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Some people have said that the Quran considers homosexuality a grave sin. And they quote from the Quran verses especially regarding the prophet Lot to prove that point. They say that homosexuality is a punishable sin also.
"29:29] "You sexually approach men, you commit highway robbery, and you bring all vice to your society." But the only response from his people was to say, "Bring us God's retribution, if you are being truthful!"
[27:55] "You are approaching the men out of lust instead of the women! No, you are an ignorant people!"
[26:165] "Do you APPROACH the males of the worlds?"
[26:166] "You leave what your Lord has created for you of mates? You are an intrusive people!"
[26:167] They said, "If you do not cease O Lot, you will be among those driven out."
[26:168] He said, "I am in severe opposition to your acts!"
My response:
In the Quran we are told:
And We caused the white cloud to overshadow you and sent down on you the manna and the quails, (saying): Eat of the good things wherewith We have provided you - they wronged Us not, but they did wrong themselves. 2.57
And remember ye said: "O Moses! we cannot endure one kind of food (always); so beseech thy Lord for us to produce for us of what the earth groweth, -its pot-herbs, and cucumbers, Its garlic, lentils, and onions." He said: "Will ye exchange the better for the worse? Go ye down to any town, and ye shall find what ye want!" They were covered with humiliation and misery; they drew on themselves the wrath of Allah. This because they went on rejecting the Signs of Allah and slaying His Messengers without just cause. This because they rebelled and went on transgressing. 2.61
Here we are told how the Israelites complained about the food and requested God to give them beans and vegetables when they already were given quail and manna. Moses commented on how the Israelites would prefer the veggies and beans over the meat and actually referred to it as inferior. This argument may make sense for most people but not for a vegetarian who would not see meat as a superior food to eat.
So a heterosexual may understand the verses you quoted. But a homosexual would not understand it that way since his attraction are not for females.
The issue with homosexuality is that its a behavior and not a character so it does not tell us anything about a person. Is this homosexual a believer or a non believer? Is he a righteous person or is he dishonest and selfish? Does he speaks truth when he speaks or is he a deceiver? Homosexuality does not tell us anything about a person except his sexual preference. Is he loyal to his male partner or does he commit adultery with other partners and exploits his partners and uses them? These questions should be looked at when he look at any homosexual and not just look at his sexual preference only.
The Quran is concerned about a person's character and how it affects his behavior and not just his behavior regardless of his character. The same could be said about alcohol or smoking cigarettes or using recreational drugs. Too many times Muslims only look at behavior without considering the MORE important character of a person like arrogance, selfishness, miserliness, disloyalty and dishonesty and enviousness etc.
What i tried to point out is that homosexuals are not mainstream and represent a minority of males so sometimes we need to take that into account when we consider the Quran since the Quran sometimes talks to different audiences but generally it speaks to mankind as a whole. The Israelites were being stubborn while the people of Lot were being aggressive and violent and arrogant since they thought that they can rape whomever they want. Whether they were homosexuals or not we do not know. Its unlikely the Israelites were vegetarians but were probably just being stubborn so maybe the people of lot are just being *******s (excuse my language). But I believe both Moses and Lot were speaking as normal human beings would speak about food and sex. But like vegetarians, homosexuality is not mainstream. And how a homosexual would look at a women is very different than how most men would look at them.
So we must take that into mind when we look at the verses of the Quran.
Another issue to consider is the act of rape. The people of Lot were rapist. When the angels came to Lot he was very sure that his people will come after the angels. He tries to persuade them but they gathered outside his house. the people of Lot we are told even used to high jack people from the desert. So it is not accurate as some say that Lot's people were destroyed for their homosexuality. Many nations we are told in the Quran were destroyed with nothing to do with homosexuality. And even if the people raped women it still would have made no difference. Rape is rape.
Homosexuality is a preference and a behavior and therefore not an issue concerning salvation. even if we consider it a sin Quranically, and there is no actual explicit proof of that from Quran, it falls under individual responsibility.
The Quran only allows us humans to hold people responsible who affect another person's right or burden. Adultery is something the Quran says we can hold humans responsible especially if the spouse brings about a charge. But homosexuality is not something the Quran allows us to hold any human accountable unless the homosexual couples here have an oath and binding agreement between them.
