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Homosexuality in Islam: Critical Reflection on Gay, Lesbian, and Transgender Muslims
The first English-language book length treatment to offer a detailed analysis of how Islamic scripture, jurisprudence, and hadith can accommodate homosexuality and transgenderism.
352 pages, Paperback
First published February 1, 2010
93 people are currently reading
1921 people want to read
About the author
Scott Siraj al-Haqq Kugle
4 books36 followersScott Kugle joins the Department of Middle Eastern and South Asian Studies in Fall 2010. He received his PhD from Duke University in 2000 in History of Religions after graduating from Swarthmore College with High Honors in Religion, Literature, and History. His dissertation, In Search of the Center: Authenticity, Reform and Critique in Early Modern Islamic Sainthood, examined Sufism in North Africa and South Asia. His fields of expertise include Sufism, Islamic society in South Asia, and issues of gender and sexuality. He is the author of four books and numerous articles, including Sufis and Saints' Bodies: Mysticism, Corporeality and Sacred Power in Islamic Culture (UNC Press, 2007) and Homosexuality in Islam: Critical Reflection on Gay, Lesbian and Transgender Muslims (Oneworld Publications, 2010). He conducts research in India and Pakistan; his research languages are Arabic, Urdu, and Persian. Before coming to Emory, Kugle was an Assistant Professor of Religion at Swarthmore College and, most recently, a research scholar at the Henry Martyn Institute for Islamic Studies, Inter-Religious Dialogue, and Conflict Resolution in Hyderabad, India.
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June 29, 2023
I first read this and wrote the review below (of which I've received more DMs than anything else I've written on Goodreads) in 2013. A decade on we are more divided than ever in our culture wars. And for me gender issues and sexual orientation and our viewpoints on it are largely based on culture and patriarchy frankly. Like many other issues which Kugle addresses, including slavery and polygymy, I have no doubt that our biological, psychological, spiritual and scientific understandings of the human mind and body chemistry will make many of these discussions seem irrelevant in coming decades. Quran 57:6 talks about the alteration of night and day and of God knowing what lies in our innermost hearts. A bit of study of current scientific knowledge will show that we all possess the traits of both genders within us much as God does in God's own nature as God is beyond gender or comprehension yet manifests it all. Further, fluidity is seen in our chemical makeups - each and every one of us is unique in that respect - and a slightly different chemical balance will cause vast differences in how we perceive our world. This book's arguments remain as powerful and relevant as ever and should be a challenge to at least engage the questions Kugle raises and the meticulous Hadith sourcing he uses to answer them. Islam has had an incredible history of not only embracing scientific knowledge and accepting its conclusions as clarity on God's creation but has often taken things a step further and pushed the boundaries of contemporary accepted truth in the ultimate search for true justice for everyone. My hope is that our extremely male dominated religion can have the courage to listen to these arguments and to listen to the cries of the oppressed for that is what Islam has claimed to be about from the start. In this case, the oppressed or the least of these, the lowest to many Muslims are often those with gender identities outside of the patriarchal norm. Here's the review/thoughts I had in 2013:
This is a book written by a Muslim scholar for the purposes of challenging Muslim viewpoints and beliefs. Out of necessity it will base its entire premise on the Qur'an and, to the best of its abilities, will also base its argument on what we know of the Prophet Muhammad's (pbuh) words. At times this could be tedious for a reader who is not religious or Muslim as it assumes a belief in the authenticity of the Qur'an and its divine authority over our lives. To that end, the arguments in the book delve in great detail into the complex intricacies and minutiae of Qur'anic interpretation and Hadith transmission and interpretation as practiced by Muslim jurists and scholars over the centuries. Yet it is precisely this detail of Islamic theological and sociological examination that makes the arguments presented in the book so powerful.
Some background on me as this review weaves in and out of lived experience: I am a heterosexual Muslim convert/revert after having been raised in and committed to the Christian faith. For many years I was a professed agnostic before making my conversion to Islam. I am a nonsectarian Muslim despite the fact that my daily practice could be said to follow the Sunni tradition. I have studied equally under both Sunnis and Shiites during and after my time in graduate school, and it was a Shiite Sufi scholar who heavily influenced my final steps to Islam.
I came to the Islamic faith because I have found no other that best expresses my commitment to the idea of what we in Islam call Tawhid - or the idea that there is only ONE - Allah. This singular unity is expressed and worshipped in and through the Islamic faith and it is this idea of Tawhid that is central to Kugle's arguments. Tawhid requires that we do the utmost in our lives to eliminate oppression and injustice in order that all may experience the Qur'anic ideal of equality. It is a radical notion of love, of both Allah and Allah's reflection in humanity, that requires this of us. Kugle shares my vision of Tawhid, although his arrival at Islam was from a significantly different path than my own.
From the start, Kugle calls us to a radical re-evaluation of the practices of Islam. He never refutes the Qur'an, nor does he discard Shari 'a. Shari 'a - simplified - is the set of laws and moral guidelines that govern Islamic life. Despite the often negative connotations in the West, Shari 'a is humanity's attempt to live out the message of God as described in the Qur'an. Everything from political governance to private prayer life is spelled out in the Shari 'a. Shari 'a is nothing but the pragmatic application in lived experience of Qur'anic principles. Over the centuries jurists have attempted to make literal sense of the Qur'an through the Shari 'a. It is precisely in this regard that we as Muslims are faced with perhaps our greatest challenge. How do we incorporate the laws of God into daily practice, and who is it that has the authority to make these laws?
In Qur'an 20:114, The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) says "My Lord! Increase me in knowledge." We are encouraged through this and other verses to internalize the Qur'an, reflect on its meanings and to hold everything we do up to the light of the Qur'an. In answer to the above question, Kugle posits that we are all to practice ijtihad or "independent reasoning" when it comes to our lived experience of faith as understood in the Qur'an. This should not be (as is so commonly the case today) the job primarily of jurists or religious authorities in the Muslim world. Islam was originally meant to be a decentralized religion. The Prophet (pbuh) took on a life of poverty in order to have closer solidarity with the members of his community and to attempt to reduce any elitist pretensions as perceived in his earthly life. There is no centralized authority in Islam as in other religions and even imams do not carry the same status as pastors or rabbis. This is all part of the principles expressed in Tawhid - we are reflections of the singular unity, and in turn our lives are meant to be reflections of the Qur'an with no intermediary between us and Allah. No one in theory is to have more importance than anyone else in expressing the Islamic faith and life. It all goes back to the Qur'an, and the Qur'an is to be the final authority as it alone is the Word of God.
