Manchester Imam defends execution of gay people
Manchester, England – 20 October 2006
Manchester's leading Imam has confirmed that he thinks the execution
of sexually active gay men is justified. Mr. Arshad Misbahi, who is
based at the Manchester Central Mosque, confirmed his views in a
conversation to Dr John Casson, a local psychotherapist.
Dr Casson said: "I asked him if the execution of gay Muslims in Iran
and Iraq was an acceptable punishment in Sharia law, or the result of
culture, not religion. He told me that in a true Islamic state, such
punishments were part of Islam: if the person had had a trial, at
which four witnesses testified that they had seen the actual
homosexual acts."
"I asked him what would be the British Muslim view? He repeated that
in an Islamic state these punishments were justified. They might
result in the deaths of thousands but if this deterred millions from
having sex, and spreading disease, then it was worthwhile to protect
the wider community."
"I checked again that this was not a matter of tradition, culture or
local prejudice. 'No,' he said, 'It is part of the central tenets of
Islam: that sex outside marriage is forbidden; this is stated in the
Koran and the prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) had stated
that these punishments were due to such behaviours.'"
"He told me that no Muslim would have spoken to him as I had done -
they would have been too afraid, ashamed or inhibited: he admired my
courage and openness."
Commenting on Imam Arshad Misbahi's views, Dr John Casson said:
"I support the human rights of all people peacefully to practice their
religion, including the right of Muslim women to wear the veil if they
choose. Equally gay men and women must enjoy the right to be
themselves without the fear of being beaten, killed or condemned by
homophobic religious people. These condemnatory attitudes have an
adverse psychological impact on lesbians and gay men, especially
lesbian and gay Muslims."
Gay and human rights campaigner, Peter Tatchell, of the gay rights
group OutRage!, added:
"It is disturbing that some British imams are endorsing the execution
of gay and lesbian Muslims.
"Imam Arshad Misbahi's homophobic attitudes give comfort and succour
to queer-bashers. They encourage conflict and disharmony between
Manchester's large gay and Muslim communities.
"Muslim and gay people know the pain of prejudice and discrimination.
We should be working together to challenge homophobia and
Islamophobia. I hope liberal Muslims will speak out in defence of the
human rights of lesbians and gay men," said Mr Tatchell.
Notes to editors
In July 2005, two gay teenagers, Mahmoud Asgari, aged 16, and Ayaz
Marhoni, 18, were executed in Mashhad, Iran. They had been kept in
prison for 14 months and given 228 lashes. They are two of hundreds,
possibly thousands, of gay people who have been flogged, jailed,
tortured and executed in Iran.
Dr John Casson has been a therapist in adult mental health for over 21
years, 11 of which have been in the British NHS. He is now in private
practice and trains psychodramatists in the Northern School of
Psychodrama. His doctoral research (1996-2002) was with people who
hear voices (auditory hallucinations).
The meeting between Mr. Arshad Misbahi and Dr John Casson took place
on Wednesday 11th October 2006 at the Central Mosque, Upper Park Road,
Victoria Park, Manchester. "My motivation for this meeting was to
encourage a dialogue on lesbian and gay issues with a representative
of the Muslim community," said Dr Casson.
For more information contact
Imam Arshad Misbahi 0161 224 4119
Dr John Casson 01457 877 161
![](/img/maillink.gif)
Peter Tatchell 020 7403 1790
![](/img/maillink.gif)
Ends
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Comments
Hide the following 17 comments
Does Outrage ever protest against homophobic violence when it isn't by Muslims?
20.10.2006 12:54
Cynique
Attacks increasing
20.10.2006 13:25
Larrs
marriage
20.10.2006 14:16
would the punishment be the same for any sexual act before marriage or is it specifically targeted on gay people?
bi
have to kill most of the guys in Afghanistan then!!
20.10.2006 15:43
Simon
Real Muslims Hate Real Gays
20.10.2006 16:05
I despise alleged left-wing groups like Respect getting into bed with Muslims. I don't like Muslims, Christians or Jews much, and wish that they would flush their irrational Holy Scriptures down the pan, preferably followed by themselves. Why should I (a gay man) stick up for people like Muslims who would like to see me killed in their utopian dreamworld of Medina-on-Thames. Sod the lot of them. Down with religion! Up with large cocks!
Smelly Scrote
Hyperbolics
20.10.2006 17:35
655,000 so far...isn't it...?
Jack Straw
First they came....
21.10.2006 00:46
There is currently a massive wave of Islamophobic racism lead by politicians and the press. This will probably get worse as these politicians need scapegoats for the catastrophe of their wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. This can only benefit the racists and Fascist forces and could move the whole country to the right. Once they get away with persecuting a religious and ethnic minority, then the rights of all other minorities and will come under attack. We will be next! We could rewrite Martin Niemöller's famous poem about the rise of the Nazis:
First they came for the Muslims, but I didn’t speak up,
because I wasn’t a Muslim.
