A new film about gays and lesbians in the Muslim world is challenging notions of right, wrong and religiosity in Islamic culture. Filmmaker Parvez Sharma says his film “A Jihad For Love” is an effort to shed light on the social and spiritual struggle of homosexuals who are devout Muslims.
It tells the story through personal narratives of gays across 12 countries. In the film, Sharma compiles a vision of Islamic life through the eyes of the gay faithful. “I felt it really important to empower gay and lesbian Muslims to tell the story of Islam,” Sharma told ABC News.
The stories in the film are intimate, with main characters that include a gay Imam in South Africa, a lesbian couple in Turkey, homosexuals in Egypt and a group of gay Iranians fleeing the country to seek asylum in Canada.
Hendricks describes how he lived before coming out, married to a woman in hopes that traditional family life would change his sexual preference. His life as a closeted gay Muslim was cloaked with depression and secrecy, which he sees as a common and potentially suicidal combination for gay Muslims who bury their sexual preference.
In another scene, three lesbians discuss the Koran and its implications for women. “The Prophet Muhammad did an enormous number of things so that women could participate in public affairs, including politics. For me, Muhammad was a feminist,” says one woman.
She goes on to describe how she would profess her lifestyle while speaking to God on judgment day. “I have loved women and it was not a sin, because my loving a woman caused no harm. I only loved Allah, my one God, I only loved.’”
Now that “Jihad for Love” is made, it is showing in the West and in countries with significant Muslim populations, like India and Turkey. Sharma has yet to show it anywhere in the Arab world. [Source]
Despite continuing to wonder whether homosexuality is a nature vs. nurture issue, I find the mere idea of a gay Imam extremely absurd. Devout? If they are devout, then isn’t part of being devout not doing something against what you have devotion for? And it is well known that homosexuality is a sin in all 3 religions. I have not watched the movie but will be looking ‘forward’ to hearing what the gay and lesbian “devout” Muslims have to shed light on …
P.S. How would YOU profess your lifestyle while speaking to God on judgment day? ;)
