I’ve made homophobic remarks in the past, writes Mehdi Hasan, but now I’ve grown up — and reconciled my Islamic beliefs with my attitude to gay rights, writes Mehdi Hasan.
I am writing this because I want to live in a society in which all minorities – Jews, Muslims, gay people and others – are protected from violence and abuse, from demonisation and discrimination. And because I want to apologise for any hurt or offence that I may have caused to my gay brothers and lesbian sisters.
And yes, whatever our differences – straight or gay, religious or atheist, male or female – we are all brothers and sisters. As the great Muslim leader of the 7th century and son-in-law of the Prophet Muhammad, Ali ibn Abi Talib, once declared: “Remember that people are of two kinds; they are either your brothers in religion or your brothers in mankind.”
Read more in the NewStatesman
*Mehdi Hasan is a contributing writer for the New Statesman and the co-author of Ed: The Milibands and the Making of a Labour Leader. He was the New Statesman’s senior editor (politics) from 2009-12.
hard line / May 21, 2013
Please don’t use Muslim and homo in the same sentence. You have the audacity to repeat holy words of the Prophet’s companions and twist them to mean other things. Homosexuality is sexual perversion period. They don’t count as minorities. Instead they should be treated as social outcasts the same as lepers and lunatics. Please don’t try to bring Islam into this. Islam is pure, basic and practical. There is no room for conciliation of Islamic teachings with ultra liberal ideas. Talk about something else!!!!!
/
Anonymous / May 21, 2013
Islam might be against homosexuality, but that doesn’t mean such people should be treated as outcasts! They are still human and as long as they are, they would our brothers who simply have gone astray. Islam is not a religion of hate.
/
Ruwan / May 22, 2013
This is why we can’t have nice things.
/
Love / May 21, 2013
Sweet face, it will be better if he is fully shaven …..
/