"[52] A critique of Kugle's approach, interpretations and conclusions was published in 2016 by Mobeen Vaid. In Islam, it is believed that married life should be filled with mercy, compassion, and tranquility. ", "Muslims in Britain have zero tolerance of homosexuality, says poll", Zusammenfassung "Muslimisches Leben in Deutschland", Deutsch-Türkische Lebens- und Wertewelten 2012, "Muslime in Deutschland mit Staat und Gesellschaft eng verbunden", "Weltanschauliche Vielfalt und Demokratie", "U.S. Muslims Concerned About Their Place in Society, but Continue to Believe in the American Dream", "Emerging Consensus on LGBT Issues: Findings From the 2017 American Values Atlas", "Muslim Canadians increasingly proud of and attached to Canada, survey suggests", "Almost half of people in Turkey think that LGBT+ people should have equal rights, nine percent more than last year, according to a survey", "Iran's Supreme Leader says "There is no worst form of moral degeneration than homosexuality, "Iranian human rights official describes homosexuality as an illness", "A Code of Practice For Muslims in the West", "Initial empirical and clinical findings concerning the change process for ex-gays", "London mayor stands firm despite sustained campaign", "Statement on Homosexualist Campaign against Muslim Scholar", "Russian police round up LGBT activists demonstrating against persecution of gay men in Chechnya", "Russians Protesting Abuse of Gay Men in Chechnya Are Detained", "Information uncovered about a second prison for homosexuals in the Russian republic of Chechnya", "Chechnya detains 100 gay men in first concentration camps since the Holocaust", "Report: Chechnya Is Torturing Gay Men in Concentration Camps", "Murder of honor: the ambitions of a well-known LGBT activist awake a terrible ancient custom in Chechnya", "Chechen Authorities Arresting and Killing Gay Men, Russian Paper Says", "Analysis - She broke the story of Chechnya's anti-gay purge. However there is no sin for those who choose not to marry, as long as they will not transgress against Allah’s limits and fall into the forbidden acts. [8] There is little evidence of homosexual practice in Islamic societies for the first century and a half of the Islamic era. Caliph al-Mutasim in the 9th century and some of his successors were accused of homosexuality. It is internal – it’s something you feel and just know that you were born into the wrong body. In October 2018, Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad stated that Malaysia would not "copy" Western nations' approach towards LGBT rights, indicating that these countries were exhibiting a disregard for the institutions of the traditional family and marriage, as the value system in Malaysia is good. But just to put it into perspective, the sin of masturbation is not as grave as the sin of zina (adultery or fornication). 12 February 2016 - Across Europe, gay refugees facing abuse at migrant asylum shelters are forced to flee shelters. [35][159][40][41], The Ottoman Empire (predecessor of Turkey) decriminalized homosexuality in 1858. American soldiers have been instructed not to intervene—in some cases, not even when their Afghan allies have abused boys on military bases, according to interviews and court records. [1] The Quran terms this an abomination or fahisha (Arabic: فاحشة‎, romanized: fāḥiša) unprecedented in the history of the world: "And (We sent) Lot when he said to his people: What! [11][10] The conceptions of homosexuality found in classical Islamic texts resemble the traditions of Graeco-Roman antiquity rather than the modern understanding of sexual orientation. he affects women's get-up. In Islam, the term mukhannathun is used to describe gender-variant people, usually male-to-female transgender. He also said, although such lifestyles deviate from Islam, the government would not impose such a punishment on the group. Otherwise they will transgress and violate the guidelines set by Allah. [136], Islamic state has decreed capital punishment for gay people. Especially, it is "young Muslims" who are "increasingly speaking out in support of gay rights". [5] The same was said of Andalusian caliph al-Hakam II (915–976). [226], On 11 January 2019, it was reported that another 'gay purge' had begun in the country in December 2018, with several gay men and women being detained. [78], Egyptian Islamist journalist Muhammad Jalal Kishk also found no punishment for homosexual acts prescribed in the Quran, regarding the hadith that mentioned it as poorly attested. Regardless of this, the school's minister emphasized that the school tries express equality. Despite pushback from citizens in the LGBTQ+ community, Brunei prime minister's office produced a statement explaining Brunei's intention for carrying through with the law. Same-sex relations between females are legal in Kuwait, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan, but homosexual acts between males are illegal. Salaam was found in 1993 by, In May 2009, the Toronto Unity Mosque / el-Tawhid Juma Circle was founded