Re: Can there be same-sex union in Islam?

From Michigan where the democratic process flairs unwieldingly and 
frighteningly!

I think there's space in Islam for recognizing the bonds that tie people 
together, regardless of the genders of those involved . . . and as we've 
seen in the past, the number as well . . . obviously w/a caveat of Qur'anic 
guidance and what can reasonably be expected for a relationship to bear in 
the way of just treatment of participants as well as general community 
welfare and spiritual enrichment.

I had recently heard that there was in Imam here in the United States who'd 
been in the practice of doing so. (I wonder what that Masjid is like, I'd 
love to visit since it sounds like a place were all are welcome to Allah's 
graces.)

I just finished reading the submission in "Progressive Muslims" where Scott 
Suraj Kugle talks about the place of sexual minorities in Islam. It gave me 
a refreshing insight thereof.

While I was at home with my mother Sunday, we listened to Kecia Ali, Omida 
Safi, Mr. Wolf, and Ms. Muhammad talk about change in Islam. We were 
talking about reform and she'd said that when the common expectation 
becomes gender justice in Islam, the rest would fall in line. I seem to 
remember that being an expectation or hope from some of the other 
contributors in the book.

I guess we have to ask our selves if we think it's a benefit to the 
spiritual welfare of the community and the parties involved to recognize 
same-sex relationships. Now, obviously as a civil law question I support 
ALL who wish to cement a commitment of mutual care in this civil 
institution simply as a matter of equality of legal application and general 
social cohesion. Whereas, in a religious context, it's not so simple.

I'd say if we agree that it's of benefit in our respective religious 
communities (considering that this is a new phenomenon/question w/which 
society is grappling in such a difficult and unique way), it seems the next 
step is to look to the Qur'an, Hadith, and Sharia, and other guides (heavy 
emphasis on the Qur'an itself if you ask me) in crossing this bridge that 
heretofore hasn't been trodden so much . . . though I'd recently seen a 
movie where in a part of North Africa, there had been a community of miners 
circa early 20th century who were in the practice of marrying one another 
and it seemed pretty sincere and there may have been an element of 
religious sanctity employed.

Certainly Feisal, Reformed Judaism and the Dutch Protestant Churches are 
also useful guides as is the history of same-sex unions in Catholicism and 
even cultures of the Asia and Africa in the past.

But this is premised on the assumption that we agree that same-sex marriage 
has some benefit to the Islamic community and the individuals involved.

I assume we won't sadly but I hope at least that in some of our communities 
we will begin to think more about what it means to restrict whole groups of 
people from certain aspects of Islam.

May Allah guide us in this and ALL questions that perplex us,
Mudhillun




--On Wednesday, March 03, 2004 5:17 PM +0800 Feisal Abdul Rahman 
<[email protected]> wrote:

>
> Assalamu'alaikum to everyone,
>
> With all the heated debate in the US and elsewhere regarding same-sex
> marriage, I'm curious to find out from members of this list as to whether
> there is, or if there can be, any room for sanctification of same-sex
> unions in (progressive) Islam, similar to that of the Protestant Church
> in the Netherlands or of Reform/Reconstructionist Judaism.  Thank you.
>
>
>
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