‘Jihad for love’ to air on More 4
Posted on 02 March 2009 by Azharul Islam
‘Jihad for love’ is a controversial documentary about the existence of homosexuality within the Muslim world. The film, directed by Parvez Sharma - who is homosexual himself - first premiered at the Toronto film festival in 2007. At the time it caused a large uproar, with the director receiving multiple threats to his life. Due to the films sensitive context, it was banned from the 2008 Singapore International Film Festival. The documentary however is currently being shown as part of the International category at New Zealand’s Documentary Film Festival, and is also scheduled to be shown on UK Television channel More 4 later this week.
Director Sharma, who is of Indian origin, attempts to explore the conflict between Islam and homosexuality. The film features Muslim gay and lesbian couples from all over the world, who believe that their lifestyles are compatible with the teachings of Islam. The film includes interviews with people from 12 different countries, including Pakistan, India and Bangladesh. It shows the story of two lesbian couples caught between their sexuality and their community in Paris and Egypt. There is also an interview with a gay South African man who hopes to reform the religion. The film further follows a close group of Iranians who flee to Turkey in hope that they can eventually migrate to Canada to escape the persecution they face in their home country.
Through these stories, the film attempts to give an insight into the struggles faced by gay Muslims. However, the fact that all the people in these stories share a similar struggle - the cultures they come from unwilling to accept them - and the director’s relentless assertions about how there are many gay Muslims unwilling to speak up, creates a repetitiveness that soon becomes tedious. The South African gay Muslim who says he wants to change the Islamic religion, unintentionally brings about the question: if you need to change the religion to be accepted, then is it still the religion of Islam that you are following?
Overall the film seems to do little to try and answer the question of whether homosexuality is compatible with Islam, it’s almost as if it is afraid to delve in to the issue. As a result, it fails to form any argument against the belief held by the majority of Muslims that homosexuality is forbidden by the religion.
‘Jihad for Love’ will be shown on More4 on Tuesday 3rd March 2009.
  (8 votes. Average: 4.63 out of 5) |
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March 2nd, 2009 at 1:26 pm
religion doesnt matter
gays are just not right anyway
March 2nd, 2009 at 9:48 pm
I find this often happens in the more failed documentaries where religion is “argued” by basing it solely on the human experience of the religion rather than what the religion is trying to say in theory. Women, for example…womens rights issues can go in two different ways…the rights of women in Islam or the so called “interpreted rights” of women in a “so called” islamic state….it just isnt good enough….
Good article :)
March 3rd, 2009 at 10:49 am
islam cannot be changed.
March 3rd, 2009 at 10:49 am
no He doesn’t
that’s why they’re supposed to be chucked off cliffs.
March 3rd, 2009 at 10:50 am
bottom line gays aint allowd in islam!!!! any 1 who seys der a gay muslim!!! den der nt muslim at all!!!!
March 3rd, 2009 at 10:50 am
If one is so inclined, I guess it’s the same as commiting Zina, in that they will have to fight the urge and abstain. This is not dissimilar to what straight single muslims do anyway.
All is not lost for these people, there’s plenty of mannish looking women out there!
At the end of the day, it’s all about self sacrifice and compromise for the greater good. I have the urge to murder people sometimes, but I fight it off. Just because I’ve decided I’d like to murder someone, doesn’t mean I should.
March 3rd, 2009 at 10:50 am
hahahah……….
it is not jihad for love……………….it urge of lust or love
March 3rd, 2009 at 10:51 am
how can u say that god loves everyone when a whole nation of gays were wiped off the face of the Earth?
March 3rd, 2009 at 10:51 am
Subhanallah!!
the quran forbids any sexual relationship other than in a marriage between a man and a woman. Many homosexual men and women claim that they are born with their sexual preferences and that they have no choice. Although this point is very much in dispute in the medical world, it has no support in the Quran. Even then, irrespective of the nature of homosexuality, this matter would not affect the laws spelled out clearly in the Quran .
We also (sent) Lut: he said to his people: “Do ye commit lewdness such as no people in creation (ever) committed before you? “For ye practice your lusts on men in preference to women: ye are indeed a people transgressing beyond bounds.” - Holy Quran 7:80-81
“Of all the creatures in the world will ye approach males”. “And leave those whom Allah has created for you to be your mates? Nay ye are a people transgressing (all limits)!” - Holy Quran 26:165-166
any one who thinks it is permissible is a joke!!
