South African Muhsin Hendricks is an Islamic cleric and a gay man.
He runs a foundation called The Inner Circle, which helps Muslims, who are struggling to accept their sexuality. He has come to the Netherlands to spread a simple message: “It’s okay to be Muslim and gay!”
It’s a message not everyone agrees with and the reason why Mr Hendricks is no longer officially a cleric.
Muhsin Hendricks looks a little tired. He is in the Netherlands at the invitation of the Amsterdam branch of gay rights organisation COC and he’s on a punishing schedule. There is enormous public interest in the “pink imam”, as he’s been dubbed.
Sin
But every trace of fatigue vanishes as Mushin Hendricks talks about his faith and his sexuality.
“Being Muslim and being gay are both strong identities. And I think that they are both innate identities for me. So somewhere along the line I had to reconcile the two.”
This was far from easy for Muhsin Hendricks. He was born into an orthodox Muslim family in South Africa. His grandfather was a cleric in one of Cape Town’s most prominent mosques. Mushin discovered at an early age that he was different. He played with dolls rather than cars. He was seen as being feminine and was teased as a result. All this was long before he even knew there was such a thing as homosexuality.
Mushin Hendricks took comfort in his faith, in spite of the fact that many Muslims believe it offers no place to homosexual feelings. Sexual love between two men or two women is prohibited. It is seen as one of the worst possible sins, punishable in some Islamic countries by death.
Sodom and Gomorrah
But Muhsin Hendricks decided to discover for himself what the Qur’an has to say about homosexuality. He pursued his Islamic studies in Pakistan. “It didn’t seem fair for a very merciful and compassionate God to condemn me for something that I didn’t choose.”
Muhsin Hendricks drew a striking conclusion from his studies: nowhere does the Qur’an state that homosexuality is forbidden. Not even in the story of Sodom and Gomorrah. Mushin refutes the interpretation that God destroyed the cities because men had sex with one another. He argues that the cities’ residents were punished for rape, not for consensual sex between men.
Divorce
The controversial cleric argues that there are even one or two Qur’an verses in which Allah acknowledges the existence of homosexuals. One example is in sura 24, verse 31. “It says that women have to put on extra clothing when they go out in public ... But not in front of those men who have no attraction for women. They must be the gay people,” he laughs.
Despite these discoveries, Mushin still did not feel able to acknowledge and openly express his own homosexual feelings. He married, and he and his wife had three children. Mushin’s wife was aware of his homosexuality but still tried to make the relationship work.
Mushin Hendricks’ knowledge of Islam and Arabic earned him respect in the mosques of Cape Town. But his feelings did not go away. After six years, his marriage ended in divorce and that was the moment when he officially came out of the closet.
Satanist
His mother fainted when she heard the news that her son Mushin was gay. But little by little she is beginning to understand. Some members of the family want nothing more to do with him.
Now Mushin Hendricks has met the love of his life. His partner follows another faith – Hinduism – and has not yet come out of the closet.
Mushin’s work at the mosque came to an abrupt end. His take on the relationship between homosexuality and Islam does not rhyme with the official doctrine. He has been branded a Satanist. Although he has never been physically threatened, he has to endure much abuse and criticism.
Empowerment
“Imams see me as a threat to their worldview and the way they see Islam. I don’t feel they should be threatened. It’s just another view that I would invite them to look at. My view allows queer Muslims to continue being Muslim but also to accept themselves for who they are.”
Muhsin Hendricks still sees himself as an Islamic cleric. With his foundation The Inner Circle he tries to help Muslims with their coming out. He gives empowerment workshops to make young people more self-aware. He will also give one here in the Netherlands: over sixty people have already signed up for it.
