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Ibn Kathir Tafsir of the Glorious Qur'an |
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HOMOSEXUALITY
In this materialistic age when everything is
being sacrificed at the altar of 'freedom', the world from
east to west, is witnessing a total collapse of morality and
decency. Virtue is portrayed as evil while sins of every type
are being glamourized so as to seem acceptable to society.
Honesty, fidelity, generosity, piety, chastity, the fear of
Allah, etc. are rarely looked upon as praiseworthy qualities
while adultery, gambling, fraud, usury, cheating, abortion,
homosexuality, lesbianism, etc. are fast becoming the order of
the day. In many of the so-called democracies, there is no
longer any stigma in even committing sins openly because of
the many corrupt laws that support such sins. In fact today,
in some of the world's biggest "democracies" the more a leader
publicizes his immoral and adulterous exploits, the more his
popularity seems to increase and the greater become his
chances of being re-elected by the people
But the saddest part of this is that while
the Muslims were supposed to lead the world out of this
turmoil and offer it Islam as the only solution to its
problems, they have begun to embrace the bankrupt ways of
those who are themselves groping in the darkness of ignorance.
Unfortunately many of the abominable practices found in the
west and other kuffaar societies are creeping into
Muslim societies. May Allah protect us!
It is time for the Muslim ummah to awaken
from its slumber and realize that it is the duty of every
Muslim to remind the whole of mankind that success lies
only in fulfilling the orders of Allah in the way shown
by our Nabi Muhammad (sallallahu alayhi wasallam).
This article, based on a pamphlet that was
distributed in Shawwaal 1415 by the General Presidency, Dept.
of the Promotion of virtue and the Prevention of vice.Saudi
Arabia discusses the issue of homosexuality and lesbianism in
Islam. Although the masculine gender has been used in this
article, it applies generally to both males and females
alike.
Shuoyb Ahmed
THOUGHTS AND CONCERNS I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE
WITH YOU, MY DEAR BROTHER, THE MUSLIM YOUTH
My Respected Brother-in-Islam
Assalaamu Alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa
barakaatuh
In the spirit of Islamic brotherhood and in
keeping with the Sunnah of our Nabi Muhammad (sallallahu
alayhi wasallam) who has said, 'None of you has Imaan
(Faith) until he loves for his brother what he loves for
himself', please allow me to offer to you the following
words of advice:
Every true believer living in this world
fears the wrath and punishment of Allah Ta'ala. Are you safe,
O my brother, from the punishment of Allah Ta'ala? The
question each one of us has to ask himself is: Would you like
to be amongst those who will be punished tomorrow, on the day
in which neither wealth nor children will be of any benefit
except to that person who appears before Allah with a pure
heart? Would you be happy if your soul were reduced to the
lowest position after Allah had created it in the best of
forms? Would you allow myself to be disgraced in front of the
whole of mankind and the entire creation on the Day of
Qiyaamah (Reckoning)? Certainly you would not like any
of this to happen to you!
Please let me share with you some brotherly
advice regarding just one evil that has become so widespread
today - especially amongst the youth. I know that there may be
many questions roving in your mind regarding this evil:
* What is this sin?
* Is it so grave that we should discuss
it?
* What is the solution to it?
* How can we save ourselves from it?
* What are the harms and consequences of
it?
Do not be too hasty for soon you will find
answers to all your questions.
My Beloved Brother! You are certainly aware
that the sin of homosexuality is haraam. But do you know how
serious this crime is and just how despicable it is in the
sight of Allah Ta'ala? Just imagine, my brother, that when it
is against the very nature of man, nay even of animals, what
is the position of the person who indulges in it! Is such a
person unaware that Allah Ta'ala -- in all His Grandeur, Might
and Power -- is watching him while he indulges in this haraam
act? Is he not aware that Allah Ta'ala has the power to send
down upon him a swift and severe punishment or even seize him
while he is involved in it? What will his position be when he
appears before his Rabb (Sustainer) on the Day of
Qiyaamah?
" And such is the grasp of your Rabb when He
seizes a community while it transgresses! Certainly His grasp
is very painful." (Surah Hood, ayah 102)
Let us now look at a few verses of the
Qur'an, Ahaadith, narrations of the Sahaabah (radhiallaahu
anhum) and sayings and verdicts of the Ulama regarding the sin
of homosexuality or sodomy. Thereafter, let us see what are
some of the diseases that spread as a result of it as well as
some solutions. May Allah Ta'ala grant us the ability to
follow His guidance and the Sunnah of His Beloved Nabi
Muhammad (sallallahu alayhi wasallam).
