Journal of Civil Rights and Economic Development Volume 26 Issue 3 Volume 26, Spring 2012, Issue 3 Article 2 Islam and Homosexuality: Religious Dogma, Colonial Rule, and the Quest for Belonging Shafiqa Ahmadi Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarship.law.stjohns.edu/jcred This Symposium is brought to you for free and open access by the Journals at St. John's Law Scholarship Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in Journal of Civil Rights and Economic Development by an authorized editor of St. John's Law Scholarship Repository. For more information, please contact
[email protected]. ISLAM AND HOMOSEXUALITY: RELIGIOUS DOGMA, COLONIAL RULE, AND THE QUEST FOR BELONGING SHAFIQA AHMADI * INTRODUCTION It is widely believed that homosexuality is forbidden in Islam. However, a distinction should be made between homosexual acts and homosexual persons. Under the laws of some Islamic countries, homosexual acts are considered a crime and are punishable by death or by isolation, if not actual criminal proceedings. Being a homosexual person and not publicly acting on homosexual feelings, however, is within the bounds of the law in many Muslim countries. These distinctions create a serious clash between Islam and homosexuality. Some argue that this clash is reconcilable, while others push to maintain the perceived severance. While there are liberal Muslims who accept homosexuality and consider it to be natural,1 other Islamic writings on homosexuality consider this identity a perversion that needs to * Shafiqa Ahmadi, J.D. is an Assistant Professor of Clinical Education at the Rossier School of Education at the University of Southern California.