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I fear for my brothers and sisters. I fear for my future children.I fear for my nieces and nephews. I fear for my friends and their siblings and their children. I fear for Muslims in my home country. I fear for anyone who will have to grow up in a world where homosexuality is practiced everywhere and so openly. I do not want anyone I mentioned above or I to be alive when homosexuality is at its climax. It is disgusting. I feel sorry for those castrated or "Eunicchs" but I do not feel sorry for people who do not control their desires and claim to be proud of a sin. How can you be proud of sinning? How would it sound if all of a sudden prostitutes came out to demand their right of freedom to do whatever and then label themselves as "proud" prostitutes. Would you want your children to grow up in that kind of environment? Giving the wrong ideas to kids and PROMOTING those ideas?! Really? I am only concerning this to gay Muslims. Really? Remain in the closet. You are sinning. Why would you want the world to know youre sinning and that you are disobeying Allah?! Its crazy. Those that try to quote hadith/Quran to justify their heinous acts.. really? Muhammad, peace be upon him, was an example for us to follow! When he married whom he did, he did so to show us who we can marry and in what type of way/condition, that is why he married more than 4. Tell me where did he marry another man?!
Where did any of the prophets(peace be upon them all) marry another man? Even the first man and prophet married a woman. Eve married a man. If Allah wanted us to marry within the same gender, dont you think He would of sent someone to show us? Dont you think it would of been brought up and recommended as a choice? So please stop trying to quote this and that. Drop your ego. Drop your desires and return to your Lord! I am no one to judge of course. Dont think Im "hating" on anyone. I just fear for our Ummah. Allah does not need all these people disobeying him to this degree. I feel sad that its already happening so fast. That Im living in an age where I can see it all. Where people whom I love who I want to see in Jannah have to see it all too. We all have desires, but we should not go public with them and then use Islam to justify it. NO. It does not work like that. You can not pick and choose and then alter later on. You are supposed to fit your life around Islam, not the other way around. I am still in shock that people are openly, publicly "proud GAY Muslims". Ya Allah! Guide us all! Guide us on Sirat-al Mustaqim- the STRAIGHT path. Ameen!
Clearly Mr Hendricks is very confused, because al-Qur'an states:
"Verily, you practice sodomy with men, and rob the wayfarer travelers! And practice Al-Munkar (disbelief and polytheism and every kind of evil wicked deed) in your meetings." But his people gave no answer except that they said: "Bring Allah's Torment upon us if you are one of the truthful." Al-Qur’an 29:29
And they indeed sought to shame his guest (by asking to commit sodomy with them). So We blinded their eyes, (saying) "Then taste you My Torment and My Warnings." Al-Qur’an 54:37
He said: "I am, indeed, of those who disapprove with severe anger and fury your evil action of sodomy. Al-Qur’an 26:168
And not that I need to mention it (because you are already clearly misguided), but a muslim men are not to marry a Hindu. May Allah SWT lead you Mr Hendricks to the straight path, ameen.
Unfortunately the Sunnah is clear - Muhammad had homosexuals executed. For example the hadith of Sunan Abu-Dawud
Book 38, Number 4447:
The Prophet (pbuh) said: "If you find anyone doing as Lot's people did, kill the one who does it, and the one to whom it is done."
Book 38, Number 4448:
"If a man who is not married is seized committing sodomy, he will be stoned to death."
Numerous clips of Islamic clerics echo this teaching on Youtube, while renowned Islamic scholars preach this at Islamic websites, and a simple search of the net reveals many recent photos of gays being hanged by the neck in Islamic countries like Iran.
This is the translation of the arabic text he refers to. The "attendants having no physical desire" actually have no physical desire to neither men nor women.... so they are not homosexual....
http://tanzil.net/#24:31
And tell the believing women to reduce [some] of their vision and guard their private parts and not expose their adornment except that which [necessarily] appears thereof and to wrap [a portion of] their headcovers over their chests and not expose their adornment except to their husbands, their fathers, their husbands' fathers, their sons, their husbands' sons, their brothers, their brothers' sons, their sisters' sons, their women, that which their right hands possess, or those male attendants having no physical desire, or children who are not yet aware of the private aspects of women. And let them not stamp their feet to make known what they conceal of their adornment. And turn to Allah in repentance, all of you, O believers, that you might succeed.