BEWARE!
Our beloved Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi
wasallam) said, 'Certainly the thing I fear most on my
ummah is the (wicked) practice of the people of Loot.'
(Tirmizi, Ahmad, Ibn Hajr Al-Haysami, Ad-Duri and Al-Aajuri)
(Hadith Hasan)
Hadrat Ali bin Abi Taalib (RA) relates,
'Whoever allows himself to be used sexually (by becoming a
homosexual or sodomite), Allah Ta'ala will expel from him the
(natural) desire for women.'
Najeeb As-Sirri (AR) says, 'They (i.e. our
pious elders) would even dislike looking at handsome young
boys'
Once Abul Aswad (AR) brought a letter which
he showed to one of his students and said, ' I bear witness
that this letter was dictated by Ali bin Abi Taalib (RA) to
Abul Aswad: When men (i.e. homosexuals) will sexually satisfy
themselves with men and women (i.e. lesbians) with women, then
earthquakes will occur, faces will become transformed and
stones will rain down from the skies.'
Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) has
also said "May Allah curse him who does what the people of
Loot (alayhis salaam) did." (Ibn Hibbaan)
He (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) has also
said, 'Lesbianism by women is adultery between them.'
(Tabraani)
A LESSON FROM HISTORY
It is a well-known fact that when this
wretched disease spread among one nation in the past, Allah
Ta'ala caused punishments to rain down from the skies upon
them. Allah mentions their story in many places in the Qur'an.
At one place, He says,
"And (We also sent) Loot (as a Messenger).
'Behold, he said to his people, do you do what is shameful
even though you see (that it is wrong)? Would you really
approach men in your lusts rather than women? Nay, you are a
grossly ignorant people!'
But his people gave no other answer but this:
They said, 'Drive out the followers of Loot from your city.
These are indeed men who want to be clean and pure!'
But We saved him and His family except his
wife: We destined her to be of those who lagged behind.
And We rained down on them a shower (of
stones). And evil was the shower on those who were admonished
(but failed to heed)." (Surah an-Naml, 54-58)
At yet another place, Allah Most High says:
Do you approach the males of humanity, leaving the wives
Allah has created for you? But you are a people who
transgress. (Surah ash-Shu'raa: 165 &166)
From the first aayah, we learn that these
people had themselves admitted that the family of Loot (AS)
who had Imaan (belief in Allah) was decent, chaste and
morally pure. They also acknowledged that the family of Loot
(AS) refrained from this filthy practice. They realised this
since it is natural for every person to immediately recognise
the pure way of life inspired by Allah Ta'ala when they see it
and also to make out any type of unnatural and perverted
behaviour.
In the Tafseer (commentary) of these verses
it is mentioned that the people of Loot (AS) were practicing
both homosexuality and lesbianism. When Allah decided to
punish them, He commanded Jibraeel (AS) to lift the village of
Loot (AS) to the extent that the angels of the first heaven
(sky) could actually hear the barking of their dogs. Jibraeel
then turned them over and dropped them from this tremendous
height. Thereafter, Allah Ta'ala caused scorching hot stones
to rain down upon them. This is how this nation ended up being
an example for the rest of mankind until the Day of
Qiyaamah.
Imaam Al-Aajuri (AR) has said, 'Allah Ta'ala
has informed you about the despicable act of homosexuality
committed by the people of Loot (AS) and how He punished them
by first snatching away their eyesight. Jibraeel (AS) was then
instructed to uproot their cities with all the inhabitants
until they were high up into the sky and then turn over their
cities upon them. Thereafter they were pelted with stones of
clay.' Such was their punishment that not a single citizen or
traveller could save himself from the stones and from being
completely destroyed.
It is said that they were four million in
number. (Tafseer Ibn Katheer p.471 vol. 2)
Let us reflect! Why did Allah Ta'ala punish
them so severely in such a manner that He had never punished
any other nation before? Surely their sin must have been
really serious for Allah Ta'ala to have punished and destroyed
them in this way.