by Laury Silvers, a. Imam Daayiee Abdullah, one of America's first openly gay Imam's, argues that the existing view towards homosexuality among Muslims is based on tradition, not an interpretation of scriptures. Under this reading, Islam can be described as "a religion that positively assesses diversity in creation and in human societies," allowing gay and lesbian Muslims to view homosexuality as representing the "natural diversity in sexuality in human societies. According to the Encyclopedia of Islam and the Muslim World: Whatever the legal strictures on sexual activity, the positive expression of male homoerotic sentiment in literature was accepted, and assiduously cultivated, from the late eighth century until modern times. "[112] Despite this legality, social attitudes towards homosexuality are still hostile and hateful. [8][12] Following Greek precedents, the Islamic medical tradition regarded as pathological only this latter case, and showed no concern for other forms of homosexual behavior. And to Allah belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. When he refused, the Sultan instantly ordered the decapitation of Notaras, together with that of his son and his son-in-law; and their three heads … were placed on the banqueting table before him". v.intr. [52]:194–196, In addition to the Qur'an, Kugle refers to the benediction of Imam Al-Ghazali (the 11th-century Muslim theologian) which says. [13][14][15] In 1744, Muhammad bin Saud, the tribal ruler of the town of Diriyah, endorsed ibn Abd al-Wahhab’s mission and the two swore an oath to establish together a state run according to true Islamic principles. [137], In India, which has the third-largest Muslim population in the world, and where Muslims form a large minority, the largest Islamic seminary (Darul Uloom Deoband) has vehemently opposed recent government moves[138] to abrogate and liberalize laws from the colonial era that banned homosexuality. [1] The subject is most clearly addressed in the story of Sodom and Gomorrah (seven verses) after the city inhabitants demand sexual access to the messengers sent by God to the prophet Lot (or Lut). [73], For unclear reasons, the treatment of homosexuality in Twelver Shia jurisprudence is generally harsher than in Sunni fiqh, while Zaydi and Isma'ili Shia jurists took positions similar to the Sunnis. [264][verification needed] The Foundation accepted and considered homosexuality as natural, either regarding Qur'anic verses as obsolete in the context of modern society, or stating that the Qu'ran speaks out against homosexual lust and is silent on homosexual love. In Islam, Muslims are to build this earth and make it prosper be it in agriculture, industry, sciences, etc. [126], In regards to homosexual intercourse, it is the enjoyment that is considered bad, rather than simply the penetration. Persecution of homosexuals has been exacerbated in recent decades by a rise in Islamic fundamentalism and the emergence of the gay-rights movement in the West, which allowed Islamists to paint homosexuality as a noxious Western import. The people said: Apostle of Allah! [18] In Afghanistan, Brunei, Iran, Mauritania, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, parts of Somalia,[note 1] Sudan, United Arab Emirates, and Yemen, homosexual activity carries the death penalty or prison sentences. [1] Some Muslim academics disagree with this interpretation, arguing that the people of Lot were destroyed not because of participation in same-sex acts, but because of misdeeds which included refusing to worship one God, disregarding the authority of the Prophets, and attempting to rape the travelers, a crime made even worse by the fact that the travelers were under Lot's protection and hospitality. should we not kill him? As long as a person has a love for Allah SWT and believes the Shahada and follows the five pillars of Islam, what difference does everything else make? [98], Other famous examples of homosexuality include the Aghlabid Emir Ibrahim II of Ifriqiya (ruled 875–902), who was said to have been surrounded by some sixty catamites, yet whom he was said to have treated in a most horrific manner. In November 2012, a prayer room was set up in Paris by gay Islamic scholar and founder of the group 'Homosexual Muslims of France'. In Islam, the term mukhannathun is used to describe gender-variant people, usually male-to-female transgender. (See Cairo 52.) The two main reasons are failing to trust in Allah and falling victim to ones vain desires and thinking. [205] These groups, like those based in socially conservative Christianity, are aimed at attempting to guide homosexuals towards heterosexuality. [209] In 2004, Straightway entered into a controversy with the contemporary Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone, and the controversial Islamic cleric Yusuf al-Qaradawi. It is every person’s prerogative to feel how they want to, live the life they want to, love who they want to, and identify as whatever gender they want to. We need to accept all people, regardless of gender (including transgender), regardless of who they love (yes, even the gays should be accepted), and regardless of where they come from. [184], In 2013, the Pew Research Center conducted a study on the global acceptance of homosexuality and found a widespread rejection of homosexuality in many nations that are predominantly Muslim. comes upon a man, then they are both adulterers.”