Dear anon, jazakallah khair for such a wonderful response that sends this gay imam to hell.
"male attendents with no desire" refers to nurses, doctors and servants who are only their to serve and help.
I hope no one falls for this european invention of "pink imam". yet another one of their failures to corrupt this beautiful religion.
@Anonymous, as you will see the verses begin with TELL THE BELIEVING - Therefore, why should the believing Muslims go around insisting that Non-believing Muslims do as stipulated in the verse? Why the Muslim leaders make it a criminal act for persons to choose freely? So it is clear that even Muslim leaders do not respect the Koran. Just like some so-called Christians who've realized that religion is a powerful weapon of control, and so use it to build divisions among peoples. IT IS SICKENING. Also gay men do not have the [physical] ability to be with women, as Jesus said, SOME MEN were born that way. It is repulsive how you people try to find everything to support your hate for gays. WHAT did gays do to you? Nothing! You people are sick, twisted and plain EVIL!
@Anonymous, apparently you have swallowed the lies of ancient jurists whole--no time spent on digesting and filtering through personal education and questioning the status quo--not unlike most Muslims who accept Islam as the pabulum of perfection. Ultimately, whatever one side or another side says, Allah is the final determiner, right? The problem stems from mu'min (believers) that follow the religion as did they fathers without acknowledging the unfolding of new information (remember the story of Abrahim). Whatever increases understanding of Quran, meaning not dependent upon "things" such as culture to base a "judgment", you remain in the past, doing what they did in the past, without understanding the reasons behind the actions. Quran indicates there are things that were unknown or hidden from human comprehension and became revealed. Join the modern world or not, the future of humankind is not dependent upon your limited view of how Allah's creation works--now that's a blessing. Oh, before I forget, why do you hide behind a "hidden" name, must be your desire to remain in the "ghraib" (hidden identity).
the interpretation is not right I do not have problem with the subject itself !
Every human being has the right to live on this planet , and I am aware of the facts about this interacted subject , I agree with the right to choose what you like to be !
I am not a very enthusiastic believer or strict one !
I read the article , if you are not able of a proper reading for any Arabic old text, Do not assume explanations and try to ruin the text !!
the interpretation is not right I do not have problem with the subject itself !
Every human being has the right to live on this planet , and I am aware of the facts about this interacted subject , I agree with the right to choose what you like to be !
I am not a very enthusiastic believer or strict one !
I read the article , if you are not able of a proper reading for any Arabic old text, Do not assume explanations and try to ruin the text !!
He draws interesting conclusions... needs to be debated between Ulama...
He draws interesting conclusions... needs to be debated between Ulama...
Anonymous 19 February 2011 - 4:50pm / America "I wondered how long it would take for the gay's to infiltrate Islam"
Gay's have been "infiltrating" as you call it, Islam for centuries. People like you bore me with your ignorance.
are you learned islam ? or ahmadiyah ? or syi'ah ? ,, coz' i think they call themself as muslim too.
are you selling your religion ?,, coz' islam will not buying ? but your people will do.
are you married first then having gay o/ lesbian sex ?
congratulations ... you make your muslims finally trying -albeit slowly- to move out of the Middle Ages ????,,, and what next ?, lesbians ? nauzubillahi min zaalik
islam fits for all centuries until qiyamah, that's why qur'an n shahih hadith never change.. but you don't believe it, do you ?
may you get hidayah.
God prohibits some animals from having sex with their females when in pregnancy. And they are obeying. But we humans still feel happy to disobey Him by having same sex sex. They must be sick!
The imam is saying that he thinks that there should be no problem with gayness in Islam. If you want to refute what he says, you may want to back up what you say with relevant scriptural quotes rather than insults, otherwise what you say simply comes across as a personal bias.
