The attempt by the nation to criminalise homosexuality, is not only discriminatory and hypocritical, but also an act of grave injustice as well as a lack of knowledge of divine wisdom.
Injustice or maybe oppression of any sort is a grave sin. God Almighty, loathes injustice to the greatest degree, and it doesn’t matter the background of the oppressor or the oppressed. In this regard, even God, the Master of the universe has set a ground rule for Himself, never to do injustice to anybody, not to believers, not to disbelievers either. Surah (An-Nisa) Q 4:40, explicitly brings to the fore God’s commitment to making Justice the bedrock of his judgement as it reads, “Indeed, Allah never wrongs anyone – even by an atom’s weight. …” Additionally, the Messenger of Allah, Mohammed (PBUH) is reported to have quoted God, setting for Himself and us, a ground rule, or a code of conduct in dealing with the affairs of man both on earth and the life hereafter, quote; ” O My servants, I have made oppression unlawful for Me, so do not oppress one another.”
In light of this Hadith, it has become incumbent, otherwise imperative on every true believer whether a Christian or a Muslim to stand up in defense of victims of injustice in our day-to-day dealings. We do not have the choice to decide whom we should stand up for or not, as long as the scale of justice is tilted towards one side, we need to stand and be counted. Without doubt, this call to duty in solidarity with our brothers from the LGBTQ community might sound weird to many a number of people because of our prejudices and hatred for them, but we must not forget that God was not selective in his admonishment for us to be just, and resist the temptation to be lured into the path of oblivion when it comes to matters concerning social justice.
Surah Ma’Idah, Quran 5:8, reads; “O believers, stand firm for Allah and bear true testimony. Do not let the hatred of a people lead you to injustice. Be just! That is closer to righteousness…”
It must be placed into records that, what I am simply calling for, is social equity, a level playing field for everyone in our quest to shape collective behaviour.
We are aware that the Messenger and Allah’s verdict on any matter remains what it is, and no one can change it, and to that extent, (Surah Ahzab), Quran 33:26 reminds us that, “It is not for a believing man or woman, when Allah and His Messenger decree a matter, to have any other choice on that matter.” Who am I therefore to contest God on whether homosexuality should be seen or considered a sin or not? My concern however is not about the act, but the reaction of people who think the entitlement to condemn others who meanwhile are worst in the sight of God.
While majority of those who support this Anti-LGBTQ law draw their strength from Surah Ankabut, Surah Al- A’raf and Surah An-Nisa if they are Muslims, those from the Christian fraternity draw theirs from Genesis.
In these respective chapters, we are told how the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed due to the practice of homosexuality therein, after Prophet Lut or Lot was sent to them for guidance and redemption which they rejected. Thus, the practice of homosexuality as a sin, decreed by Allah is in no way a matter of debate here. In a subsequent article, I will throw more light on the issue of the destruction of the cities as to whether indeed homosexuality was the underlying reason behind the calamity, inshallah.
Nonetheless, my bone of contention here, is about how the LGBTQ community is perceived or treated by those who are supposed to know better or purport to know better.
Many other nations or people, just like Sodom and Gomorrah suffered divine destruction because the people then undertook some activities that defied divine rules. For instance, Nuh or Noah and his people, the people of Thâmud, the people of Âd, Abraham and his people, Pharaoh and his people and so and so forth.
The Holy Quran mentions 25 prophets including (Adam, Noah, Shu’ayb, Salih, Idriss, Jacob, Isaac, David, Moses, Aaron, Lut, Abraham, all the way to the last, the seal of all prophets, Mohammed, S.W.A) sent to different communities from generation to generation, for one mission only, which mission is; (“You alone we worship and You alone we ask for help” Q1:5).
God tells us in Surah (An-Nahl), Q 16:36, quote; “We surely sent a messenger to every community, saying, worship Allah and shun false gods. “But some of them were guided by Allah, while others were destined to stray. So, travel throughout the land and see the fate of the deniers!”
To help us appreciate the gravity of idolatry, God says in Surah (An-Nisa), Q 4:48 that; “Indeed, Allah does not forgive associating others with Him in worship, but forgives anything else of whoever He wills. And whoever associates others with Allah has indeed committed a grave sin.”
