1

Table of Contents

INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................. 2
CHAPTER 1: HOMOSEXUALITY ................................................................. 5
WHAT CAUSES HOMOSEXUALITY? .................................................................... 5
THE VIEW ON HOMOSEXUALITY IN THE WEST ................................................... 6
THE ISLAMIC VIEW ON HOMOSEXUALITY .......................................................... 7
REASONS WHY ISLAM FORBIDS HOMOSEXUALITY............................................. 9
PUNISHMENT OF SODOMY / HOMOSEXUALITY IN ISLAM................................... 10
THE ISSUE OF LGBT RIGHTS ........................................................................... 10
MUSLIMS WITH SAME-SEX ATTRACTIONS ....................................................... 11
HOW OTHER MUSLIMS SHOULD REACT ........................................................... 12
REFUTING THE ARGUMENTS FOR EMBRACING AND CELEBRATING
HOMOSEXUALITY/LGB.................................................................................... 14
DOES THERAPY WORK? ................................................................................... 20
CHAPTER 2: TRANSGENDERS .................................................................. 22
WHY DOES GENDER DYSPHORIA HAPPEN? ...................................................... 22
THE ARGUMENT FOR GENDER IDENTITY .......................................................... 23
REFUTING THE ARGUMENT OF GENDER IDENTITY............................................ 25
WHAT IS ISLAM’S VIEW ON TRANSGENDERISM? .............................................. 29
MENTAL HEALTH............................................................................................. 30
THE TESTIMONY OF DE-TRANSITIONERS .......................................................... 31
WHAT CAN WE DO? ........................................................................................ 32
CHAPTER 3: INTERSEX INDIVIDUALS ................................................... 35
CHAPTER 4: COMMONLY ASKED QUESTIONS ................................... 37
FURTHER RESOURCES ............................................................................... 39
REFERENCES ................................................................................................. 40
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Introduction

The last five decades have seen an exponential rise in people who identify themselves as
inherently different in regards to sexual identity compared to the rest of the world. The term
LGBT first arose in the 90s to describe and identify people with same-sex attractions, or
those who identify with a different gender than their biological sex. Before the late nineteenth
century, the concept of having a distinct sexual identity did not even exist, although such
people certainly did.1 Sodomy was considered a crime in many countries around the world,
including the United Kingdom2 and the United States 3, and it is only recently that opinions
and policies on LGBT have seen such a drastic change. How did this happen?

In the 1950s, with the increasing focus of Western scholars on psychology, there was keen
interest in homosexual behavior. Instead of the word sodomy or same-sex behavior, the word
‘homosexual’ was increasingly used, denoting an identity or a species, not just an action.
Homosexuals were treated in psychiatric wards in hospitals, sometimes against their will.
There was a slow increase of public awareness of this segment of society after the
prosecution of some famous homosexual figures, with some newspapers only referring to it
obliquely and others more openly. Oscar Wilde and Alan Turing are two examples of famous
individuals who were prosecuted for their sexuality. With the slow rise of liberalism, attitudes
towards many previously condemned behaviors began to soften.

France was one of the first European countries to decriminalize sodomy in 1791 4, as
secularism became increasingly central to French philosophy after the French revolution.
Homosexuality became increasingly prominent to the public eye with gay bars opening
around major cities in Europe as well as in the United States, although they were considered
illegal and were often subject to police raids who would arrest those involved in ‘indecent’
acts. In 1908, the first American defense of homosexuality was published by Edward
Stevensen5. Some instances began to appear in books and films, and by the 1920s the
American public was in general relatively tolerant of this subculture, especially in urban
populations. However, homosexuality remained illegal, leading to occasional demonstrations
and protests for gay rights.

In 1969 an important event took place that sparked what we may consider the modern gay
liberation movement. On 27 June 1969 the police raided a gay bar called the Stonewall Inn
which was operating without a license. What was supposed to be a routine raid devolved into
a series of conflicts between gay men, lesbian women and transgenders against police
officers 6. One year later, a march commemorating the event drew thousands of people

1 https://medium.com/queer-history-for-the-people/a-brief-history-of-the-lgbtq-initialism-e89db1cf06e3
2
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1967/60/pdfs/ukpga_19670060_en.pdf
3 https://journalofethics.ama-assn.org/article/decriminalization-sodomy-united-states/2014-11
4
https://pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1203&context=younghistorians
5
https://books.google.com.bh/books/about/The_Intersexes.html?id=FigkR77rdCsC&redir_esc=y
6
https://www.history.com/news/stonewall-riots-timeline
 3

(precursor to the modern day pride march), drawing nationwide publicity and putting LGBT
on the road to liberation7. As discussion and debate about sexuality, gender identity and gay
rights became more and more prominent, several books that expressed how the LGBT
community intended to liberate themselves were written. One of the most popular was After
the Ball: How America Will Conquer its Fear and Hatred of Gays in the 90s, by Marshall
Kirk and Hunter Madsen. Their methods were non-violent, well-thought out and extremely
effective. They included:

● Discuss LGBT. A lot. Normalize the discussion; don’t allow it to remain taboo
● Come out. All those who have been hiding their homosexuality, come out to friends
and family and work towards earning their acceptance and support
● Recruit family and friends to be allies in the gay liberation movement
● Make it unthinkable and terrible to oppose the movement. If anyone disagrees with
the notion that homosexuality or transgenderism is normal or should be accepted and
promoted, then make them look backward, old-fashioned, intolerant, hateful,
homophobic, and bigoted
● Paint gays as superior pillars of society – remind the Western civilization of all the
prominent people in history who were homosexuals
● Increase representation of openly LGBT characters in the media
● Establish legal protections, because if LGBT rights are not written into the law, then
public opinion could swing either way

These methods worked very well. In the last 30 years or so, the LGBT community has won
victory upon victory in the political and social landscape of most Western countries. In 2001
the Netherlands became the first country to legalize same-sex marriage8. In 2003 the
Supreme Court in the USA de-criminalized same-sex activities9. In 2004 same-sex marriage
was first legalized in the USA by the state of Massachusetts 10. Some other states followed
quickly, others resisted as much as they could, but by 2015, USA had legalized gay marriage
throughout the country11. By 2019, 18% of all films released by major studios contained
characters identified as LGBT12.

This brings us to today. Homosexuality and transgenderism are considered normal and are in
fact supported and celebrated in most Western countries. This is especially true of the
younger generations who have grown up in the midst of the rise of the LGBT rights
movements, who have been entertained by queer beloved characters on TV, and who have a
greater sensitivity towards protecting minority rights compared to the previous generations.
The issue of LGBT is viewed as a civil rights issue instead of a sexual behavior issue. This is
also somewhat true for young Muslims. Growing up exposed to this struggle for rights by the

7
https://www.history.com/news/how-activists-plotted-the-first-gay-pride-parades
8
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/gay-marriage-goes-dutch/
9
https://journalofethics.ama-assn.org/article/decriminalization-sodomy-united-states/2014-11
10
https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/first-legal-same-sex-marriage-performed-in-massachusetts
11
https://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/27/us/supreme-court-same-sex-marriage.html
12
https://www.glaad.org/sri/2019/overview
 4

LGBT community, along with the passionate contemporary narrative in favor of LGBT
normalization in the west, has naturally led to an inclination to support their struggles and
feel compassion for them. A general attitude of ‘live and let live’ and ‘everyone is free to do
what they want’ also characterizes the young generation of our time. This leads to a certain
cognitive dissonance when they realize that Islam not only forbids homosexuality and sex
changes, but that most of the Muslim community, including their parents, treat the topic as
taboo. If it ever does come up, their parents and elders shudder in disgust, purse their lips and
shake their heads in disapproval, and do not engage in meaningful discussion on the topic.
They cannot say anything in response to the youth’s questions about why it is not allowed
other than ‘it is immoral/unnatural/indecent/abominable’. The same is true of Islamic books
and literature, most of which will only say that it is forbidden, make sweeping generalizations
about the character of one who engages in such acts, and go on to describe the legal
punishment of homosexuality mentioned by classical scholars. This has led to major
confusion and frustration within the Muslims who want to understand what exactly Islam
says about homosexuality and to reconcile it with their values and beliefs, only to run into
many barriers.

This booklet is being written for those Muslims who genuinely want to understand what to
think about these sensitive topics, what Islam really says about LGBT, what scientific
evidence is there, how to deal with members of the LGBT community, and how to act when
Muslims are the ones struggling with these issues.
 5

Chapter 1: Homosexuality

Most individuals identify as being heterosexual, i.e. they are attracted to members of the
opposite gender. Homosexuality refers to attraction towards members of the same sex. This is
also called ‘being gay’, especially when referring to men, and ‘lesbianism’ when referring to
women. Homosexuality is only one dimension of sexual orientation as it is understood in
modern terms. Other relevant dimensions may include:
● Pansexual – being attracted to anyone regardless of gender
● Bisexual – being attracted to both men and women (may not include transgenders)
● Asexual – not being sexually attracted to anyone

What Causes Homosexuality?

Science has not yielded any definitive answers regarding the cause of homosexuality.
Research does show that it runs in families, i.e. an individual is more likely to identify as
homosexual if they have a family member who also identifies as homosexual 13. Furthermore,
homosexuality in males has been consistently linked to birth order – later-born males are
more likely to be homosexual if they have older brothers born to the same mother 14. The
mechanism of this effect is unknown, but a theory is that it may be linked to some biological
processes during the embryonic phase of a fetus.

But is it genetic? Is sexual orientation completely pre-determined, just like skin color or eye
color? The overall evidence strongly suggests that this is not the case. Dr. Neil Whitehead
reported, after reviewing more than 10,000 academic articles on the subject: “Geneticists,
anthropologists, sociologists, endocrinologists, neuroanatomists, medical researchers into
gender, and twin study researchers are in broad agreement about the role of genetics in
homosexuality. Genes don’t make you do it. There is no genetic determinism, and genetic
influence is at most minor.”15

That is not to say that genes don’t play a role at all. There is strong evidence from twin
studies that there is a small genetic component to homosexuality, with a genome-wide
analysis showing that genetics could account for a maximum of 8-25% variation in same-sex
behavior16. However, there has been little success in identifying specific genes involved in
homosexual behavior. There have been several ‘gay’ genes found by researchers, only for
those claims to be withdrawn or criticized as the findings were not replicated 1718. It will take

13 https://www.healio.com/psychiatry/journals/jpn/1986-1-24-1/%7Bfd1fc3fe-1da3-47e9-a258-
2da9299f6220%7D/study-suggests-homosexuality-may-run-in-families
14 https://www.pnas.org/content/115/2/234
15 https://www.amazon.com/My-Genes-Made-Me-Do/dp/1563841657
16 https://science.sciencemag.org/content/365/6456/eaat7693
17 https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/psychological-medicine/article/abs/genomewide-scan-
demonstrates-significant-linkage-for-male-sexual-orientation/864518601436C95563EA670C5F380343
18 https://science.sciencemag.org/content/284/5414/665
 6

several years, likely decades, to find enough specific genes linked to sexuality to even
account for 5 to 10% of variation in sexuality.

