There is variation among clerics on the relationship between Islam and homosexuality. Some interpretations of Islam are more conservative, while others are more liberal.
In many modern Muslim countries there are restrictions on homosexual relationships. In Egypt, homosexuality is not criminalized, but a 2023 BBC News investigation described it as “highly stigmatized.”
Different interpretations of religious texts in other major religions, such as Christianity and Judaism, mean that followers may have different views on homosexuality.
A person’s religion does not inherently define their views of LGBTQ+, and not all followers of a given religion believe exactly the same things.
Many religious people also identify as LGBTQ+.
Diego García Rodríguez, a researcher at the University of Nottingham and author of Gender, Sexuality and Islam in Contemporary Indonesia: Queer Muslims and Their Allies, told the BBC that clubs and players can help forge greater understanding between football and religion.
“What we have traditionally witnessed is the predominance of conservative interpretations of the Quran,” he said. “But if you also look at the work of progressive Islamic scholars, there is an emphasis on justice, on compassion. There are many Islamic verses that call on Muslims to uphold justice. These values have also been used to challenge discrimination. .
“Football has the ability to bring people together and bring them together despite differences. Football clubs and players have the opportunity to lead by example and emphasize that inclusion can strengthen the game.”
Earlier this year, BBC News reported on the first Muslim Pride event in the UK.
One of the Muslim Pride attendees, Farhan, told the BBC that it is important to challenge the notion that Islam is “intrinsically queerphobic.”
“This is an assumption that is not necessarily based on facts, because if you read the parts of the Quran that supposedly condemn homosexuality, it is not so clear,” Farhan said.
A report published earlier this year by ILGA-Europe – an independent group of hundreds of LGBTQ+ organizations across Europe and Central Asia – suggested that LGBTQ+ rights are going backwards in the UK.
It ranks the UK 15th in support for LGBTQ+ rights out of 49 European countries., externalhaving ranked first in 2015.
Source : BBC