March 3rd, 2009 at 10:52 am
blimmin muppet!!im so angry!! ABOUT “GOD LOVES EVERYONE”!!!!!!!
March 3rd, 2009 at 10:52 am
NO, anyone who thinks it is permissible is outside the fold of islam!!!
March 3rd, 2009 at 10:53 am
ALLAH SWT KKNOWS BEST!! any one who is should go was themselves and recite the shahada thoroughly and pray for forgivness 24/7 and sincerly have a clean intention
March 3rd, 2009 at 10:54 am
“Many homosexual men and women claim that they are born with their sexual preferences and that they have no choice”
….so if a rapist said he prefered to rape women, whould that make it ok? if a pedophile said his sexual preference were children, is it acceptable?
March 3rd, 2009 at 10:54 am
islam is not an episode of eastenders!!
March 3rd, 2009 at 10:54 am
“Let he who is without sin…cast the first stone”. I don’t believe that we as Muslims should be able to judge others on their actions. Each to his/her own. We are not here to be judgmental…we are here to prove that we are worthy of being taken to paradise. Only Allah (God) will judge us individually on our deeds, be they good or bad…on the day of judgement. Certainly, not before then.
March 3rd, 2009 at 10:54 am
Erm…..anyone up for burning an effigy?
March 3rd, 2009 at 10:55 am
were not judging them, nobody said that they will go hell, they could repent and be forgiven.
Wahshi, the man who killed the uncle of the prophet (SAWS), accepted Islam later on in his life.. if someone asks for forgivness from the bottom of their heart, Allah will forgive them.
All i am saying is that homosexuality is not acceptable in Islam, like i said before ‘a whole nation were punished due to their homosexuality’ and this is mentioned in the Holy Quraan. so if u believe that homosexuality is ok when the Quraan says its not ok, how can u still call urself a muslim???
March 3rd, 2009 at 10:55 am
“we are here to prove that we are worthy of being taken to paradise”
yes, this is true, and to prove this we must follow the Quraan and the sunnah of the prophet (SAWS); for success lies in following these two things. it is mentioned in the Quraan “enjoin the good and forbid the wrong” and this is what we are doing
March 3rd, 2009 at 10:55 am
thats it son u tel em
March 3rd, 2009 at 10:56 am
lol
March 3rd, 2009 at 10:56 am
“Jihad for Love” ?! … This is the lamest and the most pathetic joke I’ve ever heard in my entire life! He lost it .. he totally lost it. May Allah make em straight … aameen.
March 3rd, 2009 at 10:56 am
may Allah make then all straight….aameen
March 3rd, 2009 at 10:57 am
aaaaameeen
March 3rd, 2009 at 10:57 am
these media are starting to ridicule Islam. they just want to brainwash non-believers and they want to get a reaction from us muslims, but lets not react to it because thats what these idiots want. im not sure if a gay muslim even exists. The fact is even though i am not a practicising muslim but i am still disciplined and homosexuality is 100% WRONG and thats the proper kaffir way. I do not hate gay people, but i hate what they do because it is wrong being gay.
Therefore Quran will NEVER change and should NEVER, and it is the only religion from the Abrahamic religions that has never changed and still it remains same. whereas bible and torah has been edited. However the Torah and bible were important to us muslims, allah sent prophet mohammed (peace be upon him) with the final message and to reveal the Holy Quran. these idiots believe that islam is a new religion infact Islam existed during Abrahams time. those who mock islam are stupid as they have know knowledge.
March 3rd, 2009 at 10:57 am
but on the level every here and at home knows they should be stoned to death or chucked off a cliff, lol, bunch of fuck*ng SODOMITES!
March 3rd, 2009 at 10:57 am
My God!
‘…when the Quran says its not ok, how can you still call yourself a Muslim?’
Your’re telling me you’ve lived your life 100% accordingly to every rules and regulations in the Holy Quran…BOLLOCKS!
According to any Holy book homosexuality is deemed to be wrong, you’re all correct on that…well done. But the other judgemental views…come on, Sabina im presuming you’re just joking with a fuck!ng stupid comment like the one you just gave.
Only Allah judges, as Muslims we believe anyone on the day of judgement who isnt Muslim will got to hell, but we dont walk around telling everyone that because we all know good individuals from different faiths and its stupid to do so. In the same way we may know homosexuality to be wrong but we shouldnt be going aroung telling people they should be stoned to death or chucked off cliffs…that just highlights a serious lack of maturity!