From this foundational understanding, Kugle then dissects how the law has been built up over the centuries and how homosexuality has come to be declared haram or forbidden. He shows that the laws around homosexuality have been established primarily based on Hadith or sayings of the Prophet (pbuh). These sayings have been passed down through chains of transmission or isnad. Kugle shows numerous examples of how the chains of transmission around the Hadiths concerning homosexuality and their punishments are open to debate. Many of the Hadiths referring to punishment for homosexuality rely on one transmitter, Ikirma, who was a slave of Ali, the Prophet's cousin and the fourth Caliph in the Sunni tradition. Ikirma was known by many to be one who exaggerated and was considered by some jurists to not be a reliable source. This was due to several reasons, including his being a member of a splinter sect that took a stand against the early Muslim community. Kugle then elaborates on the history of Hadith transmission and shows the influences of society, tradition and culture that have taken root over time and impacted how a particular Hadith is interpreted and applied, not to mention how the Qur'an itself is interpreted and applied.
It is this interpretation of the Qur'an that Kugle turns to in order to evaluate the passages most commonly used to declare homosexuality haram. In the passages which refer to "the deeds of the tribe of Lot" as later jurists have described them, Kugle effectively shows that there is more than one interpretation. He argues that the primary sin of the tribe of Lot - for which they were destroyed - was of joining partners with Allah and rebelling against the authority of Allah. Sexual violence, according to Kugle, was the emphasis here over and against homosexuality in and of itself. Yes homosexual rape was used, but it was the violence and rebellion against Allah that was focus of the passage.
It is interesting to note that sodomy as a term is never once mentioned in the Qur'an. Nor is there any reference in Hadith to the Prophet (pbuh) himself ever accusing an individual of homosexuality or carrying out a sentence for homosexuality. It is areas such as these in which Kugle argues for a reinterpretation in the light of the entirety of the Qur'an and its overwhelming emphasis on justice.
Kugle goes on to tackle the complex issues of sexuality as compared to classical Islamic understanding. He attempts to show how Islam has historically oversimplified gender identification into the clearly delineated male/female binary as anatomically and physically expressed. If we incorporate the understandings of the present day, and of members of the LGBTQ community, we are coming to see -with irrefutable scientific proof - that gender identification is a much more complex process than its outward manifestation. Internally there are great psychological considerations that come into play. Sexuality is much more than the act itself. It is the totality of a person's essence - both internal and external that comprise sexuality. Kugle's key question is: How does the Qur'an speak to us in light of this knowledge? How can we make room for all of God's humanity in a spirit of equality? How does the Oneness or non-duality of Allah inform gender issues?
One of the primary problems that both Kugle and this reviewer recognize in our time is that any questioning of Islamic authority is immediately shut down with accusations of "innovation". It is, in my experience, the common conception that any challenging of conventional Shari 'a or Hadith transmission is an attempt to reform the faith as it was originally presented. Yet is this the case? Could the opposite actually be true? That is, could innovation have crept into early understandings of Hadith and Fiqh (jurisprudence) over the centuries due to tradition and political expedience - thus requiring us to return to the source which is the Word of God in the Qur'an? Kugle argues yes, and unless we are willing to say that jurists and scholars are infallible, we must also admit that this could be the case. So, is a return to a re-interpretation of the Qur'an in an attempt to discern its true meaning necessary in our time? This is an open-ended question that Kugle leaves to the reader. As he expresses in his introduction, he is not attempting to state a final decision, but to start a discussion. Homosexuality in Islam is a complex deeply-rooted issue and even broaching this topic will be problematic for many if not most.
There is a lot more that I could say on this work as it covers so much ground, but I will stop here. This is an extremely important book, one of the most important I've ever read, as it encourages and challenges all of us as Muslims to think and examine our faith and to constantly hold it up to the ultimate standard in the form of the Qur'an. We must constantly interpret what the Qur'an is saying during changing times and circumstances with an open mind to what Allah is telling us. The ultimate truth is one and unchanging, but its reflection on earth and in our lives will take on different forms as previously unknown discoveries come to light. As Kugle says, this has been true in the expansion of the Muslim community, astronomical knowledge and the issues of slavery and polygamy. Now he is calling us to a re-examination of patriarchy in our time and how it affects the various views we have on sexuality.
This is a book written by a Muslim scholar for the purposes of challenging Muslim viewpoints and beliefs. Out of necessity it will base its entire premise on the Qur'an and, to the best of its abilities, will also base its argument on what we know of the Prophet Muhammad's (pbuh) words. At times this could be tedious for a reader who is not religious or Muslim as it assumes a belief in the authenticity of the Qur'an and its divine authority over our lives. To that end, the arguments in the book delve in great detail into the complex intricacies and minutiae of Qur'anic interpretation and Hadith transmission and interpretation as practiced by Muslim jurists and scholars over the centuries. Yet it is precisely this detail of Islamic theological and sociological examination that makes the arguments presented in the book so powerful.
Some background on me as this review weaves in and out of lived experience: I am a heterosexual Muslim convert/revert after having been raised in and committed to the Christian faith. For many years I was a professed agnostic before making my conversion to Islam. I am a nonsectarian Muslim despite the fact that my daily practice could be said to follow the Sunni tradition. I have studied equally under both Sunnis and Shiites during and after my time in graduate school, and it was a Shiite Sufi scholar who heavily influenced my final steps to Islam.
I came to the Islamic faith because I have found no other that best expresses my commitment to the idea of what we in Islam call Tawhid - or the idea that there is only ONE - Allah. This singular unity is expressed and worshipped in and through the Islamic faith and it is this idea of Tawhid that is central to Kugle's arguments. Tawhid requires that we do the utmost in our lives to eliminate oppression and injustice in order that all may experience the Qur'anic ideal of equality. It is a radical notion of love, of both Allah and Allah's reflection in humanity, that requires this of us. Kugle shares my vision of Tawhid, although his arrival at Islam was from a significantly different path than my own.
From the start, Kugle calls us to a radical re-evaluation of the practices of Islam. He never refutes the Qur'an, nor does he discard Shari 'a. Shari 'a - simplified - is the set of laws and moral guidelines that govern Islamic life. Despite the often negative connotations in the West, Shari 'a is humanity's attempt to live out the message of God as described in the Qur'an. Everything from political governance to private prayer life is spelled out in the Shari 'a. Shari 'a is nothing but the pragmatic application in lived experience of Qur'anic principles. Over the centuries jurists have attempted to make literal sense of the Qur'an through the Shari 'a. It is precisely in this regard that we as Muslims are faced with perhaps our greatest challenge. How do we incorporate the laws of God into daily practice, and who is it that has the authority to make these laws?