DISGRACE IN THIS WORLD
The acts of homosexuality and lesbianism are
certainly a perversion and a serious deviation from the
inherent nature of man. These acts of defiance against human
nature are also even viler and uglier than adultery. There is
consensus among both Muslims and the followers of other
religions that lesbianism and homosexuality are evil and
filthy practices. This is why it is not surprising to find
that Islam so vehemently prohibits it and adopts such a harsh
attitude against it.
The punishment awaiting such people in the
Hereafter has already been explained, but what about their
punishment in this world?
Since such type of behaviour was previously
totally unknown to the Arab people, there is no record of any
such incident having occurred during the time of Rasulullah
(sallallahu alayhi wasallam) or that he was faced with a case
of this nature. However, it has been confirmed that Rasulullah
(sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said,
'Kill the one who sodomizes and the one to
who lets it be done to him.'(Tirmizi)
Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (RA) had passed such a
ruling and Hadrat Ali (RA) was very severe in his ruling
against such a crime. It is established that once Sayyiduna
Khaalid bin Waleed (RA) found a man in the frontiers of Arabia
marrying another man in the way a woman marries a man, so he
wrote about it to Abu Bakr (RA). When Abu Bakr (RA) consulted
with the Sahaabah, Ali (RA) who was the severest in his
condemnation of it said, 'Only one out of the many nations had
indulged in it and you all know how Allah Ta'ala had dealt
with them. I feel that he should be destroyed by fire.' So Abu
Bakr (RA) wrote back to Sayyiduna Khaalid (RA) who then put
the man to death by means of fire.
Ibn Qassaar and Ibn Taymiyyah (AR) have said:
All the Sahaabah (radhiallaahu anhum) were unanimous that he should be
killed though some of them differed in the manner in which it
should be done.
Abu Bakr (RA) said that he should be executed
by being thrown from a great height.
Another view of Hadrat Ali (RA) was that a
wall should be dropped upon him.
Hadrat Ibn Abbaas, Ali, Jaabir bin Zaid,
Abdullah bin Ma`mar, Imaam Zuhri and Imaam Maalik
(radhiallaahu anhum) have said that those who commit the evil
deed of the people of Loot (AS) should be stoned to death,
whether they be married or unmarried. This is also one of the
narrations of Imaams Ahmad, Shaafi`ee and Abu Sawr (AR).
Hadrat Ibn Abbaas (RA) was once asked about
the punishment for the homosexual. He replied, 'He should be
taken to the top of the highest building in the town and
thrown headlong from there. Then he should be pelted with
stones.'
Jaabir bin Zaid used to say, 'The prohibitive
decree of the anus is far more serious than the prohibitive
decree of the vagina.' In other words, the prohibition against
anal intercourse is far more severe than the prohibition
against illegitimate sexual intercourse (with a woman).
ITS DANGERS IN THIS WORLD
Among the evil consequences of this sin are
the many deadly and contagious diseases that result from it.
Some of these illnesses are such that medical science -- with
all its might, power and advanced technology - has failed to
combat or even fully comprehend, let alone cure it. Certainly
no one is able to rise above the Will of Allah Ta'ala and
escape his wrath!
Some of these fatal diseases are:
* AIDS: There is no cure for it. It is
contracted and spread through unlawful sexual intercourse and
perverted sexual acts like homosexuality.
* GONORRHEA: which causes inflammation
of the testicles, blockage of the urethra, inflammation of the
joints and sterility.
* SYPHILIS: This is a type of venereal
disease commonly known among the Arabs as 'the English
Disease' since its origin lies in European societies where
free intermingling of the sexes and immorality is rife. It
results in insanity, paralysis, blindness, and other nerve
disorders. Also leads to blood vessel damage and death.
* GENITAL ULCERS: which causes
inflammation of the lymphatic glands. It also gives rise to
chronic festering of tumours, inflammation of the urethra,
severe pain in the joints and swelling of the limbs.
* HEPATITIS B: Its symptoms include
fever, fatigue, nausea and jaundice. It results in chronic
hepatitis or liver cancer.
These are only a few of the many deadly
diseases caused by perverted sexual behaviour. Could anyone
ever desire contracting any of them?
May Allah Ta'ala protect all of us from all
types of evil!
THE WAY TO SALVATION!
My Beloved Brother! Practicing on complete
Islam is certainly the key to our success in this world and
the Hereafter. Islam has provided us with the solution to
problems in every sphere of our lives. Without doubt, the road
to saving ourselves is simple and as clear as daylight -- and
it is to keep ourselves far away from this grievous sin.