"29:29] "You sexually approach men, you commit highway robbery, and you bring all vice to your society." But the only response from his people was to say, "Bring us God's retribution, if you are being truthful!"
[27:55] "You are approaching the men out of lust instead of the women! No, you are an ignorant people!"
[26:165] "Do you APPROACH the males of the worlds?"
[26:166] "You leave what your Lord has created for you of mates? You are an intrusive people!"
[26:167] They said, "If you do not cease O Lot, you will be among those driven out."
[26:168] He said, "I am in severe opposition to your acts!"
My response:
In the Quran we are told:
And We caused the white cloud to overshadow you and sent down on you the manna and the quails, (saying): Eat of the good things wherewith We have provided you - they wronged Us not, but they did wrong themselves. 2.57
And remember ye said: "O Moses! we cannot endure one kind of food (always); so beseech thy Lord for us to produce for us of what the earth groweth, -its pot-herbs, and cucumbers, Its garlic, lentils, and onions." He said: "Will ye exchange the better for the worse? Go ye down to any town, and ye shall find what ye want!" They were covered with humiliation and misery; they drew on themselves the wrath of Allah. This because they went on rejecting the Signs of Allah and slaying His Messengers without just cause. This because they rebelled and went on transgressing. 2.61
Here we are told how the Israelites complained about the food and requested God to give them beans and vegetables when they already were given quail and manna. Moses commented on how the Israelites would prefer the veggies and beans over the meat and actually referred to it as inferior. This argument may make sense for most people but not for a vegetarian who would not see meat as a superior food to eat.
So a heterosexual may understand the verses you quoted. But a homosexual would not understand it that way since his attraction are not for females.
The issue with homosexuality is that its a behavior and not a character so it does not tell us anything about a person. Is this homosexual a believer or a non believer? Is he a righteous person or is he dishonest and selfish? Does he speaks truth when he speaks or is he a deceiver? Homosexuality does not tell us anything about a person except his sexual preference. Is he loyal to his male partner or does he commit adultery with other partners and exploits his partners and uses them? These questions should be looked at when he look at any homosexual and not just look at his sexual preference only.
The Quran is concerned about a person's character and how it affects his behavior and not just his behavior regardless of his character. The same could be said about alcohol or smoking cigarettes or using recreational drugs. Too many times Muslims only look at behavior without considering the MORE important character of a person like arrogance, selfishness, miserliness, disloyalty and dishonesty and enviousness etc.
What i tried to point out is that homosexuals are not mainstream and represent a minority of males so sometimes we need to take that into account when we consider the Quran since the Quran sometimes talks to different audiences but generally it speaks to mankind as a whole. The Israelites were being stubborn while the people of Lot were being aggressive and violent and arrogant since they thought that they can rape whomever they want. Whether they were homosexuals or not we do not know. Its unlikely the Israelites were vegetarians but were probably just being stubborn so maybe the people of lot are just being *******s (excuse my language). But I believe both Moses and Lot were speaking as normal human beings would speak about food and sex. But like vegetarians, homosexuality is not mainstream. And how a homosexual would look at a women is very different than how most men would look at them.
So we must take that into mind when we look at the verses of the Quran.
Another issue to consider is the act of rape. The people of Lot were rapist. When the angels came to Lot he was very sure that his people will come after the angels. He tries to persuade them but they gathered outside his house. the people of Lot we are told even used to high jack people from the desert. So it is not accurate as some say that Lot's people were destroyed for their homosexuality. Many nations we are told in the Quran were destroyed with nothing to do with homosexuality. And even if the people raped women it still would have made no difference. Rape is rape.
Homosexuality is a preference and a behavior and therefore not an issue concerning salvation. even if we consider it a sin Quranically, and there is no actual explicit proof of that from Quran, it falls under individual responsibility.
The Quran only allows us humans to hold people responsible who affect another person's right or burden. Adultery is something the Quran says we can hold humans responsible especially if the spouse brings about a charge. But homosexuality is not something the Quran allows us to hold any human accountable unless the homosexual couples here have an oath and binding agreement between them.