Then they came for the Anarchists, but I didn’t speak up,
because I wasn't an Anarchist.
Then they came for the Gays, but I didn’t speak up,
because I wasn’t Gay.
Then they came for me, but by that time there was no one left
to speak up for me.
Someone calling themselves 'smellyscrote' wrote in a comment above:
'Why should I (a gay man) stick up for people like Muslims who would like to see me killed...?'
Sure, most religion is homophobic. But when a religious minority come under attack we all will suffer.
What would you have done in the 1930's? - united with Jewish people to resist Fascism? Or stood back denouncing the Jewish religion as homophobic and let the synagogues burn becuase you saw them as symbols of oppression?
As a gay man and an atheist I will defend Muslims from the current wave of racism and Islamophobia. 25 years ago I supported the miners against Thatcher, despite the macho homophobia deeply ingrained in these communities. 'Lesbians and Gays Support the Miners' groups sprang up around the country. And that common struggle undermined this homophobia in the mining and Trade Union communities. Welsh Miners with their union banners lead the 1985 Gay Pride March! We need that fighting spirit again today. We should challenge both Islamophobia and Homophobia.
Barry Kade
Barry Kade's Irrational Nonsense
21.10.2006 11:01
Smelly Scrote
Muslim antipathy recent
22.10.2006 14:04
Daer Smelly.
If you care to obtain a copy of the recent book Born to be Gay by William Naphy (latest historical overview of gay history). you will find that Islam has largely been the most
tolerant of the 3 monolithic mid-east religions. That is until recently when other issues
such as Western Imperialism has aggravated the problem, with extremeists using homophobia to help whip up anti-western hatred.
I would also pioint out that Sufism is the most acceptring part of Islam regarding gays.
Modern 'extreme Islam' came about in the late 1920's with the founding of the Muslim Brotherhood (a mix of islam and marxism) Later refind in the 1950's by Samual Qutb
to ferment a 'revolutionary' response to Western Imperialism. It is similar but I suppose
'opposite' is the Neo Cons in America and UK..
You are over reacting to the current situation Smelly Barry is on the right lines with this...
pirate
Imam Backs Shariah Shock!
22.10.2006 15:45
Sami
I Stand Corrected
23.10.2006 08:45
Smelly Scrote
confused
23.10.2006 12:47
George
No Liberal Muslims
24.10.2006 09:45
Sajjad Kharim - Muslim Lib Dem MEP for the North West;
The Al-Fatiha Foundation - a gay Muslim group;
Liberal Islam Network - Jakarta based liberal Muslim network;
Yasmin Alibhai Brown - Journalist.
Scrote - you speak as if Muslims are of one mind and have no internal difference or debate - I suggest you take some time to rectify your ignorance.
Steve
Totally Marginal
25.10.2006 07:44
The people and groups you have named are totally marginal. Name me one single liberal Imam in the UK. Name me one single liberal mosque. You're the ignorant one old love and are in urgent need of education.
Smelly Scrote
Closed mind
25.10.2006 09:10
Imam Zaki Badawi of the Muslim college – sadly died this January.
Imam Salma Qureshi – Britain first female imam.
Imam AbdulJalil Sajid - Chairman of Muslim Council for Religious and Racial Harmony UK
Imam Mahmoud Ayaz
Imam Abjuljalil Sajid, J.P, of the Brighton Islamic Mission
You haven't done the same reseach becuase you have based your opinion on bigotry rather than reason. I'm personally no fan of any of the Abrahamic religions - but anyone willing to keep an open mind can see that you are operating from irrational prejudice rather than from any factual basis.
Steve
Apologies: Only Joking
25.10.2006 10:11
Maitreya is at home with Muslims and does all he can to support his community now under siege from ideologues of various kinds. He is against all totalitarian ideologies though.
I can't stand Islamophobia and wanted to flush out people advocating it. This is the true expression of my intention and beliefs, and I found most of the responses heartwarming. Sorry for being intentionally misleading but it did have a benign purpose.
Smelly Scrote
Islamic Fundamentalism
25.10.2006 10:58
"I bless the poison and the nectar with equanimity. I am on the side of neither Yes nor No. I do not participate in situations. When you are at the bottom of the mountain, what do you see? You see the diversities of the mountain. But when you view it from the peak, everything looks the same. You are not goaded by religion or politics, for you view all with equal detachment." (March 1991)
From: MAITREYA'S TEACHINGS: The Laws of Life page 147. Edited and introduced by Benjamin Creme. Share International, 2005. ISBN 90-71484-31-9
Smelly Scrote