Researchers have speculated that prenatal biological mechanisms are involved in sexual
orientation, although there is also a role of social and psychological mechanisms, especially
during early childhood. The American Association of Psychologists, as well as the American
Association of Psychiatrists, clearly say that sexual orientation is “most likely a result of
complex interaction of environmental, cognitive and biological factors” 19. Studies have
shown that there is a strong link between childhood gender non-conforming behavior and
later homosexuality, but the exact mechanism is not understood20.

Overall, science does not support either those who claim that all homosexual people are born
this way, nor does it support those who say that everyone is born heterosexual and it is a
choice to be attracted to individuals of the same sex. The consensus appears to be that, like
most individual traits in humans, there are several pathways that combine biological and
social factors to determine whether an individual is more attracted to members of the
opposite sex or the same sex, and this pathway may be different for different individuals. In
other words, it is safe to state that science says “we don’t really know” what causes
differences in sexual orientation in humans.

The View on Homosexuality in the West

As discussed in the brief history above, acceptance of homosexuality has risen dramatically
in the past few decades. It is owed mainly to two reasons. First of all, there has been a change
in how same-sex behavior is viewed. Instead of seeing it as a temporary attraction, as an
aberration or out-of-the-ordinary, the narrative has become one of inherent sexual orientation.
One’s sexual orientation is considered part of their identity, like race or gender. The “Born
This Way” argument has convinced many that sexuality is inherent, immutable and
inseparable from oneself. To reject someone’s sexual identity is to reject them. This narrative
has been very conducive to increasing acceptance of various sexual orientations – after all, no
one wants to reject someone just for being who they are.

The other reason for increased acceptance is the decreasing influence of religion and
objective religious values in favor of secular, subjective values. Instead of deriving right and
wrong from revelation or scripture, morality is increasingly being derived from the currently
important values of liberty and equality for everyone. These are held to be self-evident ethics,
and the purpose is to remove as many strictures and restrictions from the lives of people as
possible in order to bestow ‘freedom’ on everyone. The only red line appears to be that
nothing should be done that would infringe on someone else’s bodily autonomy, and no one
should be harmed. Other than this, any other restrictions or concepts of immorality are
considered antiquated and backwards. Furthermore, there is a lack of understanding that

19 http://www.csun.edu/~psp/handouts/APA%20on%20Sexual%20Orientation.pdf
20 https://psycnet.apa.org/record/1987-97006-000
 7

some behaviors are more ‘natural’, or closer to fitrah than others. Instead, the whole concept
of fitrah is denied, and it is believed that if something exists in human behavior, it is by
definition natural – that there is no such thing as unnatural behavior. This view of morality
automatically leads to removal of barriers to any type of consenting relationship.

Having successfully convinced the secular segment of society, proponents of LGBT equality
have actually re-interpreted the scriptures of major religions to claim that any prohibition of
homosexuality is purely imagined or exaggerated (since all religions celebrate ‘love’ and
therefore to claim that they could oppose any loving relationship is considered bigotry and
hatred)21,22,23. This rhetoric has become so strong that anyone who does not agree with this
lifestyle, believes that marriage should be between a man and a woman, or disagrees in any
significant way with the narrative put forth by LGBT activists is labelled a hating, bigoted,
prejudiced, backward, barbaric, crazed religious zealot. Whether or not any hate speech is
actually involved, whether or not the tone is respectful, the objector is shouted down and
shamed – much like the accusations of anti-Semitism every time anyone puts forth a criticism
of Israeli policies or its violations of international law. Thus, the narrative on homosexuality
is very strongly framed in a certain way, and on media and social media at least, it dominates
the conversation so heavily that anyone opposed feels themselves to be alone in their
opinions.

The Islamic View on Homosexuality

First of all, it is important to understand that Islam doesn’t view homosexuality as an inherent
part of one’s identity, nor does it give rulings about people who love others of the same sex.
What it does forbid, however, is any sexual act outside of marriage, as well as the act of
sodomy, which is defined as anal intercourse. The evidence for this is clear in the Quran,
which forbids this behavior through the story of Prophet Lut (AS). This story is mentioned 9
times in the Quran, in the following surahs: A’raaf, Hud, Hijr, Anbiya, Shu’ara, Naml,
‘Ankaboot, Saffat, and Qamar. The clearest verses regarding the prohibition of sodomy are as
follows:

And (remember) Lut, when he said to his people: ‘Do you commit the worst
sin such as none preceding you has committed in the worlds? Verily, you
practice your lusts on men instead of women. Nay, but you are a people
transgressing beyond bounds (by committing great sins)’24
And (remember) Lut! When he said to his people, ‘Do you commit open
vulgarity with your eyes open? Do you practice your lusts on men instead
of women? Nay, but you are a people who behave senselessly.’ There was
no other answer given by his people except that they said: ‘Drive out the

21
https://www.luthercollege.edu/university/academics/impetus/winter-2013-impetus/a-muslim-non-
heteronormative-reading-of-the-story-of-lot-liberation-theology-for-lgbtiq-muslims
22
https://pepperdine-graphic.com/what-does-the-bible-say-about-homosexuality/
23
https://visitmccchurch.com/portfolio/the-bible-and-homosexuality/
24 Al-Quran (7:80-81)
 8

family of Lut from your city. Verily, these are men who want to be clean
and pure!’25
‘What, of all creation will you go to (fornicate with) the males, leaving
aside those whom Allah has created for you as your mates? Nay, but you
are a people of transgressors.’ They said, ‘O Lut! If you do not desist, you
will be one of those expelled (from our towns).’ He said, ‘Truly I deplore
your conduct.’26
These verses very clearly demonstrate that for a man to approach another man in lust is
considered ‘fahisha’ (vulgarity) and transgression. There is no controversy in mainstream
Islam regarding sodomy. All Muslim scholars have agreed unanimously that Islam does not
allow this act, including the four main imams – Abu Haneefa, Shafa’ee, Ahmad bin Hanbal
and Malik. The only disagreement, in fact, is about the legal punishment of sodomy.

What is important to keep in mind, however, is that it is the action which is condemned and
not the emotion or attraction. It is understood that sexual desire is often not in an individual’s
control and usually occurs without intention. Islam does not hold anyone accountable for
what is in their heart or what they desire, even if it is forbidden. Therefore, if someone feels
attracted to someone of their own gender, they are not considered a sinner. However, to act
upon that desire while knowing that it is forbidden is wrong. It is wrong to indulge in, to
justify or to promote what Allah has forbidden and condemned, and those who do so will be
held accountable on the day of judgment.

Some modern writers and speakers have tried to re-interpret the verses regarding the Prophet
Lut (AS) and his people in order to suggest that the Quran is not in fact prohibiting sodomy
or homosexuality. They argue that it is condemning the nation as a whole, who took part in
many other crimes such as shirk, highway robbery, rape, and so on, basing their claim on a
unique interpretation of the following verse:

And [mention] Lot, when he said to his people, "Indeed, you commit such
immorality as no one has preceded you with from among the worlds. Do
you indeed approach men, and cut off the highway?- and practise
wickedness (even) in your councils?" But his people gave no answer but
this: they said: “Bring us the Wrath of Allah if you are truthful.” 27

This verse does condemn highway robbery, but it also condemns sodomy. Some have
claimed that it is only the ‘homophobia’, bigotry or close-mindedness of the Islamic scholars
that has caused the Muslims to consider homosexuality as forbidden for the past 1400 years.
Some even claim that ‘homophobia’ arose in Islam around the 1800s due to European
colonialism and in fact Islam permitted such love before that 28. This is a willful
misinterpretation of Quranic verses to perpetuate the agenda of destroying all opposition to
homosexuality. The verses quoted above clearly show that for men to approach another man
with lustful desire is what is being rejected. It is not a Muslim’s right to deliberately push,
manipulate or misinterpret the words of Allah in order to make them fit a meaning that is

25 Al-Quran (27:54-56)
26 Al-Quran (26:165-168)
27 Al-Quran (29:28-29)
28
https://oneworld-publications.com/homosexuality-in-islam.html
 9

more in line with what he/she believes to be appropriate. The message that is clearly being
conveyed is that to approach a person of the same gender, leaving aside the natural mate that
Allah has created in the opposite gender, is forbidden and condemned. This understanding is
further confirmed by several sayings of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), which refer to the
legal punishment of execution for those who participate in sodomy, such as:

“Whoever you find doing the action of the people of Lut, execute the one who does it and the
one to whom it is done.” 29

Furthermore, there was a complete consensus amongst the companions of the Prophet that
sodomy (called the action of the people of Lut in the above Hadith) was forbidden and was to
be punished with execution, although they differed in what the method of execution should
be. Thus to claim that whether or not sodomy is forbidden in Islam is a matter of
interpretation is a clear attempt at willful misinterpretation. Unfortunately, this
misinterpretation has gained a lot of traction, especially online, and search engines often
present these wrong results on the first pages, resulting in possible proliferation of this false
notion amongst those searching for guidance.

Reasons Why Islam Forbids Homosexuality

This brings us to the burning question, why has Allah (SWT) forbidden sodomy? The main
reason that scholars have presented is that this is not the way of the fitrah (nature). The
sexual union that Allah has created is meant to be enjoyed between husband and wife only
(with the only exception being an owner and a slave woman). We may not seek a different
way to enjoy that pleasure. Another reason is that the main objective of the sexual union is
procreation, and while not every act of sexual intimacy needs to be for the sole purpose of
reproduction, any sexual encounters that completely defeat this purpose and seek only to
satisfy base desire are not encouraged. This is also one of the reasons why anal intercourse is
forbidden even between husband and wife.

Sodomy or homosexuality is also considered not spiritually healthy or uplifting, whereas the
sexual relationship between a husband and a wife that is based on taqwa is half of faith30, and
is a blessed act in Islam. Furthermore, sodomy is considered as disrupting for the social
structure of society, while Islam proposes the basic family unit of man, woman and children.
Islam gives a lot of importance to the basic family unit and wants it to be balanced, healthy
and spiritually elevating. Homosexuality, on the other hand, goes against this basic balance.

However, all these are reasons which we extrapolate and infer based on what we know about
the Shari’ah and Maqasid-al-Shari’ah. The real reason why we consider homosexuality as
forbidden is that Allah forbade it, and Muslims are meant to submit to whatever Allah has
forbidden.

29Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, 1456; Abu Dawood, 4462; Ibn Maajah, 2561. This hadeeth was classed as saheeh by
Shaykh al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Jaami’, no. 6589

30
Narrated by Tabrani 992, classed hasan by Al-Albani
 10

Punishment of Sodomy / Homosexuality in Islam

Sodomy or homosexuality carries a legal punishment in an Islamic state. Most classical

scholars agreed that sodomy was punishable by execution. The Hanafis, however, maintained
that there should be a lighter punishment determined by a judge, such as flogging, instead of
execution (due to the similarity of the offense to fornication). However, as this punishment is
considered a ‘hadd’, it carries many strict conditions before it can be fulfilled, which include
four responsible adult Muslims who have witnessed the act of intercourse through their own
eyes and who are willing to testify so in a court. If they do so, then a legal authority, such as a
judge, appointed by the Islamic state can prescribe the punishment. However, Shari’ah does
not aim to poke into people’s private affairs. If two men or two women commit intercourse
behind closed doors, the Shari’ah is not interested in punishing them for it (unless one of
them confesses on their own). Their accounting will be left up to Allah (SWT). Hence, we
can conclude that executing the punishment of sodomy would be an extremely rare
occurrence in an Islamic state, as it would only happen if the act is committed publicly (so
that four adult Muslims see it happen).

