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Sunday, 24 June, 2001, 16:58 GMT 17:58 UK
Muslims step out at Gay Pride
![]() There are about 300 al-Fatiha members in 20 countries
By David Willis in San Francisco
Despite death threats, a Muslim gay and lesbian group called al-Fatiha has chosen San Francisco's Gay Pride weekend to go public and call on fellow Muslims to demonstrate greater tolerance.
Homosexuality is forbidden in Muslim cultures; in certain Islamic countries it is regarded as a criminal activity punishable by death.
Some spoke of the problems they had experienced in 'coming out', of the opposition they had encountered amongst family and friends who considered homosexuality an affront to Islam. 'Either Muslim or gay' Naveed Merchant told me he had attempted suicide before eventually making contact with al-Fatiha Foundation through the Internet. At first his family recommended electric shock treatment, before reluctantly coming to terms with his lifestyle.
"I decided that I wasn't going to give up either. I really believe that Allah made me this way," he said. The group hopes to start a global gay Muslim movement to help silent brothers and sisters find their own voice in the Muslim world and ease the suffering of those tormented by their sexuality. Going to hell The opposition they will face from orthodox Muslims was in evidence at a city centre mosque where Muslim leader Ajaf Shaikh insisted such conduct was sinful.
Reconciling sexual orientation with religion is something that gay men and women of other faiths have already had to grapple with. Islam, traditionally a religion of tolerance, is now facing the same considerable challenge. |
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