It’s also noteworthy to reveal how God describes idolaters in Surah (An-Najm), Q 53:52, quote; “…He destroyed the people of Noah, who were truly far worse in wrongdoing and transgression.”
Here, the Quran is telling us that before God destroyed the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, the people of Âd and the people of Thâmud, he had in prior moment destroyed the people of Nuh or Noah who by far, in the history of mankind were the worst sinners. What was the sin of the people of Noah? Idol worship.
So, it’s evidently clear that, God has drawn a line between idol worshipping and other sins.
My question is why is the LGBTQ community so hated to the core that, we are wasting state resources to formulate laws criminalising homosexuality which by far is lesser a sin as compared to idol worship which is considered as the gravest sin ever, in the history of creation? Interestingly, we as a nation have become so corrupt, morally bankrupt and hypocritical that, we have promoted and protected idolatry in the 1992 constitution in chapter 5, Article 26, Clause 1, under the pretext of freedom of religion.
At the moment Ghana can boast of famous shrines like Antoa Nyama, Nogopko, Kofi O Kofi, Kobina Bosom, the great Kakaduka, Xañku, Brekete, Dagamate, Akonedi, to mention but a few.
If we can’t criminalise idol worship in Ghana, what moral right do we have left to criminalise homosexuality?
I do not in a way try to denigrate any tradition or way of worship here, but I’m trying to expose the extent to which, as a nation we have become corrupt, immoral, hypocritical and unjust in the sight of Allah for allowing idol worship to gain grounds in the country and bastardising homosexuality.
In Islamic traditions or teachings, Muslims are encouraged to avoid the following seven sins which are considered gravest and have the tendency to keep a believer who commits any of them at arm’s length from Allah, and those cardinal sins are as follows:
1- Shirk (associating partners with Allah),
2- Murder (taking a life unjustly),
3- Consuming the wealth of orphans,
4- Riba (charging or accepting interest on loans),
5- Magic (fortune telling, engaging in witchcraft or sorcery),
6- Fleeing from the battlefield, and
7- Slandering a chaste woman of fornication or adultery without substantiating it.
No mention is made of homosexuality in the list. So, why do some hate them as they are the ones who killed the ‘Son’ of God?
Are many Ghanaian workers not languishing in repayment of loans with high interest rates from financial institutions which the state has legalize though? Has God not prohibited interest in loans? Do we attack anyone working in the various financial institutions as we do against the Anti-LGBTQ community?
Has God not prohibited magic? Do we attack the numerous ‘mallams’ or charlatans in our communities? Which politician doesn’t visit charlatans or shrines for electoral fortunes? Why are we not criminalising fortune telling in Ghana?
Are we not being corrupt and unjust for being selective?
In any case, why would any person ever presume that by criminalising homosexuality, God would be pleased with us when we allow worst sins to happen in the country unconcerned?
In the prophetic era when God prescribed punishment for sins, the punishment was carried out by the followers of the prophets who were morally upright, so far away from sins. A calibre of people who would spend several nights in prayer with tears soaking their garments seeking forgiveness for their past sins and the slightest present ones they have knowledge of or otherwise. I mean, pure-hearted people. In all humility, can we compare ourselves to them?
Which judges will try people accused of breaking the laws against homosexuality? Is it our judges, some of whom were caught on tape in the Anas exposé taking wakye, goats and other kinds of inducement to tilt the balance of justice? Or is it some of our judges, the likes of Alfred Kwabena Asiedu who was accused of sexual exploitation in a divorce case he was presiding over?