. “It is Allah Who has sent down the Book in Truth, and the Balance.” Holy Qur’an (42:17) “And the Firmament has He raised high, and He has set up the Balance, In order that you may not transgress (due) balance. Few literary works displayed hostility towards non-heterosexuality, apart from partisan statements and debates about types of love (which also occurred in heterosexual contexts). [74] Where capital punishment is prescribed and a particular method is recommended, the methods range from stoning (Hanbali, Maliki), to the sword (some Hanbalites and Shafi'ites), or leaving it to the court to choose between several methods, including throwing the culprit off a high building (Shi'ite). [77], Mohamed El-Moctar El-Shinqiti, director of the Islamic Center of South Plains in Texas, has argued that "[even though] homosexuality is a grievous sin...[a] no legal punishment is stated in the Qur'an for homosexuality...[b] it is not reported that Prophet Muhammad has punished somebody for committing homosexuality...[c] there is no authentic hadith reported from the Prophet prescribing a punishment for the homosexuals..." Classical hadith scholars such as Al-Bukhari, Yahya ibn Ma'in, Al-Nasa'i, Ibn Hazm, Al-Tirmidhi, and others have impugned the authenticity of hadith reporting these statements. Saddam Hussein was "unbothered by sexual mores." [142], In Bangladesh, homosexual acts are illegal and punishable according to section 377. We must be willing to have real and open discussions about these subjects, because the lives and safety of our trans Muslim brothers and sisters are at stake. ), NYU Press New York 1997, Vincenzo Patanè, "Homosexuality in the Middle East and North Africa" in: Aldrich, Robert (ed. '", Other hadiths seem to permit homoerotic feelings as long as they are not translated into action. [110] Dawud al-Antaki advanced that it could have been caused by an acidic substance embedded in the veins of the anus, causing itchiness and thus the need to seek relief. Documented instances of prosecution for homosexual acts are rare, and those which followed legal procedure prescribed by Islamic law are even rarer. [140], In Iraq, homosexuality is allowed by the government, but terrorist groups often carry out illegal executions of gay people. [162][163] Albania, Northern Cyprus, and Kosovo also protect LGBT people with anti-discrimination laws. "[112], In Jordan, where homosexuality is legal, "gay hangouts have been raided or closed on bogus charges, such as serving alcohol illegally. They teach that the male-female pair is the "basis for humanity's growth" and that homosexual acts "are forbidden by God". He claimed that this may not be "what the LGBTQ community wants to hear", but that, "it reveals that even classical Islamic jurists struggled with this issue and had a more sophisticated attitude than many contemporary Muslims". Because of this threat and their conservative familial backgrounds, many Al-Fatiha members chose anonymity to protect their identity. The Muslim community as a whole, worldwide, has become polarized on the subject of homosexuality. According to Kugle, "where the Qur'an treats same-sex acts, it condemns them only so far as they are exploitive or violent." Only Islam can gather both ends in a harmonic mixture. He, along with other queer Muslims who left the old Al-Fitrah Foundation founded a new organization in 2018 called Al-Ghurbaah Foundation. He was told: Apostle of Allah! At the opposite pole, "some Muslims . They believe "one has to avoid getting buggered precisely in order not to acquire a taste for it and thus become addicted. He wrote that "sexual standards in Islam are paradoxical." [8] Poets used it to illustrate the power of love, pointing to Mahmud as an example of a man who becomes "a slave to his slave", while Malik Ayaz served as an example of the ideal beloved, and a model for purity in Sufi literature. [35][164][40][41], In Lebanon, courts have ruled that the country's penal code must not be used to target homosexuals, but the law has yet to be changed by parliament. [49][206][207] They believe "that through following God's guidance", one may "cease to be" gay. [1], Some Quranic verses describing the paradise refer to "immortal boys" (56:17, 76:19) or "young men" (52:24) who serve wine to the blessed. Certain steps need to be taken to ensure that all options have been exhausted and both parties are treated with respect and justice. [64], The hadith collection of Bukhari (compiled in the 9th century from earlier oral traditions) includes a report regarding mukhannathun, effeminate men who were granted access to secluded women's quarters and engaged in other non-normative