First Transgender Islamic School in Pakistan

A madrasah “islamic school” for trans people was opened for the first time in Pakistan.

Rani Khan, who taught the Koran in the first madrasah for transgender people in a country where the ‘third gender’ was officially recognized and the Transgender People (Protection of Rights) Act passed parliament in 2018, said, “Most families do not accept transsexuals. They throw them out of their homes. “I was one of them, too,” said.

Islamabad Deputy Commissioner Hamza Shafqaat said that the madrasa can help trans people to participate actively in society and said, “I hope things will be better if this model is implemented in other cities.”

In Pakistan, where trans rights are legally protected, LGBTI+ individuals are still discriminated against. In the census conducted in 2017, it was recorded that approximately 10 thousand trans people lived in Pakistan. Trans rights groups stated that in the country with a population of 220 million, this number may now be over 300 thousand.

Previously, a madrasah for trans people was opened in Dhaka, the capital city of Bangladesh.

LGBT+ Flag Case: 2 Students Released

Two detained defendants were released in the trial in which seven students were tried for a collage work in which LGBT+ flags were placed on the image of the Kaaba at an exhibition at Boğaziçi University.

Two students, Doğu D. and Selahattin U., who were convicted of inciting hatred and enmity, were released due to the exhibition of an anonymous collage work on the image of the Kaaba at Boğaziçi University with the Shahmaran figure and LGBT+ flags.

The hearing of the case in Istanbul 21st Criminal Court of First Instance, where seven people, two of whom are under arrest, was held at the 12th High Criminal Court due to the large number of audiences.

All the defendants, including Doğu D. and Selahattin U., who have been under arrest for 47 days, were present in the courtroom. Among those who came to watch the hearing were politicians such as CHP’s Özgür Özel, Ali Şeker, Sera Kadıgil, Canan Kaftancıoğlu, TİP MP Barış Atay and Independent Deputy Ahmet Şık, as well as students’ friends and academicians.

In the case, which was held on the grounds that an anonymous collage work with a Shahmaran figure and LGBT+ flags were placed on the image of the Kaaba in the protests inside the campus, the students are tried with a prison sentence of one to three years on the charge of “publicly denigrating the religious values adopted by a section of the people”. In the case where two of the seven students were put on trial, one defendant is under house arrest.

During the hearing, which lasted about four hours, the judge asked the students “Do you have an LGBTI membership?”, And Levent Pişkin, one of the students’ lawyers, objected to the question.

Stating that it is a constitutional crime to force anyone to explain whether they are LGBTI+ or not, Pişkin emphasized that there is no such organization as “LGBTI” and therefore there cannot be a concept called LGBTI member, “There is a kind of criminalization effort. LGBTI+ society is tried to be criminalized in this way. “There are gay Muslims. There are also homosexual pilgrims. There are also those who go on the pilgrimage among homosexuals.”

On the other hand, when the statement of the defendant Sena Nur B. was taken, the judge showed her in the official courtroom and said, “Is this the picture?” he asked the students.

At the hearing, the defendant’s lawyers stated that the exhibition containing the work in question was only accessible to school students and graduates; He pointed out that the incident was enlarged after the Yeni Şafak newspaper was targeted, and the students were targeted after the issue was reflected in the media.

The court has set the date for the next hearing as July 5, 2021

LGBTI: Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex

Belgium Deports Homophobic Turkish Imam

According to reports in the Belgian media, the imam of the Green Mosque in Houthalen-Helchteren, near the city of Genk, shared a discriminatory message on his Facebook account that “homosexuality is a disease, causes decay and is banned by Islam”.

Imam also recalled the controversial anti-homosexual preaching of the President of Religious Affairs Ali Erbaş. He also thanked a follower who wrote “Homosexuality is the virus of capitalism and democracy”.

Sammy Mahdi, Minister of State for Asylum and Immigration of the federal government, announced that they decided not to extend the residence permit of the imam, who has been in Belgium for 3 years. The Belgian minister said, “Those who come to our society to sow hate have no place here“.