In Qur'an 20:114, The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) says "My Lord! Increase me in knowledge." We are encouraged through this and other verses to internalize the Qur'an, reflect on its meanings and to hold everything we do up to the light of the Qur'an. In answer to the above question, Kugle posits that we are all to practice ijtihad or "independent reasoning" when it comes to our lived experience of faith as understood in the Qur'an. This should not be (as is so commonly the case today) the job primarily of jurists or religious authorities in the Muslim world. Islam was originally meant to be a decentralized religion. The Prophet (pbuh) took on a life of poverty in order to have closer solidarity with the members of his community and to attempt to reduce any elitist pretensions as perceived in his earthly life. There is no centralized authority in Islam as in other religions and even imams do not carry the same status as pastors or rabbis. This is all part of the principles expressed in Tawhid - we are reflections of the singular unity, and in turn our lives are meant to be reflections of the Qur'an with no intermediary between us and Allah. No one in theory is to have more importance than anyone else in expressing the Islamic faith and life. It all goes back to the Qur'an, and the Qur'an is to be the final authority as it alone is the Word of God.
From this foundational understanding, Kugle then dissects how the law has been built up over the centuries and how homosexuality has come to be declared haram or forbidden. He shows that the laws around homosexuality have been established primarily based on Hadith or sayings of the Prophet (pbuh). These sayings have been passed down through chains of transmission or isnad. Kugle shows numerous examples of how the chains of transmission around the Hadiths concerning homosexuality and their punishments are open to debate. Many of the Hadiths referring to punishment for homosexuality rely on one transmitter, Ikirma, who was a slave of Ali, the Prophet's cousin and the fourth Caliph in the Sunni tradition. Ikirma was known by many to be one who exaggerated and was considered by some jurists to not be a reliable source. This was due to several reasons, including his being a member of a splinter sect that took a stand against the early Muslim community. Kugle then elaborates on the history of Hadith transmission and shows the influences of society, tradition and culture that have taken root over time and impacted how a particular Hadith is interpreted and applied, not to mention how the Qur'an itself is interpreted and applied.
It is this interpretation of the Qur'an that Kugle turns to in order to evaluate the passages most commonly used to declare homosexuality haram. In the passages which refer to "the deeds of the tribe of Lot" as later jurists have described them, Kugle effectively shows that there is more than one interpretation. He argues that the primary sin of the tribe of Lot - for which they were destroyed - was of joining partners with Allah and rebelling against the authority of Allah. Sexual violence, according to Kugle, was the emphasis here over and against homosexuality in and of itself. Yes homosexual rape was used, but it was the violence and rebellion against Allah that was focus of the passage.
It is interesting to note that sodomy as a term is never once mentioned in the Qur'an. Nor is there any reference in Hadith to the Prophet (pbuh) himself ever accusing an individual of homosexuality or carrying out a sentence for homosexuality. It is areas such as these in which Kugle argues for a reinterpretation in the light of the entirety of the Qur'an and its overwhelming emphasis on justice.
Kugle goes on to tackle the complex issues of sexuality as compared to classical Islamic understanding. He attempts to show how Islam has historically oversimplified gender identification into the clearly delineated male/female binary as anatomically and physically expressed. If we incorporate the understandings of the present day, and of members of the LGBTQ community, we are coming to see -with irrefutable scientific proof - that gender identification is a much more complex process than its outward manifestation. Internally there are great psychological considerations that come into play. Sexuality is much more than the act itself. It is the totality of a person's essence - both internal and external that comprise sexuality. Kugle's key question is: How does the Qur'an speak to us in light of this knowledge? How can we make room for all of God's humanity in a spirit of equality? How does the Oneness or non-duality of Allah inform gender issues?
One of the primary problems that both Kugle and this reviewer recognize in our time is that any questioning of Islamic authority is immediately shut down with accusations of "innovation". It is, in my experience, the common conception that any challenging of conventional Shari 'a or Hadith transmission is an attempt to reform the faith as it was originally presented. Yet is this the case? Could the opposite actually be true? That is, could innovation have crept into early understandings of Hadith and Fiqh (jurisprudence) over the centuries due to tradition and political expedience - thus requiring us to return to the source which is the Word of God in the Qur'an? Kugle argues yes, and unless we are willing to say that jurists and scholars are infallible, we must also admit that this could be the case. So, is a return to a re-interpretation of the Qur'an in an attempt to discern its true meaning necessary in our time? This is an open-ended question that Kugle leaves to the reader. As he expresses in his introduction, he is not attempting to state a final decision, but to start a discussion. Homosexuality in Islam is a complex deeply-rooted issue and even broaching this topic will be problematic for many if not most.
There is a lot more that I could say on this work as it covers so much ground, but I will stop here. This is an extremely important book, one of the most important I've ever read, as it encourages and challenges all of us as Muslims to think and examine our faith and to constantly hold it up to the ultimate standard in the form of the Qur'an. We must constantly interpret what the Qur'an is saying during changing times and circumstances with an open mind to what Allah is telling us. The ultimate truth is one and unchanging, but its reflection on earth and in our lives will take on different forms as previously unknown discoveries come to light. As Kugle says, this has been true in the expansion of the Muslim community, astronomical knowledge and the issues of slavery and polygamy. Now he is calling us to a re-examination of patriarchy in our time and how it affects the various views we have on sexuality.
July 25, 2016
It took me a while to read this book as I had a lot of other books for university to read. However, when I started to read it I could not put it down.
I am a heterosexual Muslim who is a big supporter of LGBT rights. I love reading yaoi but at the same time I am a practicing Muslim. I never really thought about how LGBT rights conflicted with Islamic teachings. To me, I saw the two things as being separate. I only started to really think about it when the Orlando shooting happened. If you are a gay Muslim there are two types of advice offered to you from two different groups. A Muslim will tell you that homosexuality is a sin so you should repent and resist the temptation. Western neo-atheists/Islamophobes will tell you that Islam is a homophobic religion so you should give up being a Muslim or continue to be a Muslim and oppress your sexuality. Both pieces of advice is useless. You cannot tell someone to give up their faith. It is not so simple to switch off your belief in God like it is to turn off a water tap. That is not how it works.