gender behavior:[7] This hadiths attributed to Muhammad's wives, a mukhannath in question expressed his appreciation of a woman's body and described it for the benefit of another man. [106] Khaled el-Rouayheb (2014) maintain that "much if not most of the extant love poetry of the period [16th to 18th century] is pederastic in tone, portraying an adult male poet's passionate love for a teenage boy". [179], Although it prohibits homosexuality, Iran is the only Muslim country in the Persian Gulf region that allows transgender people to express themselves by recognizing their self-identified gender and subsidizing reassignment surgery. Furthermore, Musić wrote, "my research and reflection helped me to imagine my sexuality as a gift from a loving, not hateful, God. They also suffered discrimination in healthcare services. Although the tafsir literature does not interpret this as a homoerotic allusion, the connection was made in other literary genres, mostly humorously. [87], Abdessamad Dialmy in his 2010 article, "Sexuality and Islam," addressed "sexual norms defined by the sacred texts (Koran and Sunna)." [103] A painting by Riza Abbasi with homo-erotic qualities shows the ruler enjoying such delights. It prescribes death by stoning as punishment for sex between men,[150] and sex between women is punishable by caning or imprisonment. "[83]:42–46 Kugle argues that if the classical commentators had seen "sexual orientation as an integral aspect of human personality," they would have read the narrative of Lot and his tribe "as addressing male rape of men in particular" and not as "addressing homosexuality in general. In Iran, according to article 129 and 131 there are up to 100 lashes of whip first three times and fourth time death penalty for lesbians. [75] Since women do not possess a phallus and cannot have intercourse with one another, they are, in this interpretation, physically incapable of committing zinā. Evidence includes the behavior of rulers . [132], Same-sex sexual activity is illegal in Chad since 1 August 2017 under a new penal code. After Alam stepped down, subsequent leaders failed to sustain the organization and it began a process of legal dissolution in 2011. 1. [111], In mystic writings of the medieval era, such as Sufi texts, it is "unclear whether the beloved being addressed is a teenage boy or God." [104], "Homosexuality was a key symbolic issue throughout the Middle Ages in [Islamic] Iberia. This has led to controversy regarding Qatar, which is due to stage the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Our Shaykh (i.e., Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah, may Allah have mercy on him) said: and except sins against other people such as murder and oppression. ” He said: “ O my son, ask Allaah for Paradise and seek refuge in Him from Hell, for I heard the Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, saying: “Among this … [8][12] While playing an active role in homosexual relations carried no social stigma beyond that of licentious behavior, seeking to play a passive role was considered both unnatural and shameful for a mature man. One day the Prophet entered upon us when he was with one of his wives, and was describing the qualities of a woman, saying: When she comes forward, she comes forward with four (folds of her stomach), and when she goes backward, she goes backward with eight (folds of her stomach). For intersex in Islam, see, "Islam and sexual orientation" redirects here. If one is not able to relocate to another region where they are not known, they often suffer verbal and physical violence. A Brief Understanding of Transgender Rights in Islam Yes - they exist. [8], Homosexual acts are forbidden in traditional Islamic jurisprudence and are liable to different punishments, including the death penalty, depending on the situation and legal school. The conversation progressively became emotional and I began to cry when Skye-Heather described to me the first time she prayed before Allah SWT dressed in hijab – fully expressing herself as a woman and it was in that moment that she felt the most solace she’d ever felt in her life – standing before God in her true self. Several anti-LGBT incidents have occurred: The coming together of "human rights discourses and sexual orientation struggles" has resulted in an abundance of "social movements and organizations concerned with gender and sexual minority oppression and discrimination. [1][2][3][4] Some hadith collections also condemn homosexual and transgender acts,[5][1][6][7] prescribing death penalty for male homosexual intercourse. [8], In Kecia Ali's book, she cites that "contemporary scholars disagree sharply about the Qur'anic perspective on same-sex intimacy." Quranic Revisionism and the Case of Scott Kugle", https://carleton.ca/religion/people/aisha-geissinger/, "Review of Junaid Jahangir & Hussein Abdullatif's, "Homosexuality as cultural battleground in the Middle East: culture and postcolonial international theory", "The Ottoman empire's secular history undermines sharia