Salman al-Ouda talking to young YouTube producers (Emad Alhusayni/Flickr)
A leading Saudi cleric has publicly stated that homosexuality should not be criminally punished, during a visit to Sweden to visit Syrian refugees.
“Even though homosexuality is considered a sin in all the Semitic holy books, it does not require any punishment in this world,” Dr Salman al-Ouda said in an interview with the Swedish Sydsvenskan newspaper, adding that homosexuals would be punished “after death.”
Homosexuality has long been a controversial topic in much of the Muslim world. LGBT people still face the death penalty in Saudi Arabia.
[…]
“Homosexuals are not deviating from Islam,” continued Ouda in the interview. “Homosexuality is a grave sin, but those who say that homosexuals deviate from Islam are the real deviators.
“By condemning homosexuals to death they are committing a graver sin than homosexuality itself.”
He added that Islam did not “encourage individuals who have same-sex attraction to show their feelings in public.”
His comments have already provoked controversy in Saudi Arabia and other parts of the Middle East.
[…]
He also condemned the abuse of the concept of Sharia law by Islamic State and al-Qaeda.
“Sharia is a very broad and wide concept and it is a concept that has been kidnapped,” he said.
Though still a controversial topic, Ouda is not the first senior Islamic figure to propose changing the legal status of homosexuality.
I wonder if he should fear for his life? I know he is not in Bangladesh, but such pronouncements will not be accepted openly by extremists. He should be praised for such a “controversial” stance by the wider community of Muslims (and non-Muslims).
So his opinion is not dissimilar from the West, prior to the sexual revolution of the 70s.
I’m not exactly applauding here. I’m not thanking every person who passes me on the street for Not Murdering me. :/
Siobhan:
Yeah. My first thought was “gee, that’s really helpful”, and gave myself a mental slap, because in the larger picture, yes, it’s helpful, but at the same time, it’s fucking appalling that such a sentiment could be considered so.
Yeah, no. He’s just saying his preferred method of oppressing gay people isn’t execution. Fuck this guy.
johnson catman, #1
You don’t have to go to the extremists to find disapproval. The mainstream government absolutely rejects it too.
I wonder how long this guy has to live. Someone is going to murder him in the name of the religion of peace. It shouldn’t take long.
I will say, as someone who’s been there, that nobody in their right mind would want to use the saudi public restrooms regardless of whatever gender they are. That’s just a little tidbit in case there are any republicans from north carolina who read your blog and wonder.
It’s… something, at least. Not that we should just accept whatever bones are tossed our way and be grateful, just… even tiny progress is progress.
Saudi Arabian clerics, of all people, should understand the meaning of the word “not”.