I got so mad at this. Where do LGBT Muslims go when they are ostracised from both sides? They are rejected by the Muslim community for being gay. They are rejected by the west for being Muslim. That was when I remembered that I had this book that I still had not read.
Kugle's book directly addresses this problem that LGBT Muslims face. He challenges the widely accepted rhetoric from imams and scholars alike that Islam sees homosexuality as a sin. He does this through examining Quranic verses that are often cited as condemning homosexuality, hadiths that are allegedly reports of homosexuality and the socio-historical context of homosexuality in the Islamic world. Kugle's aim is not to convince the reader to accept homosexuality. He is simply offering an alternative interpretation to those Muslims who want to seek it.
Kugle argues that there is no direct reference to homosexuality in the Quran. The word 'sodomy' is not even used from the Quran. The 'reference' supporters of anti-homosexual practices cite is the story of Lot. Amongst the people of Lot's crimes is listed their lust for other men. This is the main part people use to prove homosexuality is forbidden within Islam. Kugle argues that this is taking the verse out of context in the same way Islamophobes take the 'kill them wherever you find them' verse out of its context so that it is saying something else. Kugle states that the verse is condemning homosexual rape i.e. sexual violence rather than homosexuality itself. He is very detailed in his examination and gives a long explanation of Arabic words and their most accurate translations in English. It is clear Kugle has thought deeply of this subject and has put a lot of effort into the research of this subject.
Kugle moves on to examine hadith as well and notes how all hadiths pertaining to the status of LGBT people comes from one narrator called Ikrima. He continues to question the reliability of Ikrima as a narrator who was known to exaggerate things a lot. He also happened to be a psychopath who took part in a splintered group that went on killing rampages.
I could go on and on about the different sections in this book and explain why each of them are so brilliantly written and convincing. However, that would take too long. This book is a important read for everyone interested in the place of homosexuality in Islam and vice versa. This book should get more attention and it is sad to see that the divisive works of Sam Harris and others like him are getting sold more than this book. Kugle's research and insight has the power to start a debate in Islam and could be the key to re-introducing the more tolerant views of homosexuality that prevailed in the Islamic Golden Age.
Of course anything challenging the fixed status quo will be met with reluctance, disgust, and even outright rejection. The latter is an un-Islamic reaction as the Quran clearly states that it is the duty of every Muslim, female or male, to seek more knowledge. "Read!" was what the angel Gabriel told the prophet (P.B.U.H) and so read is what every Muslims is to do. There is no excuse in Islam for ignorance.
I can't help but feel if more people had read this book then maybe the tragedy of the Orlando shooting could have been avoided. Omar Mateen was a monster but maybe it was the lack of support, understanding, and insight that created that monster within him. I want to be positive and hope that Kugle's book will open the doors for more scholars to write books about this issue. Kugle has started a discussion but it is up to everyone else if they want to continue that discussion.
I am a heterosexual Muslim who is a big supporter of LGBT rights. I love reading yaoi but at the same time I am a practicing Muslim. I never really thought about how LGBT rights conflicted with Islamic teachings. To me, I saw the two things as being separate. I only started to really think about it when the Orlando shooting happened. If you are a gay Muslim there are two types of advice offered to you from two different groups. A Muslim will tell you that homosexuality is a sin so you should repent and resist the temptation. Western neo-atheists/Islamophobes will tell you that Islam is a homophobic religion so you should give up being a Muslim or continue to be a Muslim and oppress your sexuality. Both pieces of advice is useless. You cannot tell someone to give up their faith. It is not so simple to switch off your belief in God like it is to turn off a water tap. That is not how it works.
I got so mad at this. Where do LGBT Muslims go when they are ostracised from both sides? They are rejected by the Muslim community for being gay. They are rejected by the west for being Muslim. That was when I remembered that I had this book that I still had not read.
Kugle's book directly addresses this problem that LGBT Muslims face. He challenges the widely accepted rhetoric from imams and scholars alike that Islam sees homosexuality as a sin. He does this through examining Quranic verses that are often cited as condemning homosexuality, hadiths that are allegedly reports of homosexuality and the socio-historical context of homosexuality in the Islamic world. Kugle's aim is not to convince the reader to accept homosexuality. He is simply offering an alternative interpretation to those Muslims who want to seek it.
Kugle argues that there is no direct reference to homosexuality in the Quran. The word 'sodomy' is not even used from the Quran. The 'reference' supporters of anti-homosexual practices cite is the story of Lot. Amongst the people of Lot's crimes is listed their lust for other men. This is the main part people use to prove homosexuality is forbidden within Islam. Kugle argues that this is taking the verse out of context in the same way Islamophobes take the 'kill them wherever you find them' verse out of its context so that it is saying something else. Kugle states that the verse is condemning homosexual rape i.e. sexual violence rather than homosexuality itself. He is very detailed in his examination and gives a long explanation of Arabic words and their most accurate translations in English. It is clear Kugle has thought deeply of this subject and has put a lot of effort into the research of this subject.
Kugle moves on to examine hadith as well and notes how all hadiths pertaining to the status of LGBT people comes from one narrator called Ikrima. He continues to question the reliability of Ikrima as a narrator who was known to exaggerate things a lot. He also happened to be a psychopath who took part in a splintered group that went on killing rampages.
I could go on and on about the different sections in this book and explain why each of them are so brilliantly written and convincing. However, that would take too long. This book is a important read for everyone interested in the place of homosexuality in Islam and vice versa. This book should get more attention and it is sad to see that the divisive works of Sam Harris and others like him are getting sold more than this book. Kugle's research and insight has the power to start a debate in Islam and could be the key to re-introducing the more tolerant views of homosexuality that prevailed in the Islamic Golden Age.
Of course anything challenging the fixed status quo will be met with reluctance, disgust, and even outright rejection. The latter is an un-Islamic reaction as the Quran clearly states that it is the duty of every Muslim, female or male, to seek more knowledge. "Read!" was what the angel Gabriel told the prophet (P.B.U.H) and so read is what every Muslims is to do. There is no excuse in Islam for ignorance.
I can't help but feel if more people had read this book then maybe the tragedy of the Orlando shooting could have been avoided. Omar Mateen was a monster but maybe it was the lack of support, understanding, and insight that created that monster within him. I want to be positive and hope that Kugle's book will open the doors for more scholars to write books about this issue. Kugle has started a discussion but it is up to everyone else if they want to continue that discussion.
