From: Sam Damon <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 17 Apr 1994 18:04:03 -0400 (edt)

> > Date: Wed, 6 Apr 1994 22:57:34 -0700 (PDT)
> > Subject: Gay Islam?
> > From: An Anonymous Sender
> > 
> > Does anyone know of any gay/lesbian Islamic organizations, in the U.S. or 
> > abroad?  If so, could you please post information by which one can get in 
> > touch with them/you?  I am interested in:
> > 
> > 1)  any gay/lesbian muslim organizations, but particularly those which 
> > seek to reconcile homosexuality and the Koran, i.e. analogs to such 
> > organizations as Dignity (Catholic), Integrity (Episcopalian), etc., 
> > which seek to reconcile homosexuality and the Bible,
 
You might want to get a copy of "Looking at Gay and Lesbian Life" by Warren
Blumenfeld and Diane Raymond.  In addition ot being one of the best lesbigay
reference books I have ever seen, there is a very good section on Islam (pp
178-187).  It quotes extensively from various sources, and includes a
section titled, "Koran References to Homosexuality." (p 184) It also talks
about the various sects.  Here's a sampling: "Though Muhammed warns against
the *abuse* of sexuality, the Koran does not condemn homosexualit *per se*
and does not recommend specific punishments for it.  ... Among the Sunni
sex, for example, the practice of homosexuality was fairly widespread,
especially among the mystic orders in North America. ... in general, Islam
has been far more tolerant of homosexuality than Christianity than
Chrisitianity has.  ... in Islamic Sufi literature homosexual eroticism was
a major metaphorical expression of the spiritual relationship between amn
and God, and much Persian fiction and poetry used same-sex relationships as
examples of moral love ... The Arabic language contains a huge vocabulary of
gay erotic terms, with dozens of terms just to describe male prostitutes. 
There is an entire genre of Arabic literature in which debates over the
merits of male homosexual love are debated.  And almost all of the authors
wrote standard religious treatises as well as homosexual love poetry.
(Boswell, p 197)."

Although I know of several books devoted to your exact concerns, I
unfortunately can't recall their names.  All I can tell you is that these
books exist.  You might try calling A Different Light, the nation's largest
lesbigay bookstore chain.  Their number is 1-800-343-4002 (accessible from
Canada as well).

Lastly, try contacting The Gay and Lesbian Arabic Society (GLAS) through:
The Arabic Society
Box 4971
Washington, DC 20008

For a desciption of this group, refer to an earlier message I posted.

Good luck.