Are we sure that God will accept this sacrificial lamb? Even the Messengers who were brought to us to spread the word of God to mankind were told by God that their duty was solely to warn disbelievers and invite them to the right path. None among them judged disbelievers. How much more you and I, who are spreading corruption everywhere in the country to the extent that, it was alleged that, Parliament Appointment Committee demanded or took money before approving nominee-ministers of state for approval. At least Hon. Joe Wise, former member of Parliament for the good people of asante Bekwai in an interview with Joy News admitted that under the Akufo Addo tenure, the then Chief of Staff, Hon. Frema gave the appointment committee some money, but it wasn’t a bribe. Were we not in this country when it was also alleged that a business man had the effrontery to enter Parliament in an attempt to bribe some members of Parliament to compromise their stance in the Ken must go saga? To the extent that the OSP lamented lack of cooperation on the part of the concerned Members of Parliament to enable him prosecute the accused man? Those who claim sainthood and moral uprightness standing in the way of justice, abetting corruption? Did we not also hear about the alleged double salary saga under the first Mahama tenure in which term some ministers of state were paid double salaries, which case was used as a bargaining chip for approval of Akufo Addo’s ministers in lieu of prosecution as alleged by Martin Amidu? Is this the calibre of people who want to crucify others? God save us!
Just as Sodom and Gomorrah was burnt because of homosexuality, the people Madyan under Prophet Shu’Ayb were destroyed because they cheated in trading and indulged in other corrupt practices and rejected the guidance of their prophet Shu’ayb, and the Quran tells us how he invited them to the path of truth in (Surah An-Najm), Q 11:85; quote; “O my people! Give full measure and weigh with Justice. Do not defraud people of their property, nor go about spreading corruption in the land.” So, what moral justification should those who are guilty of the sins of the people of the Woods, who suffered destruction through an earthquake, have over people who commit the sins of Sodom and Gomorrah?
Aside of preaching the word of God to people so that they may become aware of the consequence of their actions, does society have additional responsibilities over others?
In a dozen of verses in the Quran, Allah makes it clear to His messengers that, their duty was solely to warn disbelievers of the repercussions of wrongdoing using the examples of past generations before them as a proof of God’s power to judge, and secondly to give good news by inspiring hope in believers about the reward of a place in the Heavens through good deeds, but not to judge or condemn anyone.
In (Surah Ar-Raf) Q 13:40, Allah tells his messenger that punishment of sins is His reserve and not that of the messenger; quote, “Whether We show you some of what We have promised them, or We cause you to die {before that}, your duty is to inform, and Ours is the reckoning.”
Aren’t we taking any moral lessons from John 8:7, when the Messiah threw a challenge to the crowd that brought the woman accused of adultery, quote; ” … Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” And when self-guilt drove everyone away, the Messiah asked the woman, quote; “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” The woman replied, quote; “No one, sir.” And the Messiah declared, quote; “Then, neither do I condemn you, go now and leave your life of sin.”
In John 8-15, when Jesus was challenged by the Pharisees on the validity of his testimony, what did Jesus say to them; “You judge by human standards, I pass judgement on no one.”
Doesn’t this humble us? Doesn’t it prickle our conscience? If this humility by Jesus is not enough to insulate hubris from us, what else would?
Readers are encouraged to read the following verses to appreciate the terms under which God instructed His messengers to accomplish their respective mission; ( Q 13:40, Q 3:109, Q 3:20, Q 2:272, Q 5:99, Q 6: 22, Q. 6: 62, Q 88:21-22, Q 7: 67-68, Q 7: 93, Q 7:188, Q 16:35, Q 16:82 …… ).
Even in the course of their mission, they were also admonished to speak to disbelievers with utmost decorum and sobriety.
When Moses and Aaron were sent to Pharaoh, God instructed them in (Surah Taha), Q 20:44 that, quote; “Speak to him gently, so perhaps he may be mindful of Me or fearful of My punishment.” Indeed, the Messenger of Allah, Mohammed (PBUH) was also advised to extend an invitation to ‘all’, I mean every one, irrespective of their frame of references, to as a matter of concern be moderate in his choice of words, so in (Surah Nahl), Q 16:125; Allah tells Mohammed (PBUH) that, quote; “Invite all to the way of your Lord with wisdom and kind advice, and only debate with them in the best manner. Surely your Lord ‘alone’ knows best who has strayed from His way and who is rightly guided.”
So we must bear in mind that nobody is mandated to oppress another, condemn or coerce another to the way of righteousness. The way to righteousness is through advice and through invitation, good counsel.