September 18, 2017
I finally finished this! It's the kind of book I wanted to tear through, but couldn't, because it's non-narrative nonfiction, so I had to read it in small bits in order to absorb. I am not an expert on homosexuality in Islam, by any means, and so I'm not well-versed in what other progressive scholars have said, but I was intrigued by his analysis. Kugle is a USAmerican Muslim, and also a scholar of Islam. This book is helpfully broken down by source of argument, so he devotes different chapters to the Qur'an, hadith, fiqh, and so on, a structure which I found to be very helpful in methodically thinking through the issues at hand. He includes not only gay and lesbian Muslims, but also transgender Muslims, in his discussion, and given that this book is over ten years old, it's extremely prescient in its inclusion of the trans community. His focus on the inclusion of Muslims living outside of the Arab countries is also refreshing. I was also interested to see how similar his interpretation of the Qur'anic story of Sodom/Gomorrah/Lot is to what progressive Christians and Jews say: it's about rape, not homosexuality. The conclusion of the book also makes a compelling case for what Kugle calls "radical tawhid," arguing that reifying Islamic jurisprudence after the death of the Prophet is a form of idolatry. Fascinating read.
August 15, 2017
A mammoth of an effort, very brave, and very laudable.
If you really want to read about the depth with which the issue of sexual orientation & gender identity has been faced with, this book goes very deep. There has been so much tribulation in terms of how the debate gets smothered & diverted by prejudices, the use of weak single-transmission hadiths even by religious authorities, the misinterpretation of Qur'anic verses, & of course, the ever-stubborn oppressiveness of patriarchy that coerces & violently imposes strict gender roles for everyone. The Prophet never punished anyone for their gender and sexual identity during his time and no punishment is stated in the Qur'an either. Punishments and prejudice that have persisted till today have been the construction of humans and later scholars and jurists.
The book exposes how the image of consensus over the ruling for homosexuality in Islam is an illusion -- there is in fact a lot of contention, and alternative readings are possible, but do not get institutional power on their side to get the level of dissemination that gives them the voice of legitimacy and authority, regardless of the qualifications and legitimacy of the scholars. It also goes into detail the way different schools of law deal with homosexuality, which I found difficult to get through (lol) but still interesting. Also interesting was how Kugle pointed out the instances where transgender & gay individuals were acknowledged by the Prophet and the space they have occupied in Muslim society for a long time. Gay and intersex custodians even watched over the Prophet's tomb (they were later chased out by Ibn al-Wahhab in modern times..)
And of course one can't deal with this question without going into discussion over the verses of Lot. In the Christian tradition I know that it is easier to get a more liberating reading of the Lot narrative from the bible, but this book also provides ample evidence of how the Lot narrative in the Qur'an is in fact largely about something other than the sex-act of sodomy, which Muslims are obsessed with when discussing homosexuality. What was punished by God was in fact male rape of men as an act of power and domination against guests, on top of a host of charges including highway robbery, grave inhospitality, and denying Lot's prophethood.
I think what is particularly important are his discussions on how Muslim jurists and religious authorities have grappled with the ambiguities of gender and sexual orientation in modern times. The examples he gives in the book of Imams like Daayie Abdullah who have managed to write up marriage contracts for same-sex couples with minimal changes from contracts drawn for het couples, is encouraging.
If you really want to read about the depth with which the issue of sexual orientation & gender identity has been faced with, this book goes very deep. There has been so much tribulation in terms of how the debate gets smothered & diverted by prejudices, the use of weak single-transmission hadiths even by religious authorities, the misinterpretation of Qur'anic verses, & of course, the ever-stubborn oppressiveness of patriarchy that coerces & violently imposes strict gender roles for everyone. The Prophet never punished anyone for their gender and sexual identity during his time and no punishment is stated in the Qur'an either. Punishments and prejudice that have persisted till today have been the construction of humans and later scholars and jurists.
The book exposes how the image of consensus over the ruling for homosexuality in Islam is an illusion -- there is in fact a lot of contention, and alternative readings are possible, but do not get institutional power on their side to get the level of dissemination that gives them the voice of legitimacy and authority, regardless of the qualifications and legitimacy of the scholars. It also goes into detail the way different schools of law deal with homosexuality, which I found difficult to get through (lol) but still interesting. Also interesting was how Kugle pointed out the instances where transgender & gay individuals were acknowledged by the Prophet and the space they have occupied in Muslim society for a long time. Gay and intersex custodians even watched over the Prophet's tomb (they were later chased out by Ibn al-Wahhab in modern times..)
And of course one can't deal with this question without going into discussion over the verses of Lot. In the Christian tradition I know that it is easier to get a more liberating reading of the Lot narrative from the bible, but this book also provides ample evidence of how the Lot narrative in the Qur'an is in fact largely about something other than the sex-act of sodomy, which Muslims are obsessed with when discussing homosexuality. What was punished by God was in fact male rape of men as an act of power and domination against guests, on top of a host of charges including highway robbery, grave inhospitality, and denying Lot's prophethood.
I think what is particularly important are his discussions on how Muslim jurists and religious authorities have grappled with the ambiguities of gender and sexual orientation in modern times. The examples he gives in the book of Imams like Daayie Abdullah who have managed to write up marriage contracts for same-sex couples with minimal changes from contracts drawn for het couples, is encouraging.
January 2, 2022
Such an amazing and thought-provoking read! I highly recommend it to anyone who would like to consider a different reading of the Islamic scripture, Hadith, and Fiqh as related to the topics of sexual orientation and gender identity. The fact that the book includes details about how Hadith was collected, preserved, and evaluated, and about the ideologies and methodologies of the different Sunni and Shi'i schools made it even richer and more interesting to me personally.
April 14, 2015
this is an incredibly comprehensive and very critical work. although I'm in the middle pages of the book, I wanted to leave a note here:
the author basically argues that the exclusionary rhetoric against homosexuality in islamic orthodoxy is/has been political. it is partly an outcome of struggles between sects (in hadith forgery section of the book) and has been a tool to ensure conformity to the authority.
according to the book,
1. there is not a direct reference in Quran regarding homosexuality as sinful.
2. the reliability of the hadith about the homosexuality has been criticized by some scholars and is questionable.
third part of the book which I haven't read yet is about fiqh. the book is both informative and critical about these sources and interpretation of them by classical scholars.
here is an inspirational quote:
"A scholar’s critique of hadith and their authenticity is quite similar to someone’s psychoanalytic critique of her or his parents and family. It is a critique that is quite difficult, as it brings up traumatic issues to which there is much emotional resistance, and it implies a questioning of authority that is discouraged by one’s elders and tradition. ... For lesbian, transgender, and gay Muslims, the struggle with family and with religious tradition is linked, especially in the fraught field of arguing through hadith.
