Moderate Muslims: How should non-Muslims respond when an imam calls for the execution of homosexuals?

Question

"It's OK to kill gays - British Imam" (GCN, 2006/10/24)
"The leading imam in Manchester, confirms that he thinks the execution of sexually active gay men is justified, the rights group Outrage reported.

Arshad Misbahi of the Manchester Central Mosque confirmed his views in a conversation to John Casson, a local psychotherapist.

Casson said: "I asked him if the execution of gay Muslims in Iran and Iraq was an acceptable punishment in Sharia law, or the result of culture, not religion.

"He told me that in a true Islamic state, such punishments were part of Islam: If the person had had a trial, at which four witnesses testified that they had seen the actual homosexual acts."

"I asked him what would be the British Muslim view? He repeated that in an Islamic state these punishments were justified. They might result in the deaths of thousands but if this deterred millions from having sex, and spreading disease, then it was worthwhile to protect the wider community."

'I checked again that this was not a matter of tradition, culture or local prejudice. 'No,' he said, 'It is part of the central tenets of Islam: that sex outside marriage is forbidden; this is stated in the Koran and the prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) had stated that these punishments were due to such behaviours.''"

ACID: Weren't you the one who thanked Atheists for not saying that Islam is a violent religion? You've just proven yourself to be a violent Muslim.

Answer 1

*does double take, drops jaw and blinks*

Err, I don't want to alarm anyone, but did one of the answerers above just say that "homosexuals should be killed"?

Ummm, is there anything in the Yahoo Community Guidelines that specifically exempts threats of violence and hate speech if they're only directed towards gays? Is there any other way of interpreting the statement that "homosexuals should be killed"?

I don't want to appear thin-skinned or anything, but that seems to me to be a teensy bit, well you know, unacceptable.

Isn't it strange how people can say the most patently evil and reprehensible things, but no one bats an eyelid provided the rubric of "religion" is used.

But I suppose that's the point of your question.

Answer 2

The only way I would deal with this is follows.

Fact 1: The Quran does not say kill homosexuals.

The Islamic law has evolved over years and it constitutes taking in the law of the Quran and implementing it to details of normal life.

Fact 2: Any of the punishments with this regard, cannot be applied without the following:

1. the person admitting to their sin
2. 3 eye witnesses to the direct copulation of man/man or woman/woman

Again, there is no mention of killing off homosexuals in the Quran. It is merely seen as a disgusting act.

Now, the second fact I mentioned is rather hard to do.

And I do believe that homosexuality is not a sin against another person but rather a sin against oneself. Where Islamic Law is concerned about the social order of society, and not the persons own private affairs.

I repeat: Islamic Law, i.e Sharia respects the privacy of individuals and cannot punish behaviour that does not have proof and does not have ramifications on society.

In the event that homosexual behaviour is taken to streets: and I do mean directly sexual behaviour, not just cuddling and wat not, then this act is not a private act anymore. It is an act that affects the social strata of that society. Thus, Islamic Law can interfere with it in order to protect the values of the Islamic society.

Now through out the ages gay behaviour has been predominant in all cultures. Not just the western ones. And even as we speak, the segregation of women and men in Saudi Arabia has lead to many gay children in schools. And I myself have seen them.

The Saudis know about it, but they wont do much. Probably because its better to ignore it than to bring it into daylight and punish these kids and people like they were criminals. Theyre not. And the country will rarely do anything about it :)

Thats your answer right there.

Answer 3

There is no such a definition in Islam,Muslims are Good Muslims if they follow islam literally,or not -Good Muslims if they don't.By the way,the Punishment for Homosexuals in Islam is to dump them from the highest cliff in the area they live,where the faithful muslims wait them down,if they don't die they finish the job by stoning them.

Answer 4

The gays asked the parliament members for a better constitution for their rights here in Turkey today.... Every single person on earth has the right to live...... Fuçk all kinds of religious bastards and zealots .... and especially if they are british muslim zealot murderers... fuçk them twice...

Answer 5

Islam stipulates to kill homosexuals so if they don't agree they are not muslims anymore

Answer 6

gotta love that first answer

they should be treated as people

and yes he was the one who thanked atheists for not jumping to conclusions about islam

Answer 7

Non-Muslims and Muslims alike should react like any decent human being - with outrage and horror.

Answer 8

stop them for gays have just as much right to sex as the straight world

Answer 9

I don't know. God made laws for a reason. If you call yourself a God fearing person you should follow his Law and not man man ones.