Indeed the behaviour of the society should be regulated to bring about sanity and orderliness. To this end, Islam categories sins in three distinct types. The primary sin which is associating partners with Allah in worship, which is unforgivable by God if they die in it without repentance. Secondly, there are sins an individual commits against their own soul (fornication, smoking, alcoholism, homosexuality, gambling, etc). These sins strain the relationship between the sinner and God but causes no harm to the society in any physical way. Thirdly, the last type (murder, robbery, corruption, adultery, stealing, slandering, magic, etc) which are sins an individual commits that directly affects a third party or the society as whole and also the soul of the sinner.
As for the first category, God says, He will never forgive anyone who commits it as long as they remain in it till their last breath. For the second category, God says he can forgive anyone who commits any of them if He wills, it is his sole prerogative. As for the third, God commands anyone who commits any of them to seek forgiveness from the offended party before the day of judgement because, He God will have no power to forgive anyone on behalf of another on judgement.
It is natural law and rational that, whenever an individual is offended, they would reserve the right to retaliation and in most cases, the retaliation might come in a disproportionate manner and that in itself would in turn render our society chaotic.
To curb this injustice, it’s within the right of the state to play a mediatory role by setting up an adjudicatory system to punish wrong on behalf of the society which is permissible by God.
Many people mostly argue that, if we situate homosexuality within the context of human rights, then armed robbers and murderers would soon be fighting for their rights in the name of human rights. How shallow is this argument?
Even if the state succeeds in criminalising homosexuality, who would be the victim in the crime?
Don’t forget we’re talking about an act undertaken by two consenting individuals. It’s mostly argued in other quarters that drug abuse is also a victimless crime, yet it is a crime to smoke Indian hem or cocaine in Ghana, so therefore homosexuality would have no escape route.
This is also a weak argument because, the ripple effects of these behaviours make it justifiable for the state to criminalise them to safeguard public order. Aside invoking Sodom and Gomorrah as the basis for criminalising homosexuality, people always advance this rhetoric, that, if all of us were homosexuals, how would procreation be preserved? Without being blasphemous, I have always been surprised that none of them ever asks themselves how could we preserve procreation if every man were to be a Pope or a Roman Father or a Roman Sister?
In conclusion, people should bear in mind that, the Quran tells us that, whatever we do on the earth, whether good or wrong deeds, they do not affect God in any positive or negative ways as God is quoted in a Hadith as saying; ” O my servants, if your first and the last of your human race, and the Jinn become equally God-fearing like the heart of a simple man from you, nothing will add to my power.”
In contrariwise, “O my servants, if your first and the last of your human race, and the Jinn become as the most wicked of a simple man, it will cause no lost my power.”
It’s also important to add that, God is much cognizance of man’s hamartia before Adam and so he says “O My servants, all of you are misguided except one whom I guide on the right path, so seek My guidance and I will direct you to the right path.”
Again, in acknowledgement of our sins, he says, “O My servants, you err night and day, and I forgive your sins, so ask My forgiveness, I will grant it to you.”
What’s the point condemning others whose deeds cause no harm or pain to us, to the point that we are arrogating to ourselves the unfettered authority to judge them, when God himself is always hesitant in condemnation and judgement?
The Messenger of Allah, Mohammed (S. A. W.) encourages us not to despair in in seeking forgiveness and mercy from God no matter the gravity of our sins as long as we worship none other than Him (God), as he quotes God in the following Hadith “O, son of Adam! As long as you supplicate to Me and hope of Me, I will forgive whatever you committed, and it will be easy for Me, I will bring forth its fill of forgiveness, as long as you do not associate anything or anyone in worship with Me.”
On judgement day, no one will carry the burden of another man’s sin, and “whoever strives in Allah’s cause, only does so for their own good. Surely, Allah is not in need of any of his creatures.” (Q. 29:6)
God does not shut the door on homosexuals. Stop condemning others!
Quran chapter 49:11 “O believers! Do not let some ˹men˺ ridicule others, they may be better than them, nor let ˹some˺ women ridicule other women, they may be better than them. Do not defame one another, nor call each other by offensive nicknames. How evil it is to act rebelliously after having faith! And whoever does not repent, it is they who are the ˹true˺ wrongdoers.” Thus sayeth the Lord!
# Religion is an invitation to the path of truth and not a tool to coerce others!
Texas Kadri Moro
Executive Director
Arise for Justice International
[email protected]