Indeed, that is what we find when we examine the frequency of punishment for
homosexuality across Muslim history. While homosexuality unquestionably existed through
the centuries, there are barely any instances where two individuals were prosecuted and
punished for the act of sodomy, and those that did happen were mostly the result of
confession rather than investigation and prosecution (with a few exceptions). This
demonstrates that while the act is considered a sin, Islamic states do not seek to punish every
wrongdoer and instead only matters that are in the public eye and need to be addressed are
pursued.

The Issue of LGBT Rights

All people, regardless of their actions and lifestyles, are given basic human rights in Islam.
Anyone living in an Islamic state has the right to protection of faith, life, intellect, progeny
and wealth. This is true of even those who are rumored to engage in sinful lifestyles.

There does exist a legal punishment for sodomy, as described above. If the conditions are
met, then such a person may receive punishment, capital or otherwise. However, this does not
mean that citizens and members of the public are responsible or allowed to carry out any
vigilante justice. No individual and no mob has the right to abuse, harm, beat up or kill a
member of society whether or not they identify as LGBT. It does not matter how immoral
their actions are or how offended someone feels by them. There is a very clear line drawn in
Shari’ah between forbidding immorality and taking the law into one’s own hands.

However, this does not mean that an Islamic society encourages, promotes or celebrates an
LGBT lifestyle. Unlike in many Western societies, in Islamic societies they do not and
should not have the right to openly practice their lifestyle, to encourage others to this
behavior, or to marry individuals of the same sex. Under Islamic law, marriage is a union
 11

between a man and a woman. In a Muslim society, if someone is known or suspected to be

engaging in homosexual acts, then people around them may take steps to discourage this
behavior without resorting to harm and violence (these will be discussed later).

Living outside of an Islamic state carries entirely different implications. Muslims who live in
a secular state have entered into an agreement with the state (represented by the government)
to live according to their laws. In most Western countries, these laws now include protection
and promotion of the LGBT community. The LGBT community has fought a battle and won
the legal and social rights to practice their lifestyle openly, to be celebrated and promoted,
and even to be legally married. To speak against them or their lifestyle is a borderline crime
in many places and considered bigotry and homophobia. Muslims living in these states need
to tolerate them politically but not morally. This means that we do not provoke them nor try
to impose our Islamic values on them since they don’t share these values. However, within
our own families and communities we make it clear that such actions go against the
commandments of Islam, and we are not apologetic or defensive about it.

Muslims with Same-Sex Attractions

This is an uncomfortable topic for the elders in the Muslim community. They prefer to think
that homosexuality is very rare, something actively chosen, and something that does not
really happen within the Muslims. Most traditional scholars have also expressed this view in
their books. This has led to the topic being surrounded by silence, shame and confusion in the
younger generations. The truth, however, is not so comfortable or simple. There are Muslims
who experience attraction towards members of the same sex, without choosing to engage in
or cultivate such desires. Instead of using the terms ‘gay Muslims’ or ‘homosexual Muslims’,
the term ‘Muslims with same-sex attractions’ (SSA) might be more appropriate. The West
may consider sexual orientation a part of an individual’s identity, but there is no reason for
Muslims to adopt that narrative. Attractions are just that: attractions and desires. They are not
necessarily a part of who you are.

Muslims with same-sex attractions can fall into three categories:

● Those who try and stay away from sin
● Those who can’t/won’t control themselves and fall into sin
● Those who try to justify it and claim that Islam does not forbid homosexuality

Muslims who are experiencing same-sex attractions while trying to stay away from indulging
their desire deserve our empathy and respect. It is definitely a struggle to have sexual
inclinations that you cannot fully satisfy. If they need counselling or friendship then they
should be offered it without judgment. They should not be avoided or excluded or looked
down on. It is possible that their ranks in the sight of Allah are higher than ours because of
their struggle.

If they want to get married, they may do so (provided the thought of intercourse with the
opposite sex does not totally repel them). Keep in mind that each individual in a marriage has
 12

the right to regular sexual intimacy so they should be willing to engage in it before they
marry. If they would like to marry for companionship but are not willing to engage in
intimacy, it is possible to marry someone of the opposite sex who also has same sex desires
or is asexual and is not seeking sexual intimacy, and who knows beforehand what
arrangement they will be entering. If neither of these is possible, then it is best to remain
celibate, and hope for the best of rewards from Allah (SWT). An excellent resource for those
in such situations is the podcast “A Way Beyond the Rainbow” 31 by Brother Waheed Jensen,
a young Muslim who struggles himself with same-sex desires and discusses this topic and
many related issues in his podcast.

Muslims who experience same-sex attractions and fall into sin need to be reminded that what
they are doing is wrong. Society should disapprove of their actions, not accept them. Those
around them, especially family and friends, should not take on an encouraging stance
regarding their relationships. They should gently and then firmly be dissuaded from their
actions and guided towards receiving counseling and talking to Islamic scholars who can help
without vilifying them.

Finally, Muslims with SSA who openly practice this lifestyle, promoting and celebrating it,
claiming that Islam also supports it or that Islam’s views are outdated/irrelevant/unimportant
are not welcome in Muslim faith communities. Firstly, they should be engaged in dialogue
and debate to convince them that they are in the wrong. If they are not persuaded or refuse to
engage in dialogue, they should be excluded from Muslim communities and circles. They can
move to lands where their lifestyle is celebrated if they prefer. But in Islamic countries and in
Muslim communities, they are not permitted to spread their views and encourage sinful
behavior, and relevant authorities may prosecute them. Still, it should be noted that abuse,
mob justice or murder are in no way permitted, not even for this group.

Remember that the right to sexual intimacy with whoever you want is not a universal right in
Islam. It is only allowed with certain people in certain situations and other than that it is
completely forbidden.

How Other Muslims Should React

For those Muslims who do not have such attractions themselves but encounter people who
do, perhaps even in their private spheres, an important question is how to react to or deal with
LGB individuals. Naturally each situation merits its own consideration, but here are some
general guidelines.

If living in an Islamic state:

● Do NOT engage in physical violence, verbal abuse, public humiliation or spreading

rumors

31
https://awaybeyondtherainbow.buzzsprout.com/
 13

● If someone close to you ‘comes out’ to you: counsel them to seek sensible religious
support. Put them in touch with a scholar or religious figure who will treat them with
respect and kindness while telling them what they can and cannot do, and how they
should think about their future. At a personal level, your interactions with them
should be determined by their actions:
o If they are struggling with their desires but not engaging in them, trying their
best to please Allah, then continue to treat them the way you did before. Do
NOT disclose what they have told you in confidence to other people. You do
not need to avoid them or unfriend them.
o If they are engaged in sins and seeking out same-sex relationships, then
distance yourself from them as you would from any friend engaged in
unhealthy and immoral habits. You should remain polite, greet them, engage
in necessary conversation or polite talk, but do not keep them as a member of
your close circle. You should no longer be close friends. This is due to the
principle mentioned in a Hadith that an individual is upon the
religion/lifestyle of his companion, and therefore one must choose
companions wisely.
o If the friend is a girl who engages in lesbian relationships (or intends to), then
her female acquaintances should strongly consider keeping their hijab on in
front of her, whether or not she is romantically/sexually interested in them.
● If you meet someone in an academic or professional setting who is known to have
same-sex relationships, keep them at a distance and do not form a close friendship
with them. However, you should remain polite. Do not engage in gossip or treat them
in a contemptuous manner. If you have a chance to engage in an honest discussion
about this topic, then talk to them with empathy and concern, and let them know that
Allah (SWT) has prohibited Muslims from engaging in such behavior, and as
Muslims we should all strive to please Him, no matter the difficulty.
● If someone in the community is actively promoting LGBT lifestyles, constantly
engaging in such discussions, flaunting same-sex relationships, encouraging pride
celebrations, insisting that Islam does not forbid homosexuality, then arrange for a
couple of meetings for them with religious figures who can address these issues
properly, who are aware of both sides of the issues and have the right perspective. If
this is ineffective and they do not appear willing to listen, social exclusion and
boycott should be practiced by the rest of the community. They should especially not
be allowed to influence children or teens.

If living in a secular state:

● If you see two people of the same gender engaging in inappropriate behavior in
public, turn away your gaze and ignore it. Do not stare. Also do not yell an insult or
make openly disgusted faces.
● Do not openly preach against their lifestyle. They have been given political
protection by their government, and living in a secular state, you are obliged to
 14

adhere to their laws and so you have to tolerate them politically. If you see their pride
celebrations or brochures, or if someone invites you to such events, tactfully avoid
them.
● Do not tolerate the lifestyle morally. Within your family and faith community, make
it clear that Islam does not approve of these lifestyles and behaviors. Do not be
apologetic or try to reconcile both things at the same time. What Allah has forbidden
is not flexible or dependent on time and place. If someone asks whether Islam allows
people to live a homosexual lifestyle, the answer is, “No; having these desires is not
forbidden, but acting upon them is.”
● If a non-Muslim friend ‘comes out’ and is engaging in such behavior, distance
yourself from them quietly without making it a big deal. Do not discuss the topic
with them unless you think they would be willing to listen. The vast majority of the
population will consider your views as ‘homophobic’, so do not give them the
opportunity.
● If someone accuses you of being a bigot or homophobic, make it clear that you are
not ‘afraid’ of homosexuals, you do not hate them, you do not call for their death or
destruction, nor do you wish evil on them. You simply do not agree with their
lifestyle and you believe that it is wrong to disobey God. You have the right to have
your own opinions and to practice your religion under secular law, and it is not
homophobia if you exercise these rights. Stay polite and in control of your emotions,
but do not back down or give in to their narrative. You are not in the wrong.
● If a fellow Muslim or family member is concerned about this issue or wants to
discuss Islamic views on this topic, do not shut them down or surround the topic with
scandal and shame. Be matter of fact. Give them the correct information, relevant and
accurate Islamic literature, and refer them to videos and talks by relevant Muslim
scholars. However, completely normalizing such discussion and engaging in it with
frequency serves to make it more acceptable, so a balance must be found.

Refuting the Arguments for Embracing and Celebrating Homosexuality/LGB

Despite having discussed Islam’s reasons for forbidding homosexuality previously, when
encountering the manifold arguments that activists give for legalizing and embracing
homosexuality, we must also have sound answers. While our main reason for opposing their
agenda is indeed that we draw our morality from God and His scripture, it is also possible to
reflect on and point out the holes in the arguments they (the activists) present.