These two types of tradition – reports of the Prophet and the power of the family – overlap in intimidating ways. Both constitute the basis of authority in Muslim communities."
Kugle, Scott Siraj al-Haqq (2011-06-30). Homosexuality in Islam (p. 125). Oneworld Publications (academic). Kindle Edition.
the author basically argues that the exclusionary rhetoric against homosexuality in islamic orthodoxy is/has been political. it is partly an outcome of struggles between sects (in hadith forgery section of the book) and has been a tool to ensure conformity to the authority.
according to the book,
1. there is not a direct reference in Quran regarding homosexuality as sinful.
2. the reliability of the hadith about the homosexuality has been criticized by some scholars and is questionable.
third part of the book which I haven't read yet is about fiqh. the book is both informative and critical about these sources and interpretation of them by classical scholars.
here is an inspirational quote:
"A scholar’s critique of hadith and their authenticity is quite similar to someone’s psychoanalytic critique of her or his parents and family. It is a critique that is quite difficult, as it brings up traumatic issues to which there is much emotional resistance, and it implies a questioning of authority that is discouraged by one’s elders and tradition. ... For lesbian, transgender, and gay Muslims, the struggle with family and with religious tradition is linked, especially in the fraught field of arguing through hadith.
These two types of tradition – reports of the Prophet and the power of the family – overlap in intimidating ways. Both constitute the basis of authority in Muslim communities."
Kugle, Scott Siraj al-Haqq (2011-06-30). Homosexuality in Islam (p. 125). Oneworld Publications (academic). Kindle Edition.
April 2, 2013
I had conflicting feelings throughout this book, but I guess that was me being impatient. A really amazing and important read. Scott Kugle does a very good job at presenting a complete and comprehensive study on Islam's view regarding homosexuals and transgenders. The author provides the reader with views of Quran, Hadith (prophetic traditions), and Fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence). He reads very carefully through these sources and criticizes the patriarchal interpretations of the Quran, the acceptance of false hadith, and the focus of jurists only on the outer human form while making their verdicts; dividing people in a binary manner into male and female based on the body shape, overlooking the importance of the inner self and its needs, its diversity.
The author did a great job criticizing all the traditional interpretations and Islamic medieval verdicts. He opened my eyes to many important things about the Quran that I had previously overlooked. However, I think his arguments in proving that Islam welcomes homosexuality aren't as strong as they should be. Nevertheless, he's done a great job helping me accept homosexuals and transgenders not only humanely, but also Islamically.
"When we really observe nature with humility, as the Qur'an urges us to do, how facile we find our simple notions of what is natural!" - Scott Kugle
The author did a great job criticizing all the traditional interpretations and Islamic medieval verdicts. He opened my eyes to many important things about the Quran that I had previously overlooked. However, I think his arguments in proving that Islam welcomes homosexuality aren't as strong as they should be. Nevertheless, he's done a great job helping me accept homosexuals and transgenders not only humanely, but also Islamically.
"When we really observe nature with humility, as the Qur'an urges us to do, how facile we find our simple notions of what is natural!" - Scott Kugle
March 6, 2025
not to be too much of a keyboard warrior but i've come across a few too many deviant books i'll switch my focus after this but once again; western/non muslim people give these books high ratings bc it aligns with their desires and worldview NOT actual islam.
إِنَّكُمۡ لَتَأۡتُونَ ٱلرِّجَالَ شَهۡوَةࣰ مِّن دُونِ ٱلنِّسَاۤءِۚ بَلۡ أَنتُمۡ قَوۡمࣱ مُّسۡرِفُونَ﴿ ٨١ ﴾
• Abdul Haleem:
You lust after men rather than women! You transgress all bounds!’
Qur'an 7:81
the problem with how he (the author) is starting with the INTENTION to "make the hadith and Quran accomodate homosexuality and transgenderism" it's not even PRETENDING to be honest research he already starts with a mission. obviously if you twist and lie enough you'll be able to bamboozle some people. but this is not right as islam is God's guidance and not "do whatever you want" what sense would that make.
some people "convert to islam" without WANTING to accept the faith. rather they want to convert to their version of it that compromises none of their world views or desires. that's not how it works. islam has clear rules and if nothing in you changes after you accept the faith have you accepted it? or are you just giving the blind following of your desires and american ideologies a new label?
إِنَّكُمۡ لَتَأۡتُونَ ٱلرِّجَالَ شَهۡوَةࣰ مِّن دُونِ ٱلنِّسَاۤءِۚ بَلۡ أَنتُمۡ قَوۡمࣱ مُّسۡرِفُونَ﴿ ٨١ ﴾
• Abdul Haleem:
You lust after men rather than women! You transgress all bounds!’
Qur'an 7:81
the problem with how he (the author) is starting with the INTENTION to "make the hadith and Quran accomodate homosexuality and transgenderism" it's not even PRETENDING to be honest research he already starts with a mission. obviously if you twist and lie enough you'll be able to bamboozle some people. but this is not right as islam is God's guidance and not "do whatever you want" what sense would that make.
some people "convert to islam" without WANTING to accept the faith. rather they want to convert to their version of it that compromises none of their world views or desires. that's not how it works. islam has clear rules and if nothing in you changes after you accept the faith have you accepted it? or are you just giving the blind following of your desires and american ideologies a new label?
January 21, 2014
An invigorating and mind expanding read that challenges popular conservative and patriarchal readings of scripture. Some of the discussion can be a bit tedious at times for someone well versed in the usual arguments and terminology but much new and insightful information is presented from classical and modern sources. Kugle argues for a version of Islamic humanism with great deference to classical scholarly maneuvers even while disagreeing with some of their conclusions. This book offers a comprehensive overview and critique of interpretation regarding verses in the Quran, hadith, and scholarly opinions on homosexuality within the Islamic tradition. Kugle offer a plausible and faith affirming read of scripture, which is of great benefit to lesbian, gay, and transgender Muslims and their allies and to anyone who doesn't feel their beliefs are threatened by difference of opinion.
September 7, 2019
I got this book because I was curious if Islam is really that strict about homosexuality as it is shown on news.
As trans grey asexual/lesbian it was interesting to read stuff about homosexuality and it made me think a lot about things. On the other hand I didn't finish this book because when the author started discussion about transgender people it was clear that he doesn't have friends among us because if he did he'd ask them to read that chapter before he sent it to his editor.
