There has been widespread discussion on ‘same sex marriage’ since the ‘Marriage Amendment Bill 2012’ (a Private Member Bill) by Labour Party MP Louisa Wall was introduced to Parliament on July 26, 2012.
For many people and for followers of Islam, marriage between two persons of the same sex is not marriage at all.
This article provides some documentary evidence from religious sources such as the Bible and the Quran.
In the 2006 New Zealand Census, 52% of Kiwis claimed to be Christians, while the Muslim population was about 1%. Evidence from the Bible and the Quran should therefore be relevant to a majority of New Zealanders who claim to believe in these books.
The religious (Jewish, Christian and Islamic) argument against homosexuality derives mostly from the story of Sodom and Gomorrah.
The cities of Sodom and Gomorrah were situated on the Jordan River Plain in the southern region of the land of Canaan, around the Dead Sea.
However, archaeological evidence is not conclusive. This may be surprising from a religious point of view, as Allah is believed to have destroyed the two cities.
The Bible and the Quran contain the story of Sodom and Gomorrah, with very little difference. This is also not surprising, as Muslims believe that the source of the Quran, and the inspiration for the Bible, are both from Allah.
Main differences
There are two main differences between Biblical and Quranic versions.
Firstly, the Quran contains seven references to ‘The People of Lot,’ meaning that the residents of Sodom and Gomorrah, and their destruction by Allah were associated with their homosexual practices.
“Indeed, you approach men with desire, instead of women. Rather, you are a transgressing people.” (Quran 7:81).
“Do you approach males among the worlds and leave what your Lord has created for you as mates (namely women)? But you are a transgressing people.” (Quran 26:165-6).
Secondly, the Bible states that two angels met Lot, whereas the Quran says Gabriel (Jibril) met Lot and said that he must save himself by leaving the town quickly, before it is destroyed.
The Quran asserts that sexual relations should be only between a male and a female, and that they must be married to each other.
Surah Four (titled An Nisaa or Women), contains a long list of people who men should not marry.
“Your mothers, your daughters, your sisters, the sisters of your fathers, sisters of your mothers, daughters of your brother, daughters of your sister, your nursing mothers, the girls who nursed from the same woman as you, mothers of your wives, daughters of your wives with whom you have consummated the marriage.” The obvious observation is that they are all female.
Male responsibility
“Your wives are as a tilth unto you.” (Quran 2:223). The word ‘tilth (land for’ planting) is a simile.
A farmer looks after his land, plants, waters and protects it against all climate conditions and degradation, in the same way that a man should take care of his wife, throughout his life.
We should also take into account the life of Prophet Mohammed.
In the Quran, Allah says, “The Prophet is closer to the believers than their selves, and his wives are (as) their mothers”.
For a majority of his adult life, The Prophet was married to one wife, Khadija bint Khuwaylid. After her death, he married a number of wives for various reasons, but these were all legitimate marriages between a man and a woman.
While the Bible is not totally clear, and has led to misinterpretations by some people, the Quran leaves no doubt that homosexuality is a sin (transgression), and that sexual relations must be between a male and a female, married to each other. As a result, even if the Marriage Amendment Bill is passed, no Muslim religious official or marriage celebrant would officiate at such weddings.
The above is an edited version of an article that appeared in ‘Rocket Science,’ the monthly Newsletter of Mt Albert Islamic Centre, Auckland.
