American Islamists Split over Sexual-Identity Issues

[Valin]

Middle East Forum

Martha Lee

Focus on Western Islamism

Mar. 15 2022

In a widely shared essay published on Muslim Matters, Islamist commentator Mobeen Vaid has laid out what appears to be the most comprehensive Islamist argument yet for why Muslims should oppose LGBT rights.

"Religions in the West," Vaid warns, "...have largely collapsed at the altar of homosexuality and are quickly proving incapable of resisting transgenderism too."

The question of whether or not to support the LGBT movement has increasingly divided not just the Muslim community, but American Islamism as well – as some Islamists seek to utilize progressivist activism to help advance their own agendas, while other, ostensibly more purist voices, denounce what they regard as acts that compromise Islamic morals.

Over the past few years, for instance, leading Islamist clerics such as Omar Suleiman and Yasir Qadhi have been repeatedly accused by the popular online preacher, hardline Islamist Daniel Haqiqatjou, of letting the Muslim community "[suffer] from this LGBT assault" while they "benefit handsomely by being in the good graces of the left wing." Meanwhile, Islamist thinktanks such as Suleiman's Yaqeen, have been attacked by Haqiqatjou's collaborators for their perceived support of LGBT rights.

Progressivist Muslim groups are also under attack. Vaid reserves particular ire for Muslim Advocates, which he claims has "supported a wide range of LGBT rights," even "praising a Muslim drag queen as 'living her [sic] truth'" [sic inserted by Vaid].

(Snip)