Argument 1: I was born this way

Firstly, as discussed in the causes of homosexuality, the argument “born this way” is not
scientifically very sound. The evidence is thin and not consistent, and there are elements
other than genetics at play when discussing sexual orientation. Why then is this view so
prevalent? The answer is that it is a good strategy to convince the society that this is
 15

acceptable. Society as a whole tends to be compassionate if they feel something is beyond

one’s control. As Marshall Kirk and Hunter Madsen wrote in 1989:

“We argue that, for all practical purposes, gays should be considered to have been born gay –
even though sexual orientation, for most humans, seems to be the product of a complex
interaction between innate predispositions and environmental factors during childhood and
early adolescence. And since no choice is involved, gayness can be no more blameworthy
than straightness.”32

The premise of this argument is not reliable, and so the argument is not convincing. The
American College of Pediatricians admitted itself, on a page that has now been taken down:

“During the last 40 years the majority of SSA [same-sex attraction] studies have been
conducted, reviewed and/or published by homosexuality affirming researchers, many of
whom are also openly homosexual. Virtually all of the studies were touted by the media as
proving that SSA is inborn. In reality, however, every one of them, from gene analysis, to
brain structure, fingerprint styles, handedness, finger lengths, eye blinking, ear
characteristics, verbal skills and prenatal hormones, have failed to be replicated, were
criticized for research limitations, or were outright debunked.”33

In this day and age, with such emphasis on evidence based practices and beliefs, to persist in
believing something that is not supported by scientific literature just because it sounds
morally attractive to a segment of the population is nonsensical. Indeed, many gay and
lesbian activists object strongly to this worldview. 34 According to Professor David
Greenberg, a gay man himself, “For every lesbian separatist arguing that lesbianism is a
political choice that carries feminism to its logical conclusion, there is someone else saying ‘I
was born this way.’ Short of definitive evidence…the disagreement is likely to continue.” 35

Secondly, whether same-sex attraction is influenced by biology or by the environment, it is

clear that in most people it is not a choice. The attraction or desire itself is not usually in
one’s control. The vast majority of homosexuals do not experience any choice about their
same-sex desires. However, whether or not a trait or attraction is influenced by genes or by
the environment has no bearing on morality. Influence is not the same as destiny. Just
because a behavior is biologically (or environmentally) influenced does not mean that
behavior is good, acceptable or beneficial. Other behaviors like violence 36, promiscuity37,
ruthlessness38, etc. also have genetic components. So do behaviors like cigarette smoking 39,

32
https://books.google.com/books/about/After_the_Ball.html?id=oDwEAQAAIAAJ&redir_esc=y
33 https://www.acpeds.org/index.cgi?BISKIT=3679643632&CONTEXT=art&cat=10005&art=167
34
https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2011/09/queer-by-choice-not-by-chance-against-being-born-this-
way/244898/
35
https://press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/chicago/C/bo3615305.html
36
https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-46331-1_2
37
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2994774/
38
https://www.nature.com/news/2008/080404/full/news.2008.738.html
39
https://academic.oup.com/ije/article/35/5/1278/762228
 16

attitude towards reading 40, even arrogance and humility41! However, this has no bearing on
whether they are legally and morally acceptable. A natural inclination or tendency towards a
behavior only means that it may be a greater struggle for one individual compared to another
to overcome the inclination and do the right thing – such is life and such is the test of this
world. If one was born with or otherwise saddled with desires that are not morally acceptable,
then the course of action is not to attempt to justify those desires or alter morality, but to
prevent those desires from dictating one’s actions and overcoming one’s self-control.

Argument 2: Homosexual and heterosexual relationships are identical – the only

difference is whom you love

It is true that there are many gay couples who are as loving, committed and monogamous as
any heterosexual couple. It is also true that there is plenty of promiscuity displayed by
heterosexual individuals. However, when the two populations are compared, it is undeniable
that homosexuals live, on average, a more promiscuous life than heterosexuals. Anonymous
one-off sexual encounters are far more common. Monogamy is less common. Self-indulgence
is considered an important tenet of the gay lifestyle and to restrict oneself is to be a prude.

The spread of AIDS is really eye-opening in this regard. In 1987 a comprehensive

Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study indicated that more than three-quarters of the nearly 5,000
gay men interviewed “reported having 50 or more lifetime sexual partners…” Fifty or more!
A more recent survey, conducted in 2012, compared sexual practices between heterosexual
men, heterosexual women, and men who had sex with men. They found that when asked
about the number of lifetime partners, the mean for heterosexual men was 8, for heterosexual
women was 6, and for men who had sex with men was 45.42 Clearly, this suggests that the
notion that there is little to no difference in behavior between the two groups is disingenuous
at best. Anonymous encounters in ‘gay bathhouses’ are an example of this difference as well.
What is more, there has been a deliberate campaign to downplay this reality. One of the
strategies in the book “After the Ball” by Kirk and Madsen to make homosexuality more
acceptable was to spread the belief that “even with respect to their sex lives, gays are just like
everybody else.” They themselves admit that, “…public myth is supported by fact. There is
more promiscuity among gay men than among straights…correspondingly…sexually
transmitted disease also occurs among gay men at a rate five to ten times higher than
average.” That is not to mention AIDS and HIV; according to a UN report, men who have
sex with men have a 22 times greater chance of contracting AIDS compared to the general
population.43

Of course, this is not to claim that all gay men are promiscuous. Nor is it to pretend that there
is no promiscuity or lust-driven behavior among heterosexuals. But it is obvious from the

40
https://www.apa.org/monitor/apr04/beliefs
41
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3973692/
42 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3334840/
43 https://www.unaids.org/sites/default/files/media_asset/2019-UNAIDS-data_en.pdf
 17

statistics and from experience, and has been admitted by gay men themselves, that the
proportion of people who behave in this manner is far higher among homosexuals than it is
among heterosexuals.

A glimpse into what goes on in pride parades is eye-opening. Shocking, obscene and graphic
images, posters, statues – not to mention public sexual acts – are in plain sight. Of course this
varies by location, and some parades will be more appropriate than others, but sexual content
and vulgarity is not at all hidden. Such behavior is generally not found anywhere in the rest
of the world, and yet the world has embraced these pride marches with enthusiasm, believing
themselves to be diverse and inclusive. Pride marches are the most public and accessible
display of what ‘queer culture’ really is – and it is not in any way decent, moral or appealing
to anyone with dignity and modesty.

The reality is that being gay is not just being part of a social group. Embracing ‘queer’
culture is linked to behavior, not just identity. To accept homosexuality as normal and
acceptable is not just to accept that some individuals will have relations with members of the
same sex. It is to accept and embrace all the behaviors that come with it as part of the culture
– from promiscuity to obscenity to hedonism. It is the thought process that each individual’s
right to sexual fulfillment is the most important criterion when making decisions about
behavior, social policies, marriage, family, even religion. There is far more at stake and far
more under consideration than just two individuals of the same gender sharing a bed.

Argument 3: Homosexuality is found in animals

Until recently, there were rarely any reports of homosexual behavior in animals. This was
therefore used by opponents of homosexuality. “Look, it is not natural. Even animals don’t
do it,” was a useful slogan. Of course, this argument was only useful as long as animals were
found to be completely heterosexual – which we have now found is not the case. While the
majority of animals indeed display only heterosexual behavior, there are several species that
have been documented engaging in same-sex sexual behavior. Although these examples are
not as frequent as gay activists would have us believe, it is now known that some organisms
such as orangutans, bonobos (an African ape), ostriches and flamingos do display same-sex
behavior. Therefore this argument is no longer valid in countering arguments for acceptance
of homosexual behavior. However, this does not mean that the opposite is true. Just because
some animals engage in such behavior does not mean that it is morally acceptable for humans
to do the same. If this were an acceptable premise, other behaviors should also fall in the
same category – such as infanticide, abandonment or cannibalism. A small minority of
animals engaging in homosexual behavior does not, therefore, justify that it is a moral
behavior for humans – although it does suggest that ‘not even animals do it’ is no longer a
true statement and should be abandoned.
 18

Argument 4: Homosexuality is found in many cultures, modern and ancient

This is not a very strong argument. First of all, the prevalence of an undesirable behavior
does not make it any more desirable. Morality is not determined by how many people engage
in a certain behavior. Certainly adultery is an indecency which is also found in many cultures,
modern and ancient, but that in no way makes it acceptable or moral. Secondly, while there
have almost always been individuals who went against the morals and social norms of their
times and engaged in inappropriate behavior, never was this behavior so normalized,
accepted and openly celebrated as in our times44. It is true that many ancient cultures report
some same-sex relationships. It is also true that there are accounts of such relationships in
Muslim civilizations as well. However, at least as far as Muslims are concerned, these
behaviors were always condemned and abhorred. Even when it was an open secret, no one
would have openly justified or approved of such relationships – not just because the religious
and social values forbade it and not because of absurd prudishness, but because society as a
whole always understood that such behaviors are not in the natural way of things and these
relationships cannot be the fabric of a healthy society.

Argument 5: As long as a relationship is loving, committed, helps me be a better person,

and is consensual, it should be permitted – and this is NOT a slippery slope to
permitting pedophilia, incest, necrophilia, bestiality, etc.

Before anything else, it is important to clarify that by no means do we equate homosexuality

with incest or pedophilia. Not all pedophiles are homosexual. Not all homosexuals (or even
most homosexuals) are pedophiles. However, there are certain realities that should not be
ignored for the sake of political correctness. Firstly, several of the arguments being used to
normalize homosexuality can and are being used to normalize pedophilia or pederasty; and
secondly, homosexuality in the past (and even now) has too often been intertwined with
pedophilia.

Pedophilia refers to attraction to pre-pubescent children while pederasty refers to a sexual

relationship between a man and a post-pubescent boy, but pedophilia is often used as an
umbrella term to refer to both. It is an unavoidable fact that very similar arguments are used
to defend both pedophilia and homosexuality (although there exist significant differences
between the two), the main ones being:
a) pedophilia is not a choice but is natural/inborn/out of one’s control and therefore
should be acceptable,
b) pedophilia cannot be changed effectively through therapy and attempts only cause
distress,
c) it is society and social norms that make pedophilia so unacceptable,
d) as long as everything is consensual and non-abusive it should be permitted,
e) no one has the right to say who I can love and desire,

44 With the exception of the nation of Prophet Lut (AS)

 19

f) throughout history and across cultures, many prominent figures have been pedophiles
and pederasts.

Do these arguments sound similar? Gay activists make these very same arguments when
making the case for homosexuality. Of course, they will respond at once to say, “But what we
are speaking of is between two adults, it is safe, consensual and between two equals. A
relationship between an adult and a child is unequal, causes harm, and therefore completely
different.” This is also correct – but so might heterosexuals say, “What we consider marriage
is between two adults of the opposite gender. The relationship between individuals of the
same sex is completely different and causes harm to society.” Who is to say what should be
acceptable and what is not acceptable? What will define harm? Certainly no one argues for
non-consensual or abusive relationships. But if a child consents and is happy to be in the
relationship, who is anyone to declare such ‘pure and free’ love to be illegal or immoral?

