males" and by saying "and practice wickedness (even) in your councils?" (al-Shanqiti, Adwa' al-Bayan, 2/232)
Ibn Kathir notes:
It is meant that homosexuality is the worst abomination. It was not known among the Arabs of the past, as their ignorance of it was mentioned by more than one of them. Therefore, al-Walid ibn Abd al-Malik said, "If Allah Almighty did not narrate to us the story of the people of Lut, I would have never thought that a man could be on top of another man." And in the hadith reported by Ibn 'Abbas, may Allah be pleased with them, the Prophet (saws) said, "If you find someone committing the act of the people of Lut, kill both participants." This was narrated by the people of sunan, and was rated authentic by Ibn Habban and others. The Prophet (saws) cursed three times those who commit the act of the people of Lut, and he never cursed anyone for sin three times, except those who do this. He commanded the participants to be killed, for they are not worthy to live among the people because they are corrupt in their actions and sinful in their hearts. Whoever has this likeness, there is nothing within them that is beneficial for creation if they remain. So if Allah saves us from them, our faith and lives will be more righteous. But the curse is to be expelled and made distant. So whoever was expelled and made distant from Allah, His Messenger, His Book and His righteous servants, there is no good in him or in coming near to him. (Ibn Kathir, al-Bidayah wa al-Nihayah, 9/46)
Please ponder upon this insightful quotation of Ibn Kathir; for he does not just inform us about the ugliness of this form of lewdness and its penalty, he also provides the legal and rational explanation for its penalty and tells us why its participant should be exterminated.
Ibn Hazm clearly states:
The act of the people of Lut is from the grievous sins, the most forbidden depravities like eating pork, carrion, or blood, drinking, adultery, and the rest of these disobediences. Anyone who allows it or allows anything from what we have mentioned is a kafir. But the people disagreed regarding the penalty. (Ibn Hazm, al-Muhalla, 13/388)
And Sheikh al-Islam Ibn Taimiyyah says:
In regards to sodomy, some scholars say its penalty is like the penalty of adultery, and some say it's not. The truth is what the companions have agreed upon, that both should be killed, whether they were married or not. Truly the scholars of hadith narrated on behalf of Ibn 'Abbas, may Allah be pleased with them, that the Prophet (saws) said, "If you find someone committing the acts of the people of Lut, kill both participants." And Abu Daoud narrated on behalf of Ibn 'Abbas, may Allah be pleased with them, that if the unmarried is found to be a sodomite he is to be stoned. And 'Ali ibn Abi Talib, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated something similar.
The companions did not disagree on his killing, but they varied regarding the method. It is narrated on behalf of Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, that he ordered him to be burned. And the others said that he should be killed: Some said that a wall should be pulled down upon him until he died, and some said that he should be imprisoned in the most foul place until death. And some said that he should be taken to the highest building and thrown down, then stoned, as Allah had done to the people of Lut. This is what most of the Salaf said. They said, because Allah had stoned the people of Lut, and He similarly allowed the stoning of the adulterer, so sodomites, whether slaves or freemen, should both be killed. But if one is adult and the other juvenile, the juvenile should punished without killing, and only the adult should be stoned. (Ibn Taimiyyah, al-Fatawa al-Kubra, 28/317)
So we inform the illiterate enemies of Islam that homosexuality is not only prohibited in Islam, but considered one of the most grievous sins as well. The Prophet (P) commanded with killing its participants and cursed them three times, and he never cursed anyone for sin three times, except those who do this. The Prophet's companions have agreed on killing whosoever do it, whether married or not, free or slave.
Muslim scholars of all times agreed upon condemning sodomy, Ibn Qudama says:
The scholars agree to warn against sodomy. Allah has spoken against it in His Book and the Messenger of Allah spoke against it. Allah Almighty says, "We also (sent) Lut: He said to his people: "Do ye commit lewdness such as no people in creation (ever) committed before you?" (A'raf:80). And the Prophet said, "Allah has cursed those who commit the act of the people of Lut, Allah has cursed those who commit the act of the people of Lut, Allah has cursed those who commit the act of the people of Lut." (Ibn Qudama al-Maqdisi, al-Mughni, 8/116)
Abu al-Layth al-Samaqandi says:
Sodomy is forbidden because the Almighty said: "We also (sent) Lut: He said to his people, "Do ye commit lewdness such as no people in creation (ever) committed before you?" (al-A'raf: 80). So He called it lewdness, and Allah Almighty has said: "Come not nigh to acts of lewdness, whether open or secret." (al-Ana'am: 151) (al-Samarqandi, al-Muhathab, 2/347)
Imam al-Nawawi says:
Sodomy is when a man has intercourse with another man. It is forbidden, and it is the worst of sins, for the Almighty said, "Do ye commit lewdness such as no people in creation (ever) committed before you? For ye practice your lusts on men in preference to women: ye are indeed a people transgressing beyond bounds." (al-A'raf: 80-81)
Here Allah mentions sodomy as sin to show that it's adultery, because Allah said, "Nor come nigh to adultery, for it is a shameful (deed) and an evil, opening the road (to other evils)." (al-Isra: 32) (al-Nawawi, al-Mujmou', 21/237)
Abu Ya'la al-Farra' brings a very valuable note:
Sodomy is worse than adultery; for indeed female private can be lawful under marriage contract. (al-Farra', al-Masa'il al-Fiqhiyyah, 2/320)
But certainly male private can never be lawful under any condition!
Due to this concensus of Muslim scholars based upon the Qur'an, the Prophetic Sunnah and agreement of Prophet's companions and all subsequent generations, prohibition of homosexuality is regarded one of the necessarily known facts of Islam and whosoever denies this prohibition is considered a kafir.
May Allah bless all those who follow His Path and guide those who do not. |