Sent from Turkey by the Directorate of Religious Affairs, he has made application for renewal of residence and work permit to the Immigration Office in Belgium last October. Belgian authorities launched an investigation against the imam on the grounds that “it could harm public order and national security” due to his homophobic views.

The Flemish government has also taken legal action to revoke the Green Mosque’s license.

Mosque management will take legal action

It was stated that the Belgian government would ask the Turkish imam, whose residence permit was not extended, to leave the country.

State Minister Mahdi said, “We can no longer tolerate stigmatizing the gay community and spreading such messages. If you have the right to work in Belgium as an imam, you have an exemplary duty. Anyone who does not want to abide by our values will have to bear the consequences.”

Flemish Home Office and Integration Minister Bart Somers has also taken legal action to revoke the Green Mosque’s license. Somers stated that the Green Mosque is in danger of losing its recognition, “on the grounds that it spreads hatred and discriminatory messages towards the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) community.

Helchteren Mayor Alain Yzermans said the city council will seriously consider the Green Mosque issue. “Discriminatory messages opposing the democratic, constitutional state are unacceptable. Our municipality attaches great importance to equality and tolerance” said the mayor.

An official from the Green Mosque administration told the BBC Turkish that they were surprised by the Belgian government’s decision and that they will meet with the lawyer on Thursday for the necessary legal action. The mosque association manager refrained from saying, “I don’t know, I forgot” the name of the imam, who was the target of the accusations.

Does Islam Support the Burning of Homosexuals?

I read that a 2015 Moroccan magazine cover asked the question “Should homosexuals be burned?”

Is burning considered as a means of execution in 2015?

Here is the answer from a Question and Answer Islamic site: islamqa.info/en/38622

Below is the question asked on this website.

What is the punishment for homosexuality? Is there any differentiation between the one who does it and the one to whom it is done?.

Here is the answer from the site (not the entire article as it contained scholars meetings over the years on this topic.

The crime of homosexuality is one of the greatest of crimes, the worst of sins and the most abhorrent of deeds, and Allaah punished those who did it in a way that He did not punish other nations. It is indicative of violation of the fitrah, total misguidance, weak intellect and lack of religious commitment, and it is a sign of doom and deprivation of the mercy of Allaah. We ask Allaah to keep us safe and sound.

Are There Exceptions to Execution? (My question)

Here is the answer from the Site

1 – There is no hadd punishment if the one who has been sodomized is forced into it, such as if the one who did it overpowered him or threatened him with death or beating and the like. End quote.

2 – If the one to whom it was done is a minor and has not reached the age of puberty. There is no hadd punishment in this case, but he should be disciplined and punished in a way that will deter him from committing this crime, as stated above in the quotation from Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah.

Ibn Qudaamah (may Allaah have mercy on him) narrated in al-Mughni (9/62) that there is no difference of opinion among the scholars concerning the fact that the hadd punishment should not be carried out on one who is insane or a boy who has not yet reached the age of puberty.

And Allaah knows best.

End of Article.

My comment:

Unknown-6paula: I cannot see Allaah as a God of such hatred towards his creation. Like so many religions that were founded long ago, there is no room for scientific thought. World-wide bodies of psychologists and psychiatrists are in total agreement that homosexuality is a born orientation.

They state that homosexuality is NOT a disease, mental problem or perversion (as stated in the Quran and the Old Testament). Furthermore, they state that homosexuality CANNOT be reversed and therefore, it is NOT a choice.

Would a God punish people born homosexuality. It is my opinion that He/She would not. It is my opinion, as I read this site that the emphasis is on DEATH and ways of executing and NOT on LOVE. It is on judging people born homosexual. Has it never occurred to these bigots that homosexuality has been in existence since the dawn of civilization? Are they blind to the fact that homosexuality is in EVERY country? My God is a God of love.

Paula, 2015, stories4hotbloodedlesbians.com