From the mouths of several prominent homosexual individuals, the claim that “man-boy
love” or pederasty is entwined with homosexual relationships is born out and validated. They
state that man-boy love is liberating, empowering, and has been betrayed by the gay
movement which has chosen to disclaim them in order to gain acceptance by the masses.
According to the famous pro-pedophilia activist David Thorstad:

“The liberation of children, women, boy-lovers and homosexuals in general can only occur
as complementary facets of the same dream…the gay movement has retreated from its vision
of sexual liberation in favor of integration and assimilation…has increasingly sought to
marginalize, even demonize cross-generational love… Pederasty is the main form that male
homosexuality has acquired throughout Western civilization - and not only in the West!
Pederasty is inseparable from the high points of Western culture - ancient Greece and the
Renaissance. The first gay journal in the world – Der Eigene, published in the beginning of
1896 was a pederast and anarchist journal for “male culture” … If homosexual identity is
inborn, as they say, then why do they oppose the freedom of sexual oppression for minors?
[they] argue that sexual identity is fixed by age six but they deny young people the right to
enjoy sexual pleasure with the person of their own choice… Men and youths have always
been attracted to one another and their love is irrepressible.”45

Such claims are repulsive to read – and certainly mainstream society rejects Thorstad and his
peers. The vast majority of homosexual men and women would soundly condemn these
opinions. But in these arguments, we can hear the echo of the same arguments that were used
for the liberation of homosexuality. Liberation, not oppression. It is love, and love cannot be
and should not be repressed. It has been demonized and oppressed. The potential for harm
has been overstated and exaggerated. It has been found in cultures across the world and
throughout history. Famous people who have been held up as examples of homosexuals
contributing greatly to society often turn out to have engaged in (at least occasionally) sexual
relationships with youths, rumored to include Oscar Wilde, Walt Whitman, perhaps even

45
https://nambla.org/pederasty.html
 20

Leonardo da Vinci, and many more. Therefore, it is merely absurd societal pressures that are
opposing this liberation, nothing more.

Dr. Sandfort, a professor at New York’s Columbia University, wrote approvingly of the
Netherland’s greater tolerance towards ‘cross-generational love’, and asked, “Why should
pedophiles, just as other humans with deviant sexual preferences, not have the right to
express their sexual desires?” He claimed that the real culprit was the social system which
stood in the way of sexual fulfilment. Again, does this not sound highly familiar?
The books “Loving Boys” and “Boys on their Contacts with Men” are two ‘valuable’
examples that show plainly that sexual liberation has no end, and that no doors will be left
untouched; nothing will be unthinkable.

Dr Green, who argued for the removal of homosexuality from the Diagnostic and Statistical
Manual of Psychiatric Disorders, has now argued for the removal of pedophilia from the list
of mental disorders as well – saying that while it is not acceptable morally or socially, people
who are attracted to children are not mentally ill.46 There have been some efforts in several
countries to legalize incest if between consenting adults47 – it is legal in some countries
already48. Other (still faint) voices have been raised to de-criminalize bestiality 49 50. When
you remove one red line, others will follow. Was this really such an absurd concern of those
opposed to legalizing homosexuality in the first place? Currently, the voices arguing for
further removal of any barriers to indecency are in the minority and easily shouted down. But
who can say where the open doors to sexual liberation and freedom will lead the society?

Does Therapy Work?

Psychological therapy was often used in the past to try to reorient people who identified as
homosexuals. Techniques included behavioral aversion therapy (using electric shocks or
nausea), estrogen therapy, hypnosis, counseling, religious education, etc. Some studies
suggest that these treatments were not extensive, did not follow a standard and did not work
in changing the same-sex attractions, although they might reduce such behavior for a while 51.
There are also reports that these therapies caused greater distress, suicidal thoughts, and
feelings of shame, guilt and worthlessness in those who went through them 52.

However, there are also reports that the treatment did work, that there was less preoccupation
with sexuality and less arousal when exposed to homosexual erotic images after the

46
https://www.human-being.nl/Library/asb.htm
47
https://www.parliament.nz/en/pb/petitions/document/PET_76503/petition-of-richard-morris-decriminalise-
incest-between
48
https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/countries-where-incest-is-legal
49
https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1328310
50
https://www.zeta-verein.de/en/
51
https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2011-26727-002
52
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/0924051917724654
 21

treatment53 54 55. A major factor in whether or not therapy was successful was how willing
they were to change and how religious they were 56. It is also clear that the negative results are
also correlated with therapy being forced on the individuals instead of them seeking it out
themselves57. Certain therapy practices are regarded by therapy clients as more helpful,
including examining development to look at possible reasons for emergence of same-sex
attractions, techniques to minimize same-sex attractions and enhancing opposite-sex
attractions, and not over-focusing on sexual orientation.58 Finally, the concerns about
potential distress or effectiveness about these therapies must necessarily be seen in the
broader context of psychotherapy, which is well-known to be only partially effective.
Research suggests that 5 to 10% of all psychotherapy clients report deterioration of their
symptoms and up to 50% experience no reliable change due to therapy. 59 60 Therefore to
establish that significant harm is done due to reorientation/reparative therapy, there would
have to be consistent, scientific research which established deterioration rates of 20% or
more, but such research does not exist. 61

Since this topic is so politically charged, it is very difficult to find objective psychological
research on the benefits and harms of reorientation therapies. There has been a growing
movement in the west to completely ban any reorientation therapy, and it is already possible
in several countries for mental health practitioners to lose their license if they provide therapy
to anyone with the aim of reducing same-sex attractions, even if the individual sought out the
therapy willingly.6263 The research that shows the harmful impact of reorientation therapy is
often biased, recruiting from people who are proudly and openly LGBT, asking questions that
have a deliberately prejudiced slant, and failing to differentiate between types of therapies. 64

53
https://psycnet.apa.org/record/1974-30538-001
54
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12150399/
55
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.2466/pr0.2000.86.3c.1071
56
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1023/A:1025647527010
57
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0011000004267563?journalCode=tcpa
58
https://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.534.9060&rep=rep1&type=pdf
59
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4771007/
60
https://www.worldsupporter.org/en/chapter/68695-efficacy-and-effectiveness-psychotherapy-summary-
chapter-6-bergin-and-garfield-s
61
http://media.wix.com/ugd/ec16e9_2bccb50857a04b82a1253d61f4376245.pdf
62
https://www.lgbtmap.org/equality-maps/conversion_therapy
63
https://news.trust.org/item/20200225232358-ooujw/
64
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4771007/
 22

Chapter 2: Transgenders

Gender identity refers to the gender that a person believes they belong to. Most people are cis
gender, which means that they identify with the same sex that they were born as. Other
gender identities include:
● Transgender - which means that they feel they are a different gender; for example,
‘Steve’ may have been born a boy but he decides that he feels more like a girl and
wants to be called ‘Stella’
● Gender-neutral - the individual does not feel they are either male or female (also
called non-binary)
● Gender-fluid - an individual believes they are male on some days and female on
others; e.g. some days Steve feels like a boy, wears male clothing and acts more
masculine; other days, he feels more like Stella, prefers to wear dresses and wants to
be referred to as ‘she’ on those days

Transgenders

A transgender individual is one who reports feeling uncomfortable and distressed when
viewing themselves as their biological sex. Instead, they prefer to see themselves as a
member of the opposite gender. They are biologically not different from typical males or
females, but psychologically, they experience gender dysphoria.

Gender dysphoria is a psychological term that refers to the feeling that you are in the body of
the wrong gender. Until recently it was also considered a psychological disorder, but with the
recent changes in the way gender is viewed, it is now considered a normal reaction to being
transgender which can be resolved with a ‘transition’ which means to switch to the other sex.
People with gender dysphoria usually display behavior imitating the opposite sex, and they
often report disgust at the sight of their own bodies. They feel that they are ‘trapped’ in their
bodies and they feel that they are not the gender that they look like. Some may even try
mutilating or harming themselves to look less male or female. Gender dysphoria is linked
with high levels of distress, depression 65 and even attempted suicide66.

Why Does Gender Dysphoria Happen?

There is some evidence that symptoms of gender dysphoria are linked to an imbalance of
hormones while the fetus is in the mother’s womb, or fetal insensitivity to certain hormones
(known as androgen insensitivity syndrome)67. This can lead to the child displaying behavior
that is more typical of the opposite sex. There are also rare chromosomal abnormalities that
can lead to an individual displaying gender dysphoria, such as congenital adrenal

65
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31679894/
66
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/326623689_Suicidal_ideation_and_suicide_attempts_in_persons_wi
th_gender_dysphoria
67
https://bsd.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13293-015-0022-1
 23

hyperplasia68. Certainly there is some small role of genetics as well, since it is more common
for identical twins to both be transgender than fraternal twins 69.

One hypothesis is that sexual differentiation of the reproductive organs happens separately
from the sexual differentiation of the brain while the fetus is in the womb. As there are sex
differences in male and female brains, it may be that some individuals with a male body are
born with a more female brain and vice versa.70 Sex differences between males and females
are well-documented, but comparisons of cis-gender and transgender brains are still quite
limited. There have been some findings in support of this theory 71 but the evidence is far
from conclusive and does not confirm clear and consistent differences in the brains of cis-
gender and transgender individuals 7273. Another theory is that transgender individuals may
have abnormalities in the region of their brain that mediates perception of the body 74. Again,
only limited evidence exists, and research in this area is still in its infancy. 75

However, there is a clear influence of the environment as well. Evidence suggests that
frustration with certain gender roles or expectations can lead an individual to decide that they
would much prefer to belong to the opposite gender so that they can escape those
expectations.76 This is especially the case with females preferring to become male in cultures
where males have much greater freedom and privileges compared to females. Sexual
exploitation, trauma or abuse in childhood are also significantly linked with later gender
dysphoria77.

The Argument for Gender Identity

A relatively new concept has risen in the west – that of gender identity as completely separate
from biological sex. The argument is that gender is a social construct and therefore is not
biological. Biological sex (or as it is often called, ‘the sex assigned at birth’) may not match
the gender identity of a person. This is completely normal and should not be considered a
symptom of illness or deviance. Instead, everyone should be freely allowed to choose their
own gender, and those around them should be supportive of these choices. A consistent,
persistent belief about one’s gender is the only criterion for what gender that person belongs
to. Not only should transgenderism be tolerated but it should be actively encouraged.

Gender identity is also linked to gender expression, which is how you choose to express your
identity through dress, mannerisms, behavior, etc. There may be individuals who do not

68
https://academic.oup.com/jcem/article-abstract/97/3/772/2536317
69
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/15532739.2013.750222
70
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21334362/
71
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18980961/
72
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25720349/
73
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22941717/
74
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21467211/
75
https://www.the-scientist.com/features/are-the-brains-of-transgender-people-different-from-those-of-
cisgender-people-30027#ref
76
https://www.thenewatlantis.com/publications/executive-summary-sexuality-and-gender
77
https://www.nature.com/articles/ijir201139
 24

identify with their biological sex but they still conform to the gender behavior which is
expected of them (as per our earlier example, Steve identifies as a girl but continues to act
and dress as a boy). Others may feel it is very important to behave in accordance with the
gender that they identify as. Some individuals are happy enough to transition to the opposite
gender ‘socially’ (this may include changing their name, their pronoun, the way they dress,
etc.) while others wish to transition medically as well through hormone treatments and even
surgery.

