Queer Muslim Marriage

Between an autobiography and an essay on religion, this book relies on a Muslim gay couple's real life events to stress the facts that homosexuality, despite what some conservatives might say, is not a choice; and that it would be crazy to choose to be homosexual when one comes from the sociocultural milieu where Ludovic-Mohamed Zahed and his husband Qiyaam Jantjies come from. The author recalls his ardent youth, spiritual asceticism and burning desire. Neither passion nor rigor but...
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Between an autobiography and an essay on religion, this book relies on a Muslim gay couple's real life events to stress the facts that homosexuality, despite what some conservatives might say, is not a choice; and that it would be crazy to choose to be homosexual when one comes from the sociocultural milieu where Ludovic-Mohamed Zahed and his husband Qiyaam Jantjies come from. The author recalls his ardent youth, spiritual asceticism and burning desire. Neither passion nor rigor but both at the same time, a very singular path emerges in the text. It is a history of his contracting HIV-AIDS, before his pilgrimage to Mecca, Umm Al-Qura, the mother of all cities. In a moving scene at the ancient house of God, Ludovic-Mohamed understands that it is possible to conceive a "faith without dogma." For it is said in the Qur'an: "No constraints in religion." Can you be gay and Muslim? This book's message: Of course, yes!The author was also the founder of the association HM2F (Homosexual Muslims of France), to sustain Gay Muslims in France, and also the Founder-Imam of the first European Inclusive Mosque (Paris)."What arguments can be put forward to someone who thinks that homosexuality is a sin, something against nature, which should be prosecuted and convicted? What can we say to address the plight of our Muslim gay brothers and lesbian sisters? What can we say to such obvious lack of the most basic feelings and values of Islam, such as compassion, respect for others and a sense of right and wrong? It's time to say that this issue is not a matter of divergent interpretations: it is a basic issue for the survival of Islam as a way of life based on transcendent values, rooted in the depths of the human heart. In this sense, (this book) goes beyond the foregoing issues, to address the issue from the very heart of Islamic spirituality".Ludovic-Mohamed Zahed and his ex husband are not married to one another anymore, but they have learned more about how to address discriminations within islam, about sexual diversity and peace.