Do i think homosexuality is correct? Who fuck!ng cares, let them live the life they want.
March 3rd, 2009 at 10:58 am
THOSE WHO TRY AND CHANGE ISLAM,ROT IN HELL! How dare dy try n want to change ISLAM,ASTAKFIRULA
March 3rd, 2009 at 10:58 am
sabina ahmed, do not take this the wrong way. i know homosexuality is wrong. but you cannot kill someone for their desire to live. if you think like that then non-believers will definetly get the wrong understanding about Islam.
March 3rd, 2009 at 10:58 am
we just gotta pray that allah guides them and makes them straight. lol
March 3rd, 2009 at 12:14 pm
I just hope God isnt the big, heartless, incompassionate and stuck up wanker you tunnelvisioned Muslims make him out to be.
March 3rd, 2009 at 2:13 pm
When Muslims speak as many of you do by vituperation or calling for the murder of another Muslim cannot in true conscious say Islam is a relgion of peace–the two cannot exist at the same time nor in the same place. Those who abide by taqleed-based and ahadeeth oriented training continuously fail to reflect upon Allah, and thus remain nothing more than idol worshiping Quraish-nicks–locked into false belief taught to you by other men and women who claim to know best. Most commentators on this site are undercover taliban and steeped in cultural Islammania–verily you remain the blind leading the blind. So many of your comments are full of verbigeration in their weak attempts to convince the world of your “Muslimness”–it’s not working. I believe Allah is Akhbar and the final determiner. There is no understanding, mercy, love and justice greater than Allah’s. If you’ve got issues with Allah’s creation, have a conference with Allah. Salaam.
March 3rd, 2009 at 2:17 pm
Islam tells, you have to kill the evil which is inside of yours ,
March 3rd, 2009 at 2:18 pm
yes shaik, but in a halal way, not in a brutal way. we do it by praying not causing hatred. Islam is a peaceful religion and respects all people and their beliefs. But now there are hypocrites that are muslim by name and they react in a wrong way. how to our prophet mohammed influence people? he did it with words and actions he was a peaceful person and amazing person. if non-believers see us reacting like a violentely then people will never become muslims because they will understand us wrongly. therefore for islam to win, then we have to be a good influence to people in the ways we behave that includes how we speak and how we react and our actions. we have a right to be angry but there are limits. prophet mohammed (peace be upon him) was a great influence and a saviour of humanity. theres no point trying to talk about it if we are not practicising muslims, although im trying to become a better muslim.
March 3rd, 2009 at 2:18 pm
how did our prophet mohammed (peace be upon him) influence people?
he never caused any harm. do not allow your actions to give us muslims a bad name.
March 3rd, 2009 at 2:19 pm
theres no justification for going brokeback. its one of the signs before the day of judgement that homosexuality will become widespread, DOESN’T make it right.
those who are trying to be ‘liberal’ or ‘moderate’ by trying to justify being a bender are rejecting the teachings of our beloved prophet (SAW) and therefore rejecting islam.
i hope Allah sends down a disease that will infest their crusty bottoms and rid the earth of these treacherous people.
March 3rd, 2009 at 2:20 pm
AMEEN
March 3rd, 2009 at 2:20 pm
Hahahah - go on Sabina!!!!
March 3rd, 2009 at 2:20 pm
when these people read surah fatiha “guide us on the STRAIGHT path”
they should take it literally.
March 3rd, 2009 at 2:21 pm
CH CH BLAOUW!!!
March 3rd, 2009 at 2:22 pm
lolz. haha leave it to Allah to punish the queers. In the meantime we all should take a look at ourselves and see what wrong doings we are doing……we should try to correct ourselves too even though im straight. But still i smoke, i dont pray etc we should try to improve ourselves rather than jumping the bandwagon of hate.
March 3rd, 2009 at 2:22 pm
very true rayyan
but we should have nothing but hate for homosexuality. no room for it AT ALL.
March 3rd, 2009 at 2:22 pm
@rayyan - agreed…
@fokrul - neeeeeeeeeooooowwwwww bbbbuuuuskkkk(grenade)
dadadadadadadadadda…!!!!(AK-47 full banana)
aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhh gooosh(of mount uhud)
March 3rd, 2009 at 2:23 pm
lol agreed
thats the only solution bro ;)
March 3rd, 2009 at 2:23 pm
thanks fokrul bro, its true. i know i sound like a hypocrite though. but the only way to fight our oppressors (oppression by non-believers) back is through actions by correcting ourselves in becoming a muslim.