claims", "The Tanzimat: Secular Reforms in the Ottoman Empire", "7 countries still put people to death for same-sex acts", "Fifa boss Sepp Blatter sorry for Qatar 'gay' remarks", "Loi n°001/PR/2017 Portant Code Pénal (Part 1)", "Loi n°001/PR/2017 Portant Code Pénal (Part 2)", "Egypt's LGBT Crackdown Expands to Stifle Journalists", "The Islamic State's shocking war on gays", "After Deoband, other Muslim leaders condemn homosexuality", "India Gay Sex Ban Is Struck Down. The organization was an offshoot of an internet listserve that brought together many gay, lesbian and questioning Muslims from various countries. It is regarded as a cure for homosexuality, which is punishable by death under Iranian law. The act of masturbation is prohibited in Islam, and must be avoided by the believers. Since homosexuality is against the law in some Middle Eastern countries, Imaan is taking a large stance against these laws and is attempting to change the way Middle Eastern countries look at LGBTQ+ individuals. [59] These beardless youths are also described as wearing sumptuous robes and having perfumed hair. Early Islamic literature rarely comments upon the habits of the mukhannathun. 3. commit a sin; violate a law of God or a moral law. Muslim ritual funerals also apply. [210] Straightway responded to this by compiling a document to clarify what they regarded as fundamental issues concerning Islam and homosexuality. "[295]:xvi, 103, Regarding homosexuality, Ali, says that the belief that "exclusively homosexual desire is innate in some individuals" has been adopted "even among some relatively conservative Western Muslim thinkers. "No: 134, 12 June 2016, Press Release Regarding the Terrorist Attack in Orlando City of the US", "Foreign Ministry of UAE gives condemns Orlando shooting", "Muslim Americans rush to condemn Orlando massacre", "Muslim leaders condemn Florida massacre, brace for backlash", "Several vigils are planned around Southern California for the Orlando shooting victims", "Tucson mosque condemns shootings in Orlando", "Metro Detroit Muslims strongly condemn Orlando shooting", "Harrisburg mosque holds prayer vigil for Orlando victims", "Orlando Muslims turn to prayer after shooting puts community 'on edge, "Muslim and LGBT community hold vigil for Orlando victims in Hartford", "Local Muslim community condemns Orlando nightclub shooting", "Milwaukee mosque holds prayer vigil for Orlando shooting victims", "Fort Pierce Mosque in Florida Condemns Attack", "Muslim community condemns Orlando attack, calls for blood donations", "British Muslim parents oppose LGBT lessons in primary school", "Muslim Alliance for Sexual and Gender Diversity", "LGBT Muslims told to choose religion or sexuality", "My LGBT-friendly mosque saved me from being radicalised", "Being gay and muslim: 'death is your repentance, "What you should know about being LGBT and Muslim, from a leading LGBT Muslim group", "Bosnian LGBTI Activists Demand: Equality Now! unpunished. Iran carries out more sex change operations than any other nation in the world except for Thailand. After the defeat of Vlad, Mehmed placed Radu on the throne of Wallachia as a vassal ruler. [1] In one passage the Quran says that the men "solicited his guests of him" (Quran 54:37),[50] using an expression that parallels phrasing used to describe the attempted seduction of Joseph, and in multiple passages they are accused of "coming with lust" to men instead of women (or their wives). Islam is a complete lifestyle. For Kugle, this benediction implies that "if sexuality is inherent in a person's personality, then sexual diversity is a part of creation, which is never accidental but is always marvelous." [128] In 2015, The New York Times reported that U.S. soldiers serving in Afghanistan were instructed by their commanders to ignore child sexual abuse being carried out by Afghan security forces, except "when rape is being used as a weapon of war". Then they (the wives) observed veil from him.[67]. [291] In the Forward, Parvez Sharma sounded a pessimistic note about the future: "In my lifetime I do not see Islam drafting a uniform edict that homosexuality is permissible." Depriving transgender people of their inheritance, humiliating, insulting or teasing them were also declared haraam. Following is material from two chapters dealing with the present: Rusmir Musić in a chapter "Queer Visions of Islam" said that "Queer Muslims struggle daily to reconcile their sexuality and their faith." [8] Where flogging is prescribed, there is a tendency for indulgence and some recommend that the prescribed penalty should not be applied in full, with Ibn Hazm reducing the number of strokes to 10. [173], On 26 June 2016, clerics affiliated to the Pakistan-based organization Tanzeem Ittehad-i-Ummat issued a fatwa on transgender people where a trans woman (born male) with "visible signs of being a woman" is allowed to marry a man, and a trans man (born female) with "visible signs of being a man" is allowed to marry a woman. Imam Muhsin Hendricks is also considered as the world's first