A medical transition may consist of hormone therapy as well as sex-reassignment surgery,

which is now called gender-affirming surgery. Some may choose to only take hormones
while others opt for surgery as well. Surgery for transitioning from male to female may
include orchiectomy (removal of testicles), vaginoplasty, augmentation mammoplasty
(increasing breast tissue), facial feminization surgery, and more. Surgery for transitioning
from female to male includes mastectomy (removal of breasts), hysterectomy (removal of the
uterus), phalloplasty (construction of male genitals) and others. Other surgeries are possible
for a non-binary person to remove primary or secondary sex characteristics in order to obtain
a more neutral, androgynous body.

Not only is there a strong movement to normalize the idea of gender identity as separate from
biological sex, but there is also a persistent campaign to remove ‘antiquated ideas’ about
masculinity and femininity. The popular book “Girls Will Be Boys Will Be Girls”, meant for
children as young as 12, states that it aims for a “deconstruction of traditional gender roles”
and asks in the beginning: What would the world look like without gender? How do you
unlearn gender? Was the gender assigned to you the one you feel most comfortable with?
One of the illustrations includes two children standing in front of the bathroom in the school,
one saying, “I should have worn a skirt. The pants bathroom is full.”78 The argument is that
differences in masculine and feminine behavior arise primarily due to societal pressure, not
innate traits – and that it is desirable to remove every such difference, starting from a very
young age.

A training program called the Lunchbox, created by the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education
Network (GLSEN), includes many activities aimed at indoctrinating young children into a
certain view of the world. This includes introducing them to the concepts of gender identity
and sexuality from a very young age. One activity in this Lunchbox is named “Getting in
touch with your Inner Trannie” where children are asked if they have ever been told to act
like a lady/girl or a man/boy, and if so how did that make them feel. They are also asked how
they reacted if they saw someone who’s gender is unclear. Introducing these concepts at such
a young age, supposedly to increase tolerance and acceptance of minorities, does more than
that. It encourages thoughts and obsessions that are not typical, normal or appropriate for that
age. It may confuse the mind of a child who had never wondered that before. If children are
asked by their teachers to consider if they are ‘sure’ that they were a boy/girl, if they ever felt
that they were more like the other gender, or whether they like boys or girls, is it any wonder

78
https://www.amazon.com/Girls-Will-Be-Boys-Coloring/dp/193236062X?
 25

that many healthy children may begin to seriously question their own identities whereas they
might have been content in their own skin otherwise? Today, parents complaining or being
concerned about such teachings would be viewed as prejudiced and close-minded. If children
say that they want to be the opposite gender, they may opt to take puberty-blockers which
will prevent them from developing a typical body, until they have had some more time to
decide. After the age of 18, and in some cases even younger, they may go through a medical
transition to become a member of the other gender. Some schools will agree to allow a child
to transition at school while conspiring to hiding the fact from his or her parents if the child
believes that they will not be supportive of their gender identity.79 Even thirty years ago, this
would have been quite unthinkable. Now it seems quite reasonable to most people.

Refuting the Argument of Gender Identity

There are many holes in the gender identity theory that are blithely ignored by trans activists.
The policies they advocate also have many flaws and safety issues, but any voices raised in
opposition are immediately silenced as being bigoted, transphobic, and full of ‘hate’. What
are some of these flaws and how may they be answered?

The first and most common argument is that ‘gender is a social construct’. This appears to be
the basis for rejecting the fact that being masculine or feminine is innate. Instead, it is argued
that the society shapes us into men or women, so it is our choice if we want to reject the
society’s conditioning and choose something else. The problem with this logic is that it is
self-contradictory. If gender is constructed by the society and is not innate, then how is it
possible for someone to claim that they are actually a ‘man in a woman’s body’ or vice
versa? If biology has nothing to do with it, then who is this being who is claiming to be a
woman ‘trapped in a man’s body’? Is it the soul which is male/female? But the majority of
postmodern society rejects the concept of a soul separate from the body. Those who do
believe in the soul certainly don’t ascribe a gender to it – in the Judeo-Christian-Muslim
tradition, it is the body which is male or female, not the soul. This is a highly incoherent
worldview, where on one hand there is the materialist philosophy of everything being a social
construct, and on the other hand there is a modified form of Cartesian dualism where the ‘real
self’ is totally dissociated from the body. This worldview falls apart as soon as one looks too
closely – and yet it is espoused as the unequivocal truth by trans activists.

Another argument is that gender identity is innate. The claim is that transgender women are
‘real women’ and trans men are ‘real men’ and have always been so. They just had the wrong
body. Any attempts at questioning this identity or encouraging an individual to adopt an
identity that matches their birth sex is met with resistance and horror at trying to force
someone to be who they are not. But the question that arises then is, if gender identity is so
innate and unchangeable, how can gender be fluid at the same time? After all, someone who

79
https://www1.cbn.com/cbnnews/us/2020/february/school-district-vows-to-disrupt-the-gender-binary-
allowing-kids-to-go-trans-without-telling-parents
 26

is gender-fluid has a gender identity that changes by the day – sometimes even by the hour.
The Guardian reports:

“Some days Daniela Esquivel Asturias, 21, wakes up feeling feminine and puts on a dress or
lipstick. But on others Asturias feels much more masculine and the thought of wearing a skirt
induces an overwhelming sense of dysphoria. “I would be equally comfortable with a male or
female body. My male personality is more outgoing than my female one. It’s like having both
male and female energies and some days a mix of both,” Asturias says. The student from
Costa Rica is gender fluid, and doesn’t identify with one gender, instead fluctuating between
feeling more male or female.” 80

If gender is really so fluid, then why do activists claim at the same time that gender is
immutable and that a young boy claiming that he ‘feels like a girl’ means that his true identity
is that of a female? If gender can feel different at different times, isn’t it possible that
someone fully convinced that they should be a member of the opposite gender may feel
otherwise at a different point in time?

What really is the internal sense of being a man or a woman? How can someone who is male
ever really know what it is like to be a female? If a woman says, “I am really a man because I
feel like I am a man,” can she really know what it is to be a man? Her biology is different.
Her body shape, her chromosomes, her hormones, her brain patterns, they are all female. So
too is her socialization – she has never been treated as a man. So how can such a woman
know that what she feels she is, is like a man? Often times the answer includes references to
‘behavior traditionally associated with the opposite sex’ – i.e. gender stereotypes. If a boy
would rather not play rough-and-tumble sports, is more sensitive or quiet, or prefers to spend
more time with girls (who may also be more sensitive and quiet compared to their male
counterparts), this is considered an indication that the boy may actually be a girl in a male
body. This is a harmful way of looking at gender behavior and indeed, many feminists have
raised concerns that this kind of message goes directly against the philosophy that boys and
girls can be whoever they want, and it doesn’t mean that they are any less of a boy or less of
a girl.

Women have much more in common than just their genitalia. They have similar social
experiences. They have similar bodily experiences. They have gone through similar
struggles. They experience the world in a different way than men do. They have to fight
harder in some ways. Being a woman is not just an idea in a boy’s head about what being a
girl must be like. The opposite is also true for men. Men have similar struggles, they have
experienced the world in a certain way since birth. They have a different approach to the
world. Being a ‘guy’ is not just a concept in a girl’s head. It is unfair to expect all individuals
to include someone who has not shared all this with them in their category, to expect them to

80https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/mar/23/gender-fluid-generation-young-people-male-
female-trans
 27

open up their safe spaces and single-sex zones where they feel protected to people who could
potentially use this as a predatory or threatening tool.

Finally, the main question to be asked is, why should the internal sense or belief of an
individual determine what those around them perceive as reality? Sex is a biological reality.
For any species with sex differences, there are males, defined by the organisms who produce
sperm gamete, and the females who produce the egg cells/non-mobile ova81. This is the very
definition of male and female. If someone has an internal sense that their behavior or their
feelings are closer to the average member of the opposite gender, that is not sufficient to
rewrite biological reality. Rhetoric like ‘trans women are women too’ is not really sufficient
to answer this objection.

‘You are who you say you are’, say the activists, but why is this only the case with gender?
Should we also say the same for age, height or race? What if a 5 year old black girl says that
she identifies as a 40 year old Caucasian male? No one would (or should) affirm this belief,
nor manipulate the surroundings to accommodate this belief. How about if an able-bodied
person said that they identify with a quadriplegic? Indeed there are individuals who do claim
to do so, and they are given the diagnosis of body integrity dysphoria. Such individuals may
request doctors to cut off perfectly healthy limbs so that their body may align with their
internal feeling of who they are. Naturally, we cannot and should not expect doctors to do so.
Instead of adjusting reality to fit their beliefs, we would expect the individual to be treated
with compassion and empathy, and to receive therapy that may eventually allow them to
embrace the body they have, instead of the one they believe they should. This is in stark
contrast to what trans activists claim – that trans women ARE women, they don’t just feel
like women, and trans men ARE true men. They want reality to be adjusted according to
reported feelings of individuals. Based on this, they believe that it is the gender identity that
should be considered when deciding which public bathroom trans people should use, which
sports team they should play on, whether they should qualify for women-only shortlists, and
so on. Allowing reality to be determined by subjective experience instead of by empirical
evidence is a very slippery slope – and we will not like where it could lead us.

Another argument is that having surgery transforms an individual into a member of the
opposite sex, but this isn’t quite true. Sex reassignment surgery is not always successful, nor
do successful surgeries truly alter one’s sex. For one thing, the sex chromosome which is
present in every cell of an individual remains the same. For another, plastic surgery may look
realistic but it does not actually create organs of the opposite sex. No matter how technically
advanced the surgical equipment becomes, what is created is not a real sex organ but a mere
simulacrum. Merely creating something that becomes enlarged at stimulation or an orifice
that may be penetrated is not creating a true sex organ – because it lacks its reproductive
function. Without that function, without playing the true purpose of the organ, it cannot be
considered a genuine sex organ. This is not a ‘transplant’ or a correction – it is a mutilation of
the body.

81
https://academic.oup.com/molehr/article/20/12/1161/1062990
 28

Trans activists also argue that allowing transgender people to transition allows them to feel
comfortable and to live a healthy and happy life, reducing the risk of suicide. “Better a live
daughter than a dead son,” they tell parents. But is this really true? Ryan Anderson looks at
some of the literature of psychological outcomes of transitioning.

“The University of Birmingham’s aggressive research intelligence facility

(ARIF)…evaluated more than one hundred studies on people who had undergone sex
reassignment surgeries. Commissioned by the Guardian in 2004, this review found no
‘conclusive evidence that gender reassignment is beneficial for patients,’ although most of
the research ‘was poorly designed, which skewed the results in favor of physically changing
sex.’ ‘There is huge uncertainty over whether changing someone’s sex is a good or a bad
thing,’ said Chris Hyde, the director of ARIF… there are still large numbers of people who
remain deeply troubled after the surgery, many to the point of suicide.” 82

“A new review of the scientific literature was done in 2014 by Hayes, Inc., a research and
consulting firm that evaluates the safety and health outcomes of medical technologies. Hayes
found that the evidence on long-term results of sex reassignment was too sparse to support
meaningful conclusions, and gave these studies its lowest rating for quality.” 83

“The largest and most rigorous academic study on the results of hormonal and surgical
transitioning, published in 2011 by Cecilia Dhejne and her colleagues at the Karolinska
Institute and Gothenburg University in Sweden, found strong evidence of poor psychological
outcomes.84 For example, the rate of psychiatric hospitalization for postoperative transsexuals
was about three times the rate for the control groups… The risk of mortality from all causes
was significantly higher, and so was the rate of criminal conviction. Suicide attempts were
nearly five times more frequent, and the likelihood of death by suicide was nineteen times
higher—again, after adjustment for prior psychiatric illness… What it [the study] does
suggest is that those procedures may not alleviate the mental health problems associated with
transgender identities.”85

This is a clear indication that while some people with gender dysphoria may indeed feel
subjectively better and their mental health may improve, this is far from guaranteed. Research
does not appear to clearly show that surgery and transitioning will improve mental health or
eliminate the risk of suicide. On the contrary, many people may get worse as they expect
transitioning to solve their problems only to find that they still exist. We should be skeptical
about claims that transitioning is the only treatment option for people with gender dysphoria,
and other treatments desperately need to be explored and evaluated.