Lesson from this book: If you aren’t trans yourself and you want to write about trans stuff, please, consult a trans person before you send it to your editor
As trans grey asexual/lesbian it was interesting to read stuff about homosexuality and it made me think a lot about things. On the other hand I didn't finish this book because when the author started discussion about transgender people it was clear that he doesn't have friends among us because if he did he'd ask them to read that chapter before he sent it to his editor.
Lesson from this book: If you aren’t trans yourself and you want to write about trans stuff, please, consult a trans person before you send it to your editor
October 30, 2011
Amazing, thought provoking, should stir up quite a bit of critical assessment regarding the nature of sexual orientation in the context of Islamic theology, history and law. Basically two types of people will come out from reading this book. One: the person who sat there the whole time saying, this is all false, this is all false, and denying the facts presented. Two: the person who will never look at the theological material regarding this topic the same way ever again.
November 9, 2013
Start here if you want to know about Islam and homosexuality.
September 30, 2024
not focused on trans men / bisexuality / gender-fluidity as much (though he justifies why)--still a foundational text. love!
Want to read
June 6, 2023quite a few people have recommended this - interested to see what take he has
June 29, 2018
scott siraj al-haqq kugle mentions that much of his research process for this book rested on talking to lgt muslims about the work they were doing to understand and live their faith and it shows -- i think the fact that this book sets out to say 'hey, totally possible to work with the quran, to work with hadith, to work with fiqh, and to work with sharia to pursue a theology that doesn't deny lgt muslims a space in their faith -- seriously, we can do this without abandoning anything other than oppression' is impressively ambitious and showcases that a diversity of approach is both possible and being practiced. it is very much a starting ground text and the intro is honest about where its scope is limited (the tl;dr is look guys i'm going to be focusing on gay men, lesbians, and transgender people because for the purposes of this analysis bisexuality falls outside of my parameters; i'm trying to set up a base for people to jump off of and i hope other people build on this)
happy to tell kugle that others have built on his work as he asked; part of what made this an interesting experience for me is that i've read work that constructively builds on and shifts the reading of the people of lut (as) he offers. i'd be interested to see if he's returned to it recently! i'm also now in the mood to read even MORE books on islamic feminism and liberation theology as those are the primary toolkits he draws on for his analysis and he is, blessedly, a man who understands the value of footnotes
(heads up that this is definitely a dense read -- the number of books i read this month was lower than usual for a couple of reasons but one of them was absolutely that i was slowly working my way through this. rewarding if you're the kinda nerd who really likes reading theological detail though!)
4.5 stars
happy to tell kugle that others have built on his work as he asked; part of what made this an interesting experience for me is that i've read work that constructively builds on and shifts the reading of the people of lut (as) he offers. i'd be interested to see if he's returned to it recently! i'm also now in the mood to read even MORE books on islamic feminism and liberation theology as those are the primary toolkits he draws on for his analysis and he is, blessedly, a man who understands the value of footnotes
(heads up that this is definitely a dense read -- the number of books i read this month was lower than usual for a couple of reasons but one of them was absolutely that i was slowly working my way through this. rewarding if you're the kinda nerd who really likes reading theological detail though!)
4.5 stars
April 21, 2023
This was a really eye opening book and really gave me a deeper insight into the way we approach faith and scripture as a society as well as individuals. The author primarily focuses on Sunni theology and relies on Sunni scholars from the various legal schools from classical, medieval, and contemporary eras to create a cohesive and easily understood argument for the acceptance of the lgbt community in Islam. This argument is predicated on two things: firstly, that the sin of the people of lot was not homosexuality, but rather violent sexual coercion, rape, and a denial of god’s word and the prophethood of lot. Secondly, that Hadiths discussing homosexuality are disputed and unclear. The author does a great job of discussing various arguments that are often presented for the impermissibility of homosexuality, and then backs up his own argument with reputable sources from several different eras of history in islamic theology. Overall I learned a lot from this book, particularly that I should be more aware of who I discuss my faith with, and that islamic tradition suffers from a lack of historical criticism within the theological community. My only complaint is that the language regarding trans people is somewhat dated (the book was written a decade ago), though I suppose that is no fault of the author and certainly not intentional.
February 11, 2023
The title of the book sound quite critical, however it is instead a loving tribute to LGBTQ Muslims and how Islam truly has made room for LGBTQ folks before, and may again Inshallah.
That being said it’s very analytical and “Islamic fiqh and jurisprudence (Shariah law) says this…” The author goes out of his way to explain simply and effectively the ideas of Isnad (chain of narration, aka who told us that Hadith?), and other integral aspects of Islamic Law.
That being said it’s very analytical and “Islamic fiqh and jurisprudence (Shariah law) says this…” The author goes out of his way to explain simply and effectively the ideas of Isnad (chain of narration, aka who told us that Hadith?), and other integral aspects of Islamic Law.
November 12, 2023
This book is one of the best, most well researched books I have ever read about LGBT muslims and how we are not Haram. I often recommend it to people.
Read
February 1, 2025In “Liberating Qur’an: Islamic Scripture,” Scott Kugle argues for a form of Qur’anic interpretation that is more inclusive and one divorced from the historically heteropatriarchal traditions that form its foundation.
Kugle harkens back to Islam’s roots as a religion of resistance against oppression, advocating for a revival of that ethos, even as and perhaps especially now that it has attained hegemonic status, applying such a spirit to the disenfranchised within the faith itself. Indeed, he proclaims that subalterns (sexual or otherwise) possess an affinity for the Qur’anic message, endowing them with the “privileged position as interpreters of scripture precisely because they are in a disempowered position,” (37). Seemingly answering the question Salman Rushdie poses in The Satanic Verses – How does Islam behave when it wins or has otherwise secured power? – Kugle asserts that “male-dominated interpretations limit [the Qur’an’s] spiritual potency” (38) at the expense of women and sexual minorities. Therefore, Kugle ascribes an almost deictic quality to the emancipatory potential of the Qur’an to the extent that the current form of exegesis is “both liberating and in need of liberation” (38) in light of its dated biases. He aspires towards an epistemic equality of access to Qur’anic meaning, citing how the “level of formal knowledge of Arabic and Islamic sciences [already a significant barrier to entry] is not sufficient to allow [even learned interpreters] complete mastery over the interpretive arts,” (40) championing an acknowledgement and incorporation of adherents’ lived realities. Moreover, this adaptation to the times should be accommodated on the basis of authorship, that it was “always human beings who [spoke] for the Qur’an” (39) rendering the interpretive process as being amenable to a democratic array of inputs, ideally from those who have been silenced.