Well done !!!! I have a Muslim friend who is gay and was going to kill himself. I am sure some here might wish he did/would. Watch what you wish for - might be your child one day. He is faithful to Islam - more than other Muslims friends I have, who are straight. He is doing really well now. Mas'allah.
Allahu Akbar
God bless you, and keep up the great and Godly work of saving human lives from the ignorance and hatred and unIslamism of fundamentalist hypocrites.
Salaam !!!!
People like Muhsin Hendricks are a danger to Islam since they explain the religion in a wrong way, making some people believe things that are not true. Islam has not allowed homosexuality and there is no proof whatsoever that this 'imam' can give to prove the contrary. And he has a relationship with a Hindu! Muslim men are not allowed to marry women other than "people of the book" (meaning that, apart from Muslims, one can marry a Christian or Jewish lady), but this 'imam' thinks he can have a relation with this follower of another religion, and without marriage, too...
Every human being is responsible for his/her own actions, but let this person not proclaim openly what he knows is forbidden.
May Allah guide us all.
It does me no injury for my neighbor to say that he/she is homosexual, lesbian, heterosexual or whatever.
It is a blessing from Allah that he is encouraging mercy and tolerance through this imam for all believers. Rasul Allah himself (pbuh) is known to have enjoyed the company of brave youths according to the ahadeeth.
Bacha Bazi is a great birthright of the faithful and helps to keep the muslimat pure until marriage.
Hate speech is defined:
"The Dutch penal code prohibits both insulting a group (article 137c) and inciting hatred, discrimination or violence (article 137d). The definition of the offences as outlined in the penal code is as follows:
•Article 137c: He who publicly, orally, in writing or graphically, intentionally expresses himself insultingly regarding a group of people because of their race, their religion or their life philosophy, their heterosexual or homosexual orientation or their physical, psychological or mental disability, shall be punished by imprisonment of no more than a year or a monetary penalty of the third category.[17]".........The following statement is hate speech towards Christians "Or are you just another hate filled self proclaimed "Christian"?" The person who made the statement directs his/her hate on all Christians. The person "intentionally expresses" "hate speech" towards all Christians as a group by saying "just another" and using quotation marks on the word Christian. The person lumped all Christians as being "hate filled". It is an offense against "all Christians" who read RNW. It appears that it is okay for a person to attack Christians (as a group) and incite hatred against them. No wonder, Christians are being murdered around the world for their religious belief. It is no different when the Germans murdered Jewish people. They heard, both in writing and verbally, a Jewish person was "just another" another "hate filled" Jew with big noses who controlled the world's banking sytems and the prostitution in Germany. People believed it then and still, today. At least one person, Herr Hitler, believed it and he directed his wrath towards them. If we must hit the delete button on "hate speech" lets hit it on all "hate speech" because we might just have another weak minded person like Hitler reading these "publicly" written posts. In closing, hate speech is subjective in nature. If one is not a Christian, then one will have a difficult time perceiving the "insultingly" way the person used hate speech towards all Christians as "group."
RNW staff: The comment below this one is hate speech and should be deleted.
Thank you JW. The comment to which you are referring was hate speech indeed and has been deleted, according to our rules of conduct.
We are everywhere !
please check out http://www.islamicsolutions.com/running-from-gods-bounty-hunters-quote-o...
As usual, your site has nothing relevant to offer to the discussion at hand. Here is something more appropriate.
http://onislam.net/english/health-and-science/special-coverage/451133-de...
Good to see Islam finally trying- albeit slowly- to move out of the Middle Ages !
Gays have no place in Islam .
"That's how loving and tolerant Islam is."?
Do you know any Muslims? Or are you just another hate filled self proclaimed "Christian"? I know that exteamists are not open to things like science but, really, if you haven't studied another religion you shouldn't paint it's people with such a big brush. I mean, Mushin Hendricks seems very loving and tolerant. Even at great personal risk he is reaching out to strangers who just want to find a place of peace with themselfs and God.
What are you risking in your self rightousness and hate filled judgements?
Bravo!
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