82 https://www.theguardian.com/society/2004/jul/30/health.mentalhealth
83 https://www.hayesinc.com/publications/evidence-analysis/health-technology-assessment/sex-reassignment-
surgery-for-the-treatment-of-gender-dysphoria/dir-sex707
84 https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0016885
85 https://www.encounterbooks.com/books/when-harry-became-sally-responding-to-the-transgender-moment/
 29

What is Islam’s View on Transgenderism?

Islam does not view gender as a social construct, nor is it something to be chosen. There is no
such thing as being born in the ‘wrong body’. Allah (SWT) has given each individual the
body and features He deemed most appropriate and suitable for that person. Some people
struggle with their body, or even their gender, while others may struggle with other aspects of
their birth circumstances, social circumstances, and so on. It is a test from Allah to see who
will follow His commands and guidelines, even when difficult, and who will succumb to
their temptations and trials. Allah has made it clear in the Quran that changing the creation of
Allah is not permitted, as shown in the following verse:

“and most certainly I (Shaitan) will bid them so that they shall alter Allah's
creation” (4:119)
Therefore, almost all Islamic scholars agree that sex-reassignment surgery is not permissible
in Islam if there is no physical defect that requires it.86 (A brief discussion on the status of
intersex people will follow.) The body that each individual is given is a gift from Allah
(SWT), is to be appreciated and treated with love and respect, and to not be mutilated or
changed in a fundamental, permanent way without clear medical reason.

Similarly, Islam does not encourage people to deliberately imitate or behave like members of
the opposite gender. Cross-dressing is not approved of in Islam. There are several narrations
of the Prophet (PBUH) cursing men who imitate women, and women who imitate men 87.

On the other hand, cultural expectations of gender can sometimes be very limited and rigid. It
is not necessary for every individual to fit into the behavior that is stereotypical of their
gender. Not all boys enjoy athletic activity or boisterous play. Nor do all girls want to play
with dolls or wear princess dresses. Allowing individuals their own space and being flexible
enough to permit exploration of interests and hobbies without crossing prescribed boundaries
is the best way to avoid unnecessary feelings of frustration, being trapped, and wanting to
have a different body and therefore a different role in the world.

We must remember that not recognizing transgender ideology and behavior as an acceptable
lifestyle does not mean that there aren’t thousands of people who live with the pain of gender
dysphoria. We do not claim that their pain and distress are unreal, nor we do scoff at them
and say that they just need to ‘get over themselves’. We acknowledge that they may have a
feeling of being trapped in their own body, of disliking their body, and we view them with
compassion. We seek to help them feel better about themselves. We just do not agree that
everyone around them should give in to their narrative and play along, nor do we agree that
the whole concept of gender and reality itself should be redefined in order to satisfy these
individuals.

86
https://www.amjaonline.org/fatwa/en/22813/gender-identity-disorder-and-sex-reassignment-surgery
87 Bukhari 5885, Abu Dawood 4098
 30

Mental Health

What can psychology tell us about transgender individuals or individuals with gender
dysphoria?

● Children who report gender dysphoria before puberty usually reconcile with their
bodies and with their biological gender. 88 Only a minority continues to report such
feelings after puberty.
● Children who are guided towards ‘gender-affirming treatments’ in which they may be
allowed to socially transition and given puberty suppressors before starting cross-sex
hormones, are much more likely to go on to identify and live as transgender.89
● Individuals who begin to experience gender dysphoria after puberty usually struggle
with it all their life.90
● Gender dysphoria is a very painful and distressing condition. Such individuals have a
significantly higher rate of mental illnesses as well as increased risk of suicide. 91 A
study in 2014 found that 41% of those who identify as transgender may attempt
suicide, compared to 4% of the general population.92
● Mental illnesses often precede gender dysphoria. In many individuals they continue
even after they have successfully transitioned to the opposite gender and been
accepted by peers. People who have had transition surgery are 19 times more likely
than the average population to commit suicide. 93
● Individuals with gender dysphoria are more likely than the rest of the population to
have experienced trauma, physical abuse and sexual abuse in their childhood. 94 95
● Therapy that might aim to reconcile a person with gender dysphoria to their body is
called conversion therapy and is now considered unethical in the west 96. There are
efforts to ban it in several countries, and psychologists are afraid to challenge their
clients on their reported feelings or dig deeper for fear of being accused of
gatekeeping97 and failing to be inclusive. Dr. Kenneth Zucker, who led one of the
most well-known clinics in the world for children and adolescents with gender
dysphoria, was fired due to pressure from trans activists, who did not like the policy
of his clinic to first “help children feel comfortable in their own bodies” since gender
dysphoria at a young age is more likely to resolve itself over time. Trans activists,
however, found this to be a rejection of young children’s trans identities, and he was

88 https://www.thenewatlantis.com/publications/growing-pains
89
https://www.thenewatlantis.com/publications/growing-pains
90
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1359104510378303
91 https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S1054139X1630146X
92 https://williamsinstitute.law.ucla.edu/publications/suicidality-transgender-adults/
93 https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0016885
94 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5799708/
95 https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2011-26815-007
96
https://www.aacap.org/aacap/policy_statements/2018/Conversion_Therapy.aspx
97
https://quillette.com/2018/07/31/why-trans-kids-need-gatekeepers/
 31

fired and his clinic in Canada shut down due to the sustained political pressure by
activists.98

The Testimony of De-Transitioners

Although their stories will not be proudly related by the media, there is a significant group of
individuals who have come forward to say that they were wrong to believe that they were
transgender. Many of these individuals transitioned, only to find that their new body did not
fit better than their old one. A lot of them report that they believed they were transgender
because they did not relate with the interests and behaviors of their sex.99 Carey Callahan, a
woman who transitioned in her thirties, reports:

“I had the idea that my body was wrong, that it was disgusting, that it was incorrect and that
it kept people from seeing the real me… I just felt like kind of a hostility towards my
body…The longer I chased that disassociation—the more I asked people to call me special
pronouns, the more I tried to change my body, the more I ensconced myself in a community
that would affirm a trans identity—the worse I felt. I think that the feelings that I had
interpreted as gender dysphoria were actually long-term trauma symptoms that I had never
addressed. So I had a chronic and disruptive fantasy of what my life would be like if I was a
dude—I thought about it all the time. Any time I had an upsetting interaction, I thought, ‘This
wouldn’t be happening if they didn’t view me as a woman. I’m not a woman, that’s the
problem here.’… This kind of obsessive identification with men rather than women, because
a lot of the way that women seemed to react to the world and interact with the world seemed
really foreign to me.”100

Her testimony also discusses how doctors were too willing to operate on and experiment on
her body, helping her undergo drastic procedures without addressing her mental confusion
and trauma. Although she feels that adults should be free to make their own decisions about
their bodies (and to transition if that is their fully considered choice), she strongly added that
children, at least, are not capable of making such decisions and should not be allowed to do
so.

There are several other testimonies, although those who speak out can often feel under
immense pressure because they worry that such testimony might be used to harm ‘trans
rights’ to change their bodies. Most report that initially after transitioning, they did feel a
sense of relief and happiness, but after a while the mental and emotional problems creeped
back in. Most were not unhappy with the physical aspect, but they realized as time went on
that transitioning was not the solution to their problems. Several de-transitioners report that
they felt that their transgender identity was a result of social conditioning, especially for
women living in what they felt was a patriarchal culture, with a longing to escape the

98
https://www.thecut.com/2016/02/fight-over-trans-kids-got-a-researcher-fired.html
99
https://guideonragingstars.tumblr.com/post/149877706175/female-detransition-and-reidentification-survey
100 https://www.whatweseee.com/2020/06/07/34239/
 32

vulnerability and restrictions that came with their sex. Others are certain that it was the
childhood abuse, shame and unaddressed trauma that led them to be at war with their bodies
and mistakenly assumed it to be an indication of their transgender identity.

According to Walt Heyer, another detransitioner, “The world of regretters that I see and
support is vastly different from the world of the transition advocates, those in a relentless
pursuit to convince the world that being transgender is the ultimate of all genders.” The sad
reality is that “Detransitioners live in secret and hide the shame and disappointment of falling
for the fraud of gender change. In the emails I get, I hear how they want to detransition, but
do not want to go public or be counted among the ones whose lives were so torn apart…”101
In fact, many are not even legally recorded because they never legally changed their gender,
so their true numbers cannot be known. Thus it is that we do not see too many reports of
those who have transitioned and now regret it. Studies do not suggest that a big proportion of
trans people regret it or want to detransition, but a review did find that studies examining the
long-term effects of gender transition often lose track of up to 50% of their patients. 102
Perhaps a significant proportion of these may be those who are unhappy with their transition
and unwilling to trust those who helped them with it.

These testimonies show that there is another side to the predominant narrative that
transitioning should be the ultimate goal of any individual with gender dysphoria, and that a
medically successful transition leads to a cure for all the emotional and psychological
struggles of the transgender individual. It appears that while transitioning may lead to relief
and satisfaction in the short run, a significant proportion of individuals continue to suffer.

What Can We Do?

Again, the relevant question for us as a community is how to react when faced with
individuals who struggle with gender dysphoria.

