Sodomy and Homosexuality Part I of IV

[Antar Ibn Stanford]

Sodomy and Homosexuality

By Dr. Antar Ibn-Stanford

Part I of IV

What do the sources of Judaism, Christianity and Islam say about sodomy?

The Bible, a source of Judaism and Christianity, calls sodomy a “wicked thing,” an “abomination,” “sexual promiscuity,” and “unnatural vice.” According to the Bible what are the consequences of sodomy? The city of Sodom was “swept away” and Sodomites were to receive “a punishment of eternal fire” and were to be “put to death.” In the contemporary world the punishments a sodomite can expect is one in the after-life or trials and tribulations.

Allah, the Exalted, in the Qur’an calls sodomy many negative things. He, the Exalted, calls it a “nasty act (الْفَاحِشَة),” “disobedient (مُسْرِفُونَ),” “sinful (الْمُجْرِمِينَ),” “impure (الْخَبَائِث),” “evil (سَوْء),” “wicked (فَاسِقِينَ),” and “wrong-doing (ظَالِمِينَ).” The consequence of sodomy was “a rain of stones” leading to a destruction of Sodom. The sodomites were warned of the consequences of their behavior, but they challenged it when they said: "Bring Allah's torment upon us if you are one of the truthful." Ignoring the consequences of sodomy, doesn’t eliminate the consequences.

The interpretation of the statements in the Qur’an are found in books of Islamic Law (fiqh). In his discussion of Qur’anic verse 7:80 in Ahkam al-Qur’an, Muhammad ibn Abdullah aka Ibn al-Arabi calls it a nasty act (الفاحشة), unlawful sexual act (الزنا) and an act of disobedience. He adds that “Scholars differ on what punishment is required for such an act.” ”

In his discussion of sodomy an-Nawawi writes in al-Majmu’ Sharh al-Muhadhdhab that the Shafi’I school requires that its punishment is the same as the one for a fornicator. If the fornicator is a non-virgin, he is whipped and banished. If he is a virgin, he is to be stoned. He also says that Abu Hanifah states that the punishment has not been mentioned in the Qur’an or hadith and so is open to discussion (التعزير) and Malik and a group of scholars state that the punishment is flogging.

Ibn Qudama wrote that the companions agreed on killing the sodomite but not on the method.

The issue with sodomy today for Jews, Christians, and Muslims is whether they accept the veracity of their main source of guidance or they abandon it. The issue for sodomites is whether they ignore the consequences or heed them. They not only include spiritual or religious ones, but also medical ones.

 

Biblical Positions on Homosexuality

The New American Bible (Revised Edition)

Genesis 19:

⁴ Before they went to bed, the townsmen of Sodom, both young and old—all the people to the last man—surrounded the house. ⁵ They called to Lot and said to him, “Where are the men who came to your house tonight? Bring them out to us that we may have sexual relations with them.”

⁶ Lot went out to meet them at the entrance. When he had shut the door behind him, ⁷ he said, “I beg you, my brothers, do not do this wicked thing!

¹⁵ As dawn was breaking, the angels urged Lot on, saying, “Come on! Take your wife with you and your two daughters who are here, or you will be swept away in the punishment of the city.”

The American Standard Version (ASV)

Leviticus 20:¹³ And if a man lie with mankind, as with womankind, both of them have committed abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.

 

The New American Bible (Revised Edition)

Jude 1: ⁷ Likewise, Sodom, Gomorrah, and the surrounding towns, which, in the same manner as they, indulged in sexual promiscuity and practiced unnatural vice,^[e] serve as an example by undergoing a punishment of eternal fire.

 

Qur’an Position on Homosexuality

1. 7:80-- And (remember) Lot, when he said to his people: "Do you do the nasty act that no one in the world before you has done?
2. 7:81--"Verily, you practice your lusts on men instead of women. Nay, but you are a disobedient people leaving the lawful for the unlawful."
3. 7:84-- And We rained down on them a rain of stones. Then see what was the end of the sinners.
4. 11:79--They said: "Surely you know we have no need of your daughters, and indeed you know well what we want."
5. 15:58— They (the angels) said: "We have been sent to a sinful people.
6. 15:69--"And fear Allah and disgrace me not."
7. 15:75-- Surely! In this are signs for those who see and understand signs.
8. 21:74-- And remember Lot, We gave him judgement and knowledge and We saved him from the town who engaged in impure activities. Indeed they were and evil, wicked people.
9. 26:165-166--"Do you go unto the males of the world and leave those whom Allah has created for you to be your wives? On the contrary, you are a disobedient people."

29:29--"Verily, you sodomize men, rob the travelers, and hold council for unlawful behavior." But his people gave no answer except that they said: "Bring Allah's torment upon us if you are one of the truthful."

1. 29:31-- And when Our messengers came to Abraham with the glad tidings they said: "Verily, we are going to destroy the people of this town (Sodom). Truly, its people have been wrong-doers.”
2. 54:33-- The people of Lot belied the warnings.

 

Some Christian Positions on Homosexuality

The Seventh-day Adventist Church is opposed to same-sex sexual practices and relationships on the grounds that "sexual intimacy belongs only within the marital relationship of a man and a woman." It believes the Bible consistently affirms the pattern of heterosexual monogamy, and all sexual relations outside the scope of spousal intimacy are contrary to God's original plan.^[1]

Annual Council of the General Conference Executive Committee (October 3, 1999). "Position Statement on Homosexuality". Seventh-day Adventist Church Statements.

The Southern Baptist Convention, the largest of the Baptist denominations and the single largest Protestant group in the U.S., believes that the Bible says practicing homosexuality is a sin, stating clearly that its members "affirm God's plan for marriage and sexual intimacy – one man, and one woman, for life. Homosexuality is not a 'valid alternative lifestyle.' It is not, however, an unforgivable sin. The same redemption available to all sinners is available to homosexuals. They, too, may become new creations in Christ."^[7] (Taken from the "Southern Baptist Convention". sbc.net.)

The Catholic Church

The Church recognizes that homosexuality is an innate condition in most cases, not a choice, and therefore cannot be considered a sin.Homosexual sexual activity, however, is seen as a "moral disorder" and "homosexual acts" as "contrary to the natural law" (Taken from the Catechism of the Catholic Church).