I know some druggys who are muslim by ‘name’ and all they do is create hatred because they were guided wrong and plus these idiots do NOT represent us all. non believers get the wrong example of us. even our fellow brothers and sisters these days falsely testify.
inshallah, the more i think about allah the more allah will help me inshallah.
however i do believe most ‘terrorist bombings’ are carried out by the ‘freemasons and the illuminati’ and the CIA, Mossad, & M15-M16. they shift the blame on us muslims.
Muslims have nothing to do with it. its all tricks to get people againsts us.
March 3rd, 2009 at 2:24 pm
i Agreed with you Rayyan ,
Bro Take care
March 3rd, 2009 at 2:24 pm
Satar (Parts Of The Body Necessary To Be Concealed)
24. The Prophet sallallahu alaihe wasallam has stated, “A man should not look at the satar of another man and nor should a woman look at the satar of another woman. Also, no man should lie down with another man wrapped in a single sheet or cloth and nor should a woman lie down with another woman wrapped in a single sheet or cloth. They should sleep with separate sheets or coverlets.”
(Sahih Muslim: Abu Saeed Al-Khudhri radiyallahu anhu)
March 3rd, 2009 at 2:25 pm
Verily, by your life (O Muhammad), in their wild intoxication they were wandering blindly. So As Saliha (torment, awful cry etc) overtook them at the time of sunrise; and We turned (the towns of Sodom in Palestine) upside down and rained down on them stones of baked clay. Surely! In this are signs for those who see (or understand or learn the lessons from the Signs of Allah). And verily! They (the cities) are right on the highroad (from Mecca to Syria, i.e. the place where the Dead Sea is now). Surely! Therein is indeed a sign for the believers.” (Ch 15:51-77 Qur’an)
March 3rd, 2009 at 2:30 pm
There is nothing wrong with being Gay. I was told that Islam is a religion of peace and love, but reading the comments here I find nothing but a mob mentality. Where are the pitch forks? Homosexuality may be forbiden but those that practice it will have to answer to Allah. You all sound like angry idiots.
March 3rd, 2009 at 6:10 pm
So it’s a sin to be a gay muslim, but it’s ok to sodomise your neighbours sheep ?
Bloody weird bunch you muslims, they should open a big asylum & chuck you all in it.
March 3rd, 2009 at 7:17 pm
Masikah and the rest, ignorant and closed minds seek the most simplistic answer to anything, e.g., don’t like it, kill it. Those who want to blame others rather than yourselves for the condition you live in, why kill someone you know nothing about, yet your own people die at the hands of your own people. Since you’re so “correct” in understanding Allah, does Allah change your circumstances for the better? When you read Quran and understand it is straight men–like yourselves–who committed the sins of Lut, you really get a true understanding of what Allah condemned. It had nothing to do with love–it was rape, power and control, not unlike what you do in your home countries today–ask the little boy prostitutes. Pretending something is true because others agree does not make it true. Your forefathers believed the earth was flat and we know today it is not. Must you swallow everything whole without digesting it through out minds too? I know, the question is too hard for your brains. May Allah protect us from ignorant Muslims.
March 3rd, 2009 at 8:07 pm
K Woods- sheep can shag each other, but please keep your hands off them, you baa’aaaaad man!
March 3rd, 2009 at 9:54 pm
minttea quote “sheep can shag each other, but please keep your hands off them, you baa’aaaaad man!”
If you don’t understand the post, don’t try answering it, you just end up looking like a twonk.
Why would I bother a sheep, I ain’t no mussie, I’m a White British Christian.
March 3rd, 2009 at 10:55 pm
Good for you Mr Woods. Can you explain to me what a mussie is? Is it a White British Christian term that your Jesus spoke of. I can understand why you are so defensive, I mean after all most of your vicars are gays….hmmm I wonder what the Bible says about homosexuality….wait, you guys keep changing your religion so that everything ‘adapts’ and fits into ‘current societal trends’. Christianity is turning into a joke, and you are a prime example of the type of people it can do with out.
