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

salaam, I had been told that in the middle ages it was not uncommon for gay
Muslim lovers to commit domestically via adoption and be recognized. Is this
true? Eileen
----- Original Message ----- 
From: <[email protected]>
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Wednesday, March 03, 2004 9:05 AM
Subject: Re: [Progressivemuslimsnetwork] 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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