Why I want to open a gay-friendly mosque in Paris
這種言論從伊斯蘭角度來說相當危險，並不是每個穆斯林對於「特殊議題」有權解釋，即使他自認相當了解伊斯蘭法。對於這些議題必須由Mujtahid （法學家中的法學家）透過Ijtihad方式評斷，同時必須考慮到何謂是公眾利益。然而擔任Mujtahid不是ㄧ件容易的事情，必須對伊斯蘭教法與阿拉伯語有相當程度的掌握，在伊斯蘭歷史上，擔任Mujtahid的法學者數量屈指可數。
以文中這個例子為例，該名作者僅是憑個人意見，若是他認為這項議題可以引用古蘭經為證據，他必須先引述過去法學者對這議題的看法，有無Fatwa來佐證，否則只是個人意見，無法代表伊斯蘭與穆斯林大眾意見，甚至造成伊斯蘭教法的紊亂。
Being gay and a feminist is not incompatible with Islam. An
inclusive place of worship would give hope back to many
guardian.co.uk, Monday 26 November 2012 12.13 GMT
I'm a French Muslim who is gay, and a feminist. I no
longer want people in my country to think that it is an impossible blend, and
that these different aspects of my identity are incompatible. Today in France,
gay teenagers are almost 15 times more likely than those who are straight to
kill themselves because of their sexual orientation. Left deeply bruised by
this fact, I decided to create an association in support of gay French Muslims,
which launched in 2010.
This eventually led me to plan an inclusive mosque in
Paris – the first of its kind. It is a project born after a long personal
journey. As a teenager, when my representation of Islam was a radical one, I learned half
of the Qur'an by heart. I was bewitched by the beauty of the texts,
which were steeped in universalism. But at the age of 17, I came to terms with
the fact that I was gay. After more than 15 years of reflection on the
matter, I now understand that the Qur'an does not explicitly refer to
"homosexuality", nor does it refer to women as "inferior". Indeed, the
strict and dogmatic interpretation of some verses of the Qur'an is no longer
unanimous, especially in the eyes of progressive Muslims across the world (even
if we remain, for the time being, a minority).
I also realised that neither homophobia or misogyny
respect Islamic ethics, to which I adhere fully. I now want to share my
love and search for a peaceful spiritual path with as many people as I can,
drawing on new foundations to represent the daily experiences of French Muslims
in their spiritual quest. This is why I want to open a place of
worship where people will always be welcomed as brothers and sisters, whatever
their sexual orientation or ethnicity. My project is supported by men, women,
trans people and even fathers who tell us that they do not want to leave a
radically exclusive Islam to their young daughters as their legacy.
My plan is not strictly about opening a "gay
mosque", or even about celebrating gay marriages. Muslims consider
marriage as a social contract between two consenting individuals, to be
established in front of at least two witnesses, and celebrated in front of
their community – that is, those who see them as a couple. The prayers of the
imam only work to call attendees to bless the happiness of the newly wed, and
they're certainly not intended to seal a contract between two zawjan – a
gender neutral Arabic term meaning "spouse". Unlike the Catholic
church, for example, which continues to unilaterally decide who may or may not
marry, Muslims do not regard marriage as a sacrament.
This project gives hope back to many believers in my
community. Common prayer, practised in an egalitarian setting and without any
form of gender-based discrimination, is one of the pillars supporting the
proposed reforms of our progressive representation of Islam. North American and
Canadian vanguards have already started practising it. In North America, progressives
are often assisted by Christian congregations or even private companies, which
let them use a portion of their premises for Friday prayer. In Paris, we will
for the time being benefit from the support of a beautiful Zen Buddhist temple
in eastern Paris, but we are looking for a more viable solution in the long
run, a venue more central to accommodate as many worshippers as we can.
I don't believe that the issue of minorities' rights
allows citizens to carry specific claims, or make exceptions. It simply allows
us to address issues that concern all French Muslims, and beyond that, all of
our citizens. Looking at feminism and homosexuality within Islam permits us to
look at our relation towards religious authority, to question institutional
dogma and by extension, to ponder freedom itself – the freedom to define our
identity, without concession, compromise or submission.
• This article was amended on 26 November to correct a reference
to "gender identity" and replace it with "sexual
orientation" in the first paragraph that was an error in the translation
process.
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