Kugle also calls for a reform of the undergirding heteropatriarchal principles which have been historically cemented into Qur’anic interpretations. He is critical of “old tribal pride and patriarchal values” (37), a detrimental influence which became entrenched with the advent of early Muslim conquests and has yet to be revised due to what he describes as “a continuity of cultural prejudice that affected [early Muslim] interpretation and diluted the theory of abrogation,” (62). Even in the 7th century then, the legacy of history appears to constrain the Qur’an already, perhaps complicated further by the reverential attribution of infallibility and inimitability to the text. Purposefully shifting away from literalist perspectives embedded with these prejudices, Kugle emphasises a need to “explain the book’s deeper themes and wider contexts” (54) in order to situate the prevalence of heterosexist paradigms to a specific period in time, better left in the past. If one believes in the Qur’an’s universalistic, liberational nature and its corresponding ability to transcend time, a consideration of the “changing historical conditions [which] open new opportunities to generate insights into [Qur’anic meaning] that was always there but was obscured by the limitations of previous conditions” (40) as Kugle espouses should prove to be a rewarding enterprise.
Kugle harkens back to Islam’s roots as a religion of resistance against oppression, advocating for a revival of that ethos, even as and perhaps especially now that it has attained hegemonic status, applying such a spirit to the disenfranchised within the faith itself. Indeed, he proclaims that subalterns (sexual or otherwise) possess an affinity for the Qur’anic message, endowing them with the “privileged position as interpreters of scripture precisely because they are in a disempowered position,” (37). Seemingly answering the question Salman Rushdie poses in The Satanic Verses – How does Islam behave when it wins or has otherwise secured power? – Kugle asserts that “male-dominated interpretations limit [the Qur’an’s] spiritual potency” (38) at the expense of women and sexual minorities. Therefore, Kugle ascribes an almost deictic quality to the emancipatory potential of the Qur’an to the extent that the current form of exegesis is “both liberating and in need of liberation” (38) in light of its dated biases. He aspires towards an epistemic equality of access to Qur’anic meaning, citing how the “level of formal knowledge of Arabic and Islamic sciences [already a significant barrier to entry] is not sufficient to allow [even learned interpreters] complete mastery over the interpretive arts,” (40) championing an acknowledgement and incorporation of adherents’ lived realities. Moreover, this adaptation to the times should be accommodated on the basis of authorship, that it was “always human beings who [spoke] for the Qur’an” (39) rendering the interpretive process as being amenable to a democratic array of inputs, ideally from those who have been silenced.
Kugle also calls for a reform of the undergirding heteropatriarchal principles which have been historically cemented into Qur’anic interpretations. He is critical of “old tribal pride and patriarchal values” (37), a detrimental influence which became entrenched with the advent of early Muslim conquests and has yet to be revised due to what he describes as “a continuity of cultural prejudice that affected [early Muslim] interpretation and diluted the theory of abrogation,” (62). Even in the 7th century then, the legacy of history appears to constrain the Qur’an already, perhaps complicated further by the reverential attribution of infallibility and inimitability to the text. Purposefully shifting away from literalist perspectives embedded with these prejudices, Kugle emphasises a need to “explain the book’s deeper themes and wider contexts” (54) in order to situate the prevalence of heterosexist paradigms to a specific period in time, better left in the past. If one believes in the Qur’an’s universalistic, liberational nature and its corresponding ability to transcend time, a consideration of the “changing historical conditions [which] open new opportunities to generate insights into [Qur’anic meaning] that was always there but was obscured by the limitations of previous conditions” (40) as Kugle espouses should prove to be a rewarding enterprise.
August 3, 2025
Scott Kugle’s Homosexuality in Islam is a bold and articulate attempt to reconcile Islamic theology with LGBTQ identities. As one of the few scholarly works to tackle this topic head-on, the book makes a significant contribution to both religious and queer discourse. Kugle approaches the subject with compassion and academic rigor, drawing on classical Islamic sources, contemporary scholarship, and personal conviction. However, certain interpretations particularly his readings of specific Quranic verses can feel strained or selectively framed. For readers deeply familiar with Islamic jurisprudence and traditional exegesis, some of Kugle's conclusions may appear unconvincing or theologically ungrounded. His attempt to reinterpret verses traditionally cited in condemnation of homosexuality, while thought-provoking, borders on revisionism in places, which may alienate more orthodox readers. That said, the book is undeniably valuable in initiating necessary conversations within the Muslim world and beyond. Kugle challenges silence and taboo with courage, offering a framework for LGBTQ Muslims seeking spiritual legitimacy and understanding within their faith.
June 20, 2023
Oh boy this took me a long time to read! It is quite dense and incredibly technical for somebody with very little background in Islamic study, but incredibly interesting and very clearly communicated. A great starting block for wider conversations around the interpretations of the Qur'an, Hadith, and Jurists' rulings. And an incredibly important perspective on the role of gay Muslims. The section on transgender Muslims was nuanced and critical but could've done with a couple more perspectives and a bit more research attention - worth mentioning in the book due to people conflating gay and trans experiences when making legal decisions, but probably needed its own book!
So glad I finished reading this and I'll be thinking about it for some time
So glad I finished reading this and I'll be thinking about it for some time
December 7, 2024
I quite like this book. The deep-dive into the differences of Sunni legal schools was insightful and informative, and I appreciate the section describing the science behind hadith verification and the importance of mutawatir versus hadith adah. Of course, the arguments for the inclusion of transgender and homosexual Muslims in the faith is comforting to me and I find myself agreeing with the analysis, but I wish the dismissal of bisexuality at the introduction was reconsidered.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 15, 2022
An essay of coming of age and coming out told in rich detail. Growing up in Boston, it was always liberal but not liberal in Islamic sense.
May 18, 2024
An amazing book, truly.
Even for a person with no deeper knowledge about Islam would be able to read this book, and understand everything.
Even for a person with no deeper knowledge about Islam would be able to read this book, and understand everything.
Read
June 11, 2025solid arguments that opened my eyes. the trans section is outdated though.
December 3, 2014
Very interesting, but I don't know how much it would appeal to readers outside academia.
November 27, 2015
i am thinking that this book will help me to increase my knowledge
January 4, 2022
The Quran has never prohibited homosexuality. The Quran did explicitly prohibit murder, though. When anyone tells me homosexuals should be killed, I tell them I follow the Quran.
January 5, 2015
how can i read this book please help me
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