The following are some means that will help
you to do this:
- Do towbah (i.e. repent sincerely) to Allah and
turn to Him.
- Stay away from the company of evil people or friends who
glamorize and glorify those deeds and things that are sinful
and make them appeal to you. The company that the youth keep
plays the greatest role in either reforming or corrupting
them. Therefore, choose for yourself the company of
righteous people who will be of help and benefit to you in
the matters of your Deen (Religion) and your dunya (worldly
affairs)
- Turn yourself and your gaze away from all those things
that arouse the passions, like looking at and staying in the
company of beardless, young lads or even pictures of them of
which films, magazines, etc are brimming.
- Make every effort to get married in order to remain pure
and chaste and respond to the call of our beloved Nabi
(sallallahu alayhi wasallam) who has said, 'O Assembly of
Youth! Those of you who have the means to get married,
should do so. And whoever is unable to do so, must keep
fast. For this is certainly a protection for him.'
(Bukhaari, Muslim)
- Fast in abundance in order to suppress the carnal
desires/passions. Our Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi
wasallam) has said,' Certainly shaitaan flows in (the
body of) man like the flowing of blood. So, subdue him by
keeping fast.' (Sahih Bukhaari: vol.1 p.273 Book of
Fasting)
- Spend your spare time in those activities that will
benefit you because the mind of an idle person becomes the
target of sinful thoughts whispered by shaitaan and your
nafs (the self which commands a person to do evil).
AND FINALLY…MY DEAR BROTHER, O
YOUTH!
What is the person who indulges in this evil,
waiting for? Is he waiting for the moment when death will
suddenly overtake him while he is busy committing this sin?
Has he given any thought to the condition of his father who
had worked so hard to earn a living in order to bring him up
and to see to his needs? How proud his father used to be of
him, when he was a little boy, whenever he attended any
gatherings! Has he thought about the condition of his mother
who spent long, restless nights awake for the sake of his
comfort? Is he now going to repay them with shame and disgrace
them in front of everyone?
Or, is he waiting for death to overtake him
while he is in the act of this despicable sin? Death certainly
does not fix a time with us nor does it postpone its arrival
for anyone, whether young or old!
My dear brother, this precious life is a
special gift from our Beloved Creator, Allah to us so that we
may perform virtuous deeds and gain His pleasure. In fact, the
principal motive behind everything that we do should be the
pleasure of Allah -- and this is the real meaning of success.
Allah tells us:
But the pleasure of Allah is the highest
achievement: This is the greatest success. (Surah
at-Tawbah: 72)
Our life in this world is also a test from
Allah. He has placed us in this world and created certain
desires within us. But He has not made this world the
place for the fulfillment of our desires. Here, we must fill
our hearts with the fear of Allah and suppress our own desires
and give priority to the wishes and orders of Allah over our
own desires. In return for this, our Allah has promised to
reward us with Jannah, the everlasting place of
indescribable beauty and happiness that He has reserved for us
in the Aakhirah.
And for them who had feared standing before
their Rabb (Sustainer) (on the Day of Qiyaamah) and had
restrained (their) soul from lower desires,
Certainly Jannah will be their abode.
(Surah an- Naazi'aat: 40,41)
And since Jannah has been created as the
actual place for the satisfaction of all our desires,
everything there will be according to our wishes. Allah
promises:
Therein shall you have all that your
souls shall desire; therein shall you have all that you ask
for! A hospitable gift from One Oft-Forgiving, Most
Merciful! (Surah Fussilat: 31,32)
In conclusion, my dear brother, I hope I have
been able to illustrate clearly, yet briefly, the Islamic view
regarding this sin and some of its harms so that it may serve
as an eye -opener for those not involved in it and a means of
earnestly repenting to Allah Ta'ala for those who have fallen
into the trap of shaitaan.
It is now your duty, my beloved brother, to
inform each and every youth of the sinfulness of this vice and
its dangers and earn abundant reward from Allah Ta'ala.
I ask Allah, the All-Mighty, the All-Powerful
to grant all of us the ability to turn to Him in repentance,
and to make what I have written and you have read, a witness
in our favour and not against us.
For Allah alone grants the Muslims the
ability to do what is beneficial for them.
Source: Jamiatul Ulama (Kwazulu-Natal)
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