March 4th, 2009 at 2:58 am
Wow, one would think all the people here were closet gays due to how passionately people are arguing this case and how much enjoyment all are getting out of it??!!!!. All of you need to get over it….and talking about killing them and throwing them off cliffs??!! what are you all talking about?!!…aggressive talk is pointless, only people with no religious substance can talk that way………
Grow up and talk about other things that you may be able to change…this is the duniya…there are gays, eunuchs, prostitutes, you name it in this duniya…
find beauty and love in the smallest things…
“To love. To be loved. To never forget your own insignificance. To never get used to the unspeakable violence and the vulgar disparity of life around you. To seek joy in the saddest places. To pursue beauty to its lair. To never simplify what is complicated or complicate what is simple. To respect strength, never power. Above all, to watch. To try and understand. To never look away. And never, never, to forget…”-Arundhati Roy
March 4th, 2009 at 12:05 pm
you lot are all crazy!!!
who cares if someone’s gay or lesbian?why u trying to kill them?I could swear murder is a sin….
get over it people..live and let live…its cos of people like you that everyone thinks Muslim’s are psychos out there to kill everyone and bomb places…
shame on all u ignorant people!
March 4th, 2009 at 9:39 pm
“As a result, it fails to form any argument against the belief held by the majority of Muslims that homosexuality is forbidden by the religion.”
it doesnt matter about what majority of muslims believe with regards to whether homosexuality is forbidden by the religion, what matters is what Islam says, and that is fixed.
anyone who belive homosexuality is not forbideen isnt really a muslims, because this judgement is explicit by Allah in the Quran when it talks about the people of Prophet Lot.
also anyone who belive thats the Islam needs reforming is also a no-muslim when ALlah says clraly in surah al-maida “I have perfected this religion for you….”
March 6th, 2009 at 2:51 pm
Mohammed Abdulhye, you avoid the most obvious thing about Islam, there are at least 5 schools of mainstream thought and even those don’t have a “perfect” response to homosexuality as they don’t know whether it is of nature (Allah created) or of nurture (within the confines of human development). Since Prophet Mohammed never spoke of the situation in terms of Quran and it has been proven those ahadeeth are not associated with Prophet Mohammed but with the sahaba, where did this kill them stuff really come from? I guess it was presented in another book other than Quran. Furthermore, if you are fully aware of Islamic Theological Thought history you will learn Islam has never been static and Muslim understanding of Allah continues to expand and grow, so to claim there is only one way to see Islam’c position on homosexuality is to dismiss history and the truth of the known and unknown. Absolute ignorance makes one absolutely ignorant and easy to dismiss facts that conflict with one’s belief. Next????
March 8th, 2009 at 4:53 pm
I hope all you hatemongering commenters are thrilled with how you come across here, urging each other on with masturbatory fury to see who can be the nastiest of all? You must have some serious childhood pain you’re dealing with to find such delight in condemning others.
How can any of you complain that Muslims get a bad reputation when such violent, hateful, extremist, intolerant and bloodthirsty filth like the comments here are online for all to see? Why should society take Islam seriously when the most vocal Muslims keep ranting and raving with utter certainty about what is acceptable to Allah and what is not. Quit whining about always being the victim and get your heads out of your sorry asses. What has been written here in the comments is pure hate speech, and none of you cowards would dare have a decent conversation with someone who doesn’t share your beliefs. Much easier to shout and throw grenades on the Internet.
March 8th, 2009 at 8:40 pm
there is no space for homosexuality in Islam. Those who are gay and claim to be muslim should know that. Islam is not begging for them to stay, they can leave and practive what they wish and be a liberated bum lover - religion wont wait around or oppress. The scriptures have things set out, if you dont fit into them then choose a different lifestyle, relgion or athiesm. The people who need to stop moaning and whinging are gay people who want to have their cake and eat it.
March 21st, 2009 at 4:42 pm
hi guys i have read some of the comments upthere and the most of it i agree with blah that person is right when a person is gay or lesbian that’s not our problem this is the problem of the person because on the day of judement everyone has to give an awnser to god and the person who is a sinner he will get punishment and one more thing today islam is a bad immage in the whole world why? because we are the cause of it one person said i hate islam we are ready to go for jihad ready to kill why people why today they insult our prohpet because of us so we need to understand that not every solution is killing or jihad to every problem we don’t stop things will go on like this and other people will insult islam and our beloved prophet we have to explain with peace with love does anyone know why we say in english prophet peace be upoun him the word peace peace and peace that means our beloved prophet want peace in the world and we are the ummah so follow him please