openly queer Imam. Due to the traditional mentality of the predominantly conservative Bangladeshi society, negative attitudes towards those in the LGBT community are high. Est puni d'un emprisonnement de trois mois à deux ans et d'une amende e 50.000 à 500.000 francs, quiconque a des rapports sexuels avec les personnes de son sexe. "[293], In Chapter Eight of the 2003 book, Progressive Muslims: On Justice, Gender, and Pluralism, Professor Scott Siraj al-Haqq Kugle[294] asserts "that Islam does not address homosexuality." Transgender people also faced discrimination in finding employment resulting from incorrect Identification Cards and incongruous legal status. Many young adults who come out to their parents are often forced out of the house to find refuge in a more accepting place. "[76], Many Muslim scholars have followed a "don't ask, don't tell" policy in regards to homosexuality in Islam, by treating the subject with passivity. "Iraqi PMU English on Twitter: "Today we stand with the victims of the #Orlando attack on civilians by #ISIS. 2. when ye transgress the covenant of Jehovah your God which he commanded you, and go and serve other gods, and bow yourselves unto them, so that the anger of Jehovah shall be kindled against you, and ye shall perish quickly from off the good land which he hath given unto you. For other religious views on LGBT, see, History of homosexuality in Islamic societies, Progressive Muslims: On Justice, Gender, and Pluralism, (references 7:80–84, 11:77–83, 21:74, 22:43, 26:165–175, 27:56–59, and 29:27–33), Tilo Beckers, "Islam and the Acceptance of Homosexuality," in, The official text of Article 354 in French (, لا تنظروا إلى المردان فإن فيهم لمحة من الحور, Aisha Geissinger, "Islam and Discourses of Same-Sex Desire" in. t. e. The Quran, the holy book of Islam, contains verses believed by Muslims to be revealed to the Islamic prophet Muhammad at different times and under different circumstances – some exhorting violence against enemies and others urging restraint and conciliation. between heterosexuality and homosexuality." It soon grew into an international organization with annual international retreats of up to 120 international delegates meeting annually in Cape Town to discuss issues pertaining to LGBTIQ Muslims. "[112] Mustafa Akyol writes that "The Ottoman sultans, arguably, were social liberals compared with the contemporary Islamists of Turkey, let alone the Arab World. This leads many individual to be homeless – or worse – attempt suicide. None of that should matter. It blows my mind to know that a Muslim can legally have a gender reassignment surgery and still be tormented by people in the Islamic community unless they move. Indeed, Islam is the religion of forgiveness that is why He has provided us a path of repentance so that we could ask for pardon from Him. So We delivered him and his followers, except his wife; she was of those who remained behind. Transgender is an umbrella term, describing when a person’s gender identity is different than what society expects based on the person’s sex assigned at birth. The Quran and the Hadith, properly and unbiasedly understood, provide the basic source of authentication for any position or view which is attributed to Islam. [165] Several persons who attended the party were detained and eventually six Moroccan men were sentenced to between four and ten months in prison for "homosexuality".[166]. ): to transgress the bounds of prudence. ), NYU Press New York, Wafer, Jim (1997) "The Symbolism of Male Love in Islamic Mysthical Literature" in "Islamic Homosexualities: culture, history, and literature" by Stephen O. Murray and Will Roscoe (eds. The beautiful religion of Islam never stresses on hardships or giving up on social life; rather a balanced life is encouraged and taught. Islam teaches that no nation should transgress against another nation, nor should one state transgress against another, but that nations and states should cooperate with each other for the purpose of advancing the interests of the whole humanity. [8] Homoerotic poetry appears suddenly at the end of the 8th century CE, particularly in Baghdad in the work of Abu Nuwas (756–814), who became a master of all the contemporary genres of Arabic poetry. Following is just an example from his Ressaleh Delgosha: “Two old men, who used to exchange sex since their very childhood, were making love on the top of a mosque’s minaret in the holy city of Qom. As was customary everywhere until the nineteenth century, homosexuality was not viewed as a congenital disposition or 'identity'; the focus was on nonprocreative sexual practices, of which sodomy was the most controversial." It is not restricted to homosexual behaviour, however, and deals more generally with zina (illicit sexual intercourse):[54], "And as for those who are guilty of an indecency from among your women, call to witnesses against them four (witnesses) from among you; then if they bear witness confine them to the houses until death takes them away or Allah opens some way for them (15).