Homosexuality

Cities of Sodom and Gomorrah are reminders of punishment suffered by the people who committed homosexuality.

In more than one place in His majestic book, Allah has related the story of Lut (Lot). Concerning their destruction, he says: Then, when Our command came to pass, We turned their city upside down and rained upon it stones of baked clay, heaped layer upon layer, marked by your Lord. And they (the stones of punishment) are never far from the wrong doers! (Hud 11: 82-83)

The last warning is for the Muslim Ummah: If they indulge in the practice of homosexuality, Allah's punishment is not far off. The Prophet (Pbuh) cursed homosexuals by repeating three times: "Allah has cursed anyone who does what Lut's people did." And he said: "If you find any persons engaged in homosexuality, kill both the active and the passive partner." Ibn Abbas said: "Find the tallest building in the town and throw the homosexual down from its roof, then stone him to death".

This punishment is based on the analogy of Allah's punishment of Lut's people. There is consensus among Muslims that homosexuality is a major sin, which Allah has prohibited in the following verses: Of all creatures in the world, do you approach males and leave those whom Allah created for you as your mates? But, rather, you transgressors! (Al-Sh'ura 26: 165-166)

In another verse, Allah says concerning His prophet, Lut: Truly, they were an evil people, perverted! (Al-Anbiya 21:84)

The name of this town was Sodom, and its men practised sex with men in addition to many other abominations.

Ibn Abbas describes several traits related to what the people of Lut used to do. Some of these are: Not covering the private parts in front of people of the same sex; whistling with the fingers; opening the shirt to show the chest; wearing long pants which drag the floor; and homosexual sex (or lesbianism).

The Prophet (Pbuh) said: "Lesbianism is Zina between women." Abu Hurairah reported Allah's Messenger (Pbuh) said: "Four types of people awake under Allah's anger and go to bed under Allah's displeasure." Those who were listening asked: "Who are they, Messenger of Allah?" He replied: Men who imitate women, women who imitate men, those who have sex with animals, and men who have sex with men."

It is said that when a man mounts a man, the Divine Throne shakes out of the fear of Allah's wrath and the heavens tremble.

Then the angels start reciting, "Say: 'He is Allah, the One; Allah, the self-sufficient. He does not beget nor is He begotten, and there is none like Him" (Ikhlas 112 1-4) until his wrath subsides.

Among those whom Allah will not look at on the Day of Resurrection, and to whom He will say, "Enter the fire along with those who enter," the Prophet (Pbuh) counted the following: The active and the passive partners in homosexuality; the one who has sex with animals; the one who is married to a woman and her daughter at the same time; and the one who masturbates regularly, unless they repent and reform.

The following are also listed among the abominations of Lut's people: playing backgammon; racing pigeons; holding fights between dogs, rams or roosters; entering bathhouses naked; and cheating with weights and measures.

Ibn Abbas said: "If a homosexual dies without repentance, he is changed into a pig in his grave." (Ibn Al-Jawzi)

The Prophet (Pbuh) said: "Allah will not look at a man who has intercourse with a man or a woman in the anus."

The Punishment inflicted on one who willingly makes himself a passive partner in homosexuality Khalid bin Walid once wrote to Abu Bakr that in a certain place there was a man who invited other men to have sex with him.

Abu Bakr then consulted with the companions of the Prophet (Pbuh) about this. Ali ibn Abi Talib said: "This is that sin which none but the people of Lut have done, and Allah has informed us about how He punished them. In my opinion, he should be killed." So Abu Bakr wrote to Khalid, and Khalid killed him.

It is reported that on one of his journeys Hazrat Isa (Jesus) saw a man being burned by fire. He took some water to throw at him, but all of a sudden the fire turned into a boy and the man turned into a fire. Isa was surprised by this and said: "Lord, return them in the condition they were in this world so that I may ask them about their situation." Thereupon Allah revived them and they were a boy and a man. Isa asked them: "What is the situation with you?"

The man replied: "Spirit from Allah, while I was alive. I was passionately in love with this boy and used to have sex with him. When I died and the boy died, he became fire, which burns me. Then I take turn, and become fire and burn him. Thus, we alternate, and this is our punishment until the Day of Resurrection.