If someone in our close circle of family and friends claims that they are trapped in the wrong
body, a member of the opposite gender, and they begin imitating the other gender, what can
we do?
● Remember that ‘beating it out of them’ is not an effective technique. Refrain from
using violence, abuse and public humiliation
● Sit down with them to have a serious discussion. Listen to their feelings and desires
with compassion. Instead of passing judgment straight away, try to help them feel
understood.
● Gently but clearly tell them that every individual has different trials and struggles in
their life. Some struggle with their body, some with thoughts and emotions, some
with circumstances, others with relationships. Every person has to face their test in

101 https://thefederalist.com/2015/09/22/transgender-characters-may-win-emmys-but-transgender-people-hurt-
themselves/
102 https://www.theguardian.com/society/2004/jul/30/health.mentalhealth
 33

their life, and what defines an individual is how strongly they turn to Allah and how
committed they are to adhering to His guidelines and commands in the face of
hardship.
● Firmly convey the point that imitating and dressing as a member of the opposite
gender is not permitted. This is mostly defined by the cultural norms of that place
and time.
● Help them set limits for themselves that are reasonable and not too restrictive. This
may be somewhat different to that of the typical population but should not cross any
clear boundaries. For example, if a young boy really likes the feel of female dresses,
leggings etc., then his parents might find it acceptable to sit down with him and
discuss that some clothing is not appropriate for him to wear in public, but he may be
permitted to wear that dress for half an hour every day, or for a couple of hours a
week, in the privacy of his home or his bedroom. This will prevent the individual
from feeling completely oppressed and limited while at the same time maintaining
the boundaries of decency and social propriety.
● Find alternative and acceptable ways for the individual to express their preferences.
If a male individual likes the feeling of a dress, perhaps he may consider a ‘thawb’. If
he likes colorful clothing, arrange for some that matches his preferences without
being obviously female. If a female feels like ‘one of the boys’ and likes to play and
spend time with them, find her a social circle with girls who prefer more physical
activity and less pursuit of girlish activities. If she would rather not wear dresses,
allow her to wear clothes that are more comfortable for her as long as they are
modest and covering, and not blatantly male. Don’t try to force the individual to act
like stereotypes of their sex – that might worsen the situation and is not helpful or
effective.
● Put the individual in touch with a therapist who will not recommend a medical
transition to another gender and instead will help them reconcile with their body,
explore any trauma or abuse, and explore acceptable alternatives to be themselves
without crossing social and religious boundaries.

All individuals should be treated socially according to their physical sex. Those born boys
will be treated as males, even if they want to go by a female name and identity. The same
applies to females. If a male claims to be a female, wears feminine clothing and goes by a
female name, that does not mean that the women around him can relax and treat him as a
woman. They may not take off their hijab since from a legal and religious standpoint he is
still a male. However, if an individual does have sex reassignment surgery, although it is
Islamically not permissible, and now they possess the ‘sexual organ’ of the opposite gender,
they will be treated according to their new biological sex, according to the opinion expressed
by the scholar Dr Yasir Qadhi in private correspondence. This applies to religious and social
dealings.

Another scenario may be when we come across a transgender individual in our daily life,
such as work, academic settings or social gatherings. In this case, according to Islam, they are
still to be treated according to their biological sex, i.e. keep your distance from the opposite
 34

sex, wear a hijab in front of non-mahrams, don’t touch, etc. If in a secular country, it is best
to avoid the subject as much as possible, unless you feel fully capable of sensitively and
accurately navigating this topic. Do not directly provoke the individual or insist loudly that
they are female if they express themselves as male. Let them be. However, forming close
friendships, meeting one-to-one and coming into close contact with someone who is either
biologically of the opposite sex or believes themselves to be of the opposite sex should be
avoided.
 35

Chapter 3: Intersex Individuals

Intersex people are those who are born with bodies that do not fit the typical male or female
bodies that we see in the rest of the population. Instead, their primary and secondary
characteristics may be a combination of the two genders. They may have internal sex organs
that do not match their external genitalia. They may have both male and female genitalia.
They may have an XXY chromosome instead of the normal choice of XX or XY. This may
be obvious from birth, or it may become clear as the child grows up and goes through
puberty. These individuals do not belong to a ‘third gender’ but instead they represent a
pathology in the development and formation of a male or female body, according to the
consensus statement of the Intersex Society of North America (2015). Sometimes the child
may be raised as one gender which appears to be dominant, but as they grow they begin to
look and act more like the other gender. Sometimes it is clear that the individual is mainly of
one gender but with some characteristics of the other gender, while at other occasions the
case is truly ambiguous. These disorders of sexual development can have many causes, from
chromosomal abnormalities to genetic mutations to hormonal imbalances.

Islamic scholars have a set of guidelines to help determine which gender the individual
should be considered a part of, since this is important for social, legal and religious
considerations.103104 These may be explored at length for those who are interested, but they
are beyond the scope of this discussion.

Intersex individuals, also called hermaphrodites, are often treated badly by their community
and society at large. An example of this is the Pakistani community, where intersex
individuals are often abused, humiliated, beaten again and again, kicked out of their houses,
and forced into prostitution for survival. This shunning and contemptuous behavior is really
despicable and has no religious justification at all. Through no fault of their own, these
individuals are made to feel that they have no place in society, that their bodies are
disgusting, that they are only good for making money for exploitative organizations by
selling their own bodies. However, recent commendable legislation has been passed which
aims at legal recognition and protection of intersex individuals 105.

An example scenario is as follows:

Abdullah is the third son of his parents. When he is born, the doctors tell his parents that he
is intersex. While he has male organs, there is some clear feminine development. Abdullah’s
parents are horrified but they bring him home and resolve to make sure he grows up
masculine. By the time he is eleven, it is clear that he is quite effeminate and efforts to beat it
out of him have failed. His parents throw him out of the house and disown him. Begging in
the streets, he soon finds the best/only way to survive is dressing up as a girl and prostituting

103
https://islamqa.info/en/answers/114670/ruling-on-marrying-a-man-who-is-intersex-or-impotent-and-the-
difference-between-them
104
https://read.dukeupress.edu/jmews/article-abstract/14/2/152/135014/Intersex-Bodies-in-Premodern-Islamic
105
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/jul/23/pakistani-transgender-people-office-election
 36

himself. He is soon picked up by a group who exploit him as much as they can, and there is
no way out and nowhere to go.

Instead of acting in such a cruel way, there are better ways to deal with these cases. It could
happen to anyone, and with compassion, understanding and empathy such situations can be
addressed in far better ways. An alternative scenario could play out like this:

Maryam was born intersex. At birth, the doctors tell her parents that she has both male and
female genitalia. The doctors recommend that Maryam be assigned female status because she
has ovaries and a uterus. Maryam’s parents bring her up as a female. However, she has
always preferred boyish activities. At puberty her voice begins to deepen and facial hair
begin to grow. Maryam says she feels like a boy and is attracted to girls. Maryam undergoes
surgery with her parents’ consent and after several consultations with medical experts in the
field. Maryam changes her name to Mustafa after the surgery.

Medical recommendations for intersex individuals suggest that identifying the predominant
underlying sex is important, through an assessment of the sex organs, internal and external.
Decisions about a course of treatment should rest on the likely physical appearance of the
genitalia, on the potential for normal hormone excretions at puberty, on the potential for
having normal sexual intercourse, and on the potential for fertility, according to the reference
book Pediatric Endocrinology106. Treatment may consist of hormones and potentially
surgery.

According to most Islamic scholars, surgery for intersex individuals is permissible and even
encouraged. This is because there is a clear biological reason to do so, and surgery has
advantage to the individual as well as to the society, allowing them to fall within biological
and societal norms and thus enjoy the legal, social and health advantages that come with
being a member of either sex. Marriage is also possible when the legal sex of an individual
has been determined.

106
https://miami.pure.elsevier.com/en/publications/disorders-of-sexual-differentiation
 37

Chapter 4: Commonly Asked Questions

Q: What if I am asexual?

A: That’s fine. Humans have varying levels of sexual attraction – and some have none!
However, it is difficult to know if you truly do not enjoy having sexual relations at all
without at least experiencing them a few times – even individuals who generally are not
aroused by looking at or being in close proximity to others may enjoy and receive pleasure
from the act of intimacy. In addition, a lack of sexual arousal can be due to medical reasons
such as hormonal imbalances, side-effect of medications, etc., and in that case, it should be
addressed. If you are completely sure that you are asexual, you could:
● Avoid marrying – it is not obligatory
● Marry but make it very clear beforehand that you will not be engaging in intimacy –
others who are asexual or who have same-sex attractions and are looking for a similar
platonic marriage may be interested. This may be even more important for women
living in societies where a single woman attracts unwanted attention and feels unsafe

Q: What if I am bisexual?

A: This is not an issue. If you are attracted to both males and females, you can simply choose
to act only on your attraction towards the opposite gender and marry someone whom you are
attracted to. Any other attractions should not be acted upon.

Q: What if I am non-binary?

A: If you do not particularly feel male or female, it is alright. You do not have to conform to
stereotypical behaviors of either gender. However, it is important to keep in mind that for
religious and social purposes, your biological sex is important to determine how you and
others can act in certain situations – this is to create a stable society based on a safe family
unit of father, mother and children. Therefore, you can only marry a member of the opposite
sex, and if you are a female you are obliged to wear a hijab in front of men. Otherwise in
many aspects of life, it is not necessary for you to feel very female or very male in order to
lead a healthy and happy life that is pleasing to both yourself and to God.

Q: What if a member of your sex tells you that they are interested in you?

A: The best method is to deal with it the way you would deal with anyone displaying a
romantic interest in you in whom you are not interested. Politely and kindly tell the person
that you are not interested in pursuing a relationship with them, then maintain an appropriate
distance from them in order to ensure that no mixed signals are sent. Be careful to avoid one-
on-one time with them. If the both of you are female, it is strongly recommended that you
keep your hijab on in front of her and remain modestly dressed, as she has already mentioned
being attracted to you. Do not mock them and do not spread around your conversation. If the
other individual continues to pursue you and does not desist even after you have made your
 38

position clear, break off contact completely and report them to your elders and/or the relevant
authorities.

Q: Can we be friends with LGBT people?

A: Muslims have a responsibility to choose friends wisely. The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)
is reported to have said: “A man is upon the religion of his friend, so let one of you look at
whom he befriends.”107 Considering this admonishment, it is clear that those who are
engaged in a haram lifestyle should not be brought into a close friends’ circle. Whether this
lifestyle includes crimes, alcoholism, gambling, promiscuity, drugs or same-sex relationships,
the answer is the same: such a person should not be a close friend. This is not to say that you
cannot be friendly – quite the opposite. We have a responsibility to demonstrate a high moral
standard and to be polite and friendly to those around us, no matter what their actions may be.
However, if you believe that you might be able to influence their behavior and wish to do
da’wah to them, keeping in contact with this intention may be permissible – provided that
you do not allow them to influence you instead. However, this is all regarding those engaged
in such forbidden sexual relationships. As for those who may be struggling with same-sex
desires but are determined to control their behavior for the sake of God – there is absolutely
no problem with being friends with them.

107
Sunan Abi Dawud 4833, classed Hasan by Albani
 39

Further Resources

● Yasir Qadhi LGBT talks:

○ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yY4g0TOtirI
○ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=snVuGKqkwx8&t=4s
○ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Tsf29m9_O4&t=1s
● Before homosexuality in the Arab-Islamic world 1500-1800 by Khaled Al-Rouayheb
● A Queer Thing Happened to America by Michael Brown
● When Harry Became Sally by Ryan Anderson
● A Way Beyond the Rainbow by Waheed Jensen
● Homosexuality and scientific evidence: On suspect anecdotes, antiquated data, and
broad generalizations by Robert Kinney:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4771012/
● Sexuality and Gender, the New Atlantis, by Mayer:
https://www.thenewatlantis.com/publications/preface-sexuality-and-gender
● Growing Pains, the New Atlantis, by Hruz, Mayer, and McHugh:
https://www.thenewatlantis.com/publications/growing-pains
 40

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About the Author

Umm Sarah is a psychologist with a Bachelor’s and a Master’s degree in the subject from the
UK. She is currently pursuing a degree in Islamic studies. A mother of one, she is interested
in psychology, social issues, and religious revival. She can be reached at
[email protected]