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I should clarify; while I am a Muslim with a higher education, I am not an Islamic scholar and cannot provide any advice on what is halal and haram (allowable and forbidden). Also, I am not a medical professional and cannot speak with knowledge about the nature of sexuality or the diagnosis and treatment of gender dysphoria. I do have degrees in the social sciences and will rather address the political response to these questions.
Muslims, like many other American religious groups, don’t fit neatly into the left or right as those political spheres are defined in the United States today. We tend to be morally conservative and socially progressive. Our religion strictly regulates sexual relations, forbidding sexual relations between men and women outside of marriage; a conservative position. But it also holds that the poor have a right to a share of the wealth of the rich, a progressive stance. Most Muslims have tended to side with the Democrats politically. As a religious minority, Muslims are appreciative of the protection of the rights of minorities espoused by Democrats. Also, many American Muslims are African American and the Democratic party is responsive to their political needs. However, we are seeing outreach to Muslims by conservatives and Republicans grounded in arguments about shared ideas of sexual morality. Muslims are seen as potential allies in the efforts to restrict the rights of gender non-conforming people. We should rebuff these overtures. These are the same groups that not so long ago were pushing anti-Shariah legislation just as vigorously as they are pushing anti-trans legislation today. And don’t think these bullies are done with us; when they have finished with the queers, they will be back for us.
So what do we do? To answer this question, a broader look will be helpful. This is fundamentally a question of rights and personal liberty. This country was founded on the idea that the purpose of government was to secure the rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. It was a radical idea then and it is still a radical idea. We, as Muslims, owe much to Thomas Jefferson who authored those words and who also laid out the basis for the protection of religious minorities that we still benefit from today. When these ideas were debated at the time, It was explicitly argued that even if someone was Muslim, they should be allowed to practice their faith.
This stems from the well of natural philosophy that holds that in order for a person to be fulfilled and whole and free, then they need to be able to be true to their thoughts and beliefs. To force someone into a particular set of beliefs, against their will, is a violation of what it is to be human. In many ways, this radical idea of freedom seems opposed to Islam, which has the meaning of submission to God. However, it is in the exercise of our freedom to choose that relationship with God that we are fulfilled.
Here in America, freedom is like the air we breathe. As Muslims, we take advantage of this freedom by choosing to submit to God. And we do it under the same protection, using the same freedom that queer people use to find their way and to live their lives. Restricting their freedoms, denying them their space in our public places, restricts the freedom for all of us. We may disagree with their lifestyle, but it is incumbent upon us to protect their right to pursue their happiness, just as we expect our right to pursue happiness to be protected. Freedom is the air we breathe; if we cut off the air to anyone who follows a path we disagree with, we endanger our own existence. It is well known that Muslims are forbidden to eat pork. However, there is a caveat that they may do so if it is necessary to sustain life. This permission for necessity can also be applied to this concept of freedom. Even if we disagree with how someone exercises their freedom, we will protect that freedom, because it is necessary for our own lives.
Finally, we need to be aware of the whole picture of our times and place in them. There are many issues which should receive more attention from Muslims than our neighbors sexuality. This focus by some on attacking the queer community serves as a distraction from more important issues such as the destruction of the ability of our planet to sustain life as we are accustomed to it. We see across the Muslim lands that our brothers and sisters are beset by the ravages of climate change. This should be our primary focus as Muslims living in America; to do what we can to encourage our government to address the climate crisis, not to gang up on vulnerable groups
Muslims as Queer Allies
I have been thinking about this issue for some time and the time has come to put these thoughts into words. There is a debate taking place in our society today about the rights and freedoms of people who are of non-conforming genders. After sitting through another Friday Prayer sermon dedicated to homosexuality, I feel compelled to ask and answer the question; what position should Muslims in America take vis a vis their neighbors who are queer? Should we advocate for them, be neutral, or join the forces in opposition to them.I should clarify; while I am a Muslim with a higher education, I am not an Islamic scholar and cannot provide any advice on what is halal and haram (allowable and forbidden). Also, I am not a medical professional and cannot speak with knowledge about the nature of sexuality or the diagnosis and treatment of gender dysphoria. I do have degrees in the social sciences and will rather address the political response to these questions.
Muslims, like many other American religious groups, don’t fit neatly into the left or right as those political spheres are defined in the United States today. We tend to be morally conservative and socially progressive. Our religion strictly regulates sexual relations, forbidding sexual relations between men and women outside of marriage; a conservative position. But it also holds that the poor have a right to a share of the wealth of the rich, a progressive stance. Most Muslims have tended to side with the Democrats politically. As a religious minority, Muslims are appreciative of the protection of the rights of minorities espoused by Democrats. Also, many American Muslims are African American and the Democratic party is responsive to their political needs. However, we are seeing outreach to Muslims by conservatives and Republicans grounded in arguments about shared ideas of sexual morality. Muslims are seen as potential allies in the efforts to restrict the rights of gender non-conforming people. We should rebuff these overtures. These are the same groups that not so long ago were pushing anti-Shariah legislation just as vigorously as they are pushing anti-trans legislation today. And don’t think these bullies are done with us; when they have finished with the queers, they will be back for us.
So what do we do? To answer this question, a broader look will be helpful. This is fundamentally a question of rights and personal liberty. This country was founded on the idea that the purpose of government was to secure the rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. It was a radical idea then and it is still a radical idea. We, as Muslims, owe much to Thomas Jefferson who authored those words and who also laid out the basis for the protection of religious minorities that we still benefit from today. When these ideas were debated at the time, It was explicitly argued that even if someone was Muslim, they should be allowed to practice their faith.
This stems from the well of natural philosophy that holds that in order for a person to be fulfilled and whole and free, then they need to be able to be true to their thoughts and beliefs. To force someone into a particular set of beliefs, against their will, is a violation of what it is to be human. In many ways, this radical idea of freedom seems opposed to Islam, which has the meaning of submission to God. However, it is in the exercise of our freedom to choose that relationship with God that we are fulfilled.
Here in America, freedom is like the air we breathe. As Muslims, we take advantage of this freedom by choosing to submit to God. And we do it under the same protection, using the same freedom that queer people use to find their way and to live their lives. Restricting their freedoms, denying them their space in our public places, restricts the freedom for all of us. We may disagree with their lifestyle, but it is incumbent upon us to protect their right to pursue their happiness, just as we expect our right to pursue happiness to be protected. Freedom is the air we breathe; if we cut off the air to anyone who follows a path we disagree with, we endanger our own existence. It is well known that Muslims are forbidden to eat pork. However, there is a caveat that they may do so if it is necessary to sustain life. This permission for necessity can also be applied to this concept of freedom. Even if we disagree with how someone exercises their freedom, we will protect that freedom, because it is necessary for our own lives.
Finally, we need to be aware of the whole picture of our times and place in them. There are many issues which should receive more attention from Muslims than our neighbors sexuality. This focus by some on attacking the queer community serves as a distraction from more important issues such as the destruction of the ability of our planet to sustain life as we are accustomed to it. We see across the Muslim lands that our brothers and sisters are beset by the ravages of climate change. This should be our primary focus as Muslims living in America; to do what we can to encourage our government to address the climate crisis, not to gang up on vulnerable groups
