Forget about Freddie Krueger and Nightmare on Elm Street, today we have the greatest nightmare that you could ever imagine facing us in the very near future.

No, its not that Man City might get promoted or that Pakistan keep on getting battered by Australia in cricket, or even Dr. Shipman escaping from prison or that Bill Clinton has found his other brain cell… .No…it’s much worse than that; it’s the biggest attack, the biggest threat and the biggest insult facing the Muslims in particular and humanity at large.

What is it then? It is what is called in the modern world as the abolishment of SECTION 28.

‘Section what! What the bloody heck is that?’ is most likely your respond if keeping up with the news is not your kind of thing. Well, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls allow me to explain.

At this moment in time Section 28 states that ‘no local authority can intentionally promote homosexuality or publish material with the intention of promoting homosexuality.

No local authority can promote the teaching in any maintained school of the acceptability of homosexuality as a pretended family relationship.’ In other words it is saying that homosexuality can not be promoted by local authorities and taught in schools.

A GOOD OLD SCRAP

Have you got that? Now, the government wants to scrap Section 28 and therefore is allowing councils and schools to teach and promote homosexuality in schools.

Scrapping section 28 is saying it is OK to tell your kids that there’s nothing wrong with being gay.Its saying to the Muslims, hey there’s nothing wrong with fancying someone of the same sex.

Yo lads! If no girl fancies you then there’s plenty of guys to choose from! Are you still with me? You see, if section 28 is scrapped then every school in the UK will be allowed to teach, promote and highlight homosexuality to kids from the ages of 4 to 16.

Now if that doesn’t drive you nuts, make you stand up and fight for your beliefs and do whatever you can to protect and safeguard the future of our youngsters, then nothing will.

It is a direct attack on the faith and belief of Muslims in the UK and if you wanna know what scrapping section 28 will really mean then the following facts should knock you out…and wake you up if nothing else.

FACTS OF LIFE?

The Prime Minister told MP’s that the repeal (posh word for scrapping) of Section 28, would free schoolteachers and others to be able to explain to children properly ‘the facts of life’.

He stated ‘…Some people may make political capital out of it. I think it is a sensible change. I think it is a right change.’

The geezer doesn’t know what he’s chatting about! It’s not facts of life Tony, its promoting homosexuality and attacks all the religions as well as the values of ordinary, civilised and decent human beings.

Campaigners said literature ranging from crude descriptions of sexual practices to the promotion of gay lifestyles at the expense of heterosexual love and marriage was already being produced by some councils.

They say that if section 28 is dropped, pro-gay campaigners will produce even more explicit material, which will find its way in to classrooms.

In Scotland, campaigners unveiled publicity distributed with the help of taxpayers’ cash.

It includes advice to teenagers on homosexual practices they could try, and guidance on ‘cruising’ or seeking ‘casual gay sex’. In England, material provided under NHS budgets includes a manual in which pupils are encouraged to take part in roleplay games.

Children are given the roles of homosexuals alongside prostitutes, priests and nuns, and are invited to compare their view of each role.

The Daily Mail stated: ‘…If section 28 goes, education authorities in England, Scotland and Wales will be free to supply such publications to teachers, and school governors will rule on whether it should be used in class.’

ISLAM AND HOMOSEXUALITY

When it comes to sex education Muslims, especially parents, are reluctant to discuss this with their children, but that should not be the case. If we don’t educate our kids about sex then the non- Muslim in schools will and it definitely will not be according to Islam.

So explaining homosexuality to the modern youth is gonna be one heck of a job especially when it is promoted in the western media through programs such as Queer as Folk, Hollyoaks and talk shows such as Ricki Lake.

So we thought we’d give it a go and provide a guide for parents and youngsters on how to tackle the issue of homosexuality.

Homosexuality, like other matters relating to sexuality, is openly discussed in the Quran and Sunnah.

We have no excuse as Muslims, especially parents, teachers, community leaders, imams and individuals not to clearly discuss the issue with our kids and Muslim youth. The first point to be clear on is what is homosexual behaviour?

You see, in many cultures including Muslim cultures, it is not uncommon to find people of the same sex kissing on the cheeks, hugging or holding hands. (..Pakistan rings a bell…)

None of these actions can be labelled as sexual in any way. Therefore it is important one doesn’t confuse real Halal affection between his brothers or sisters with dodgey sexual behaviour.

Now, what does the Quran and the Sunnah say about homosexuality? Quran says:

‘And Lut! (Remember) when he said unto his people: Will you commit wicked acts such as no creature ever did before you? Lo! You come with lust unto men instead of women. No, but you are people transgressing beyond bounds.’ (7:80-81)

‘What! Of all creatures do you come unto the males, and leave the wives your Lord created for you? Nay, but you are wicked people.’ (ash-shu’ara 26: 165- 66)

The Holy Prophet (pbuh) said:

‘If you find someone doing as Lut’s people did, kill the one who does it and the one to whom it is done.’(Abu Dawoud) In another hadith the Prophet said: ‘If a man who is not married is seized committing sodomy, he will be stoned to death.’(Abu Dawoud)

It is clear from the above statements that there is no place for homosexuality in Islam whatsoever.

WHAT’S WRONG WITH IT?

Now this argument should be enough, but for the modern Muslim youth today who are obsessed with questioning, discussing and debating- just saying Haram is not enough. One thing should be clear: God is the creator of all the worlds and every living thing including human beings.

He created us out of nothing and He knows best what our true needs and desires are. He knows what is good and bad for us.

So therefore if He is saying to us that homosexuality is wrong, just as drinking alcohol, it must mean that it will be harmful and damaging for us.

For example, when you buy something like a washing machine from a store you are given instructions on how to use the washing machine. You’ll be given an instruction manual to guarantee it runs as smoothly as possible.

The manufacturers know exactly what should or shouldn’t go in, what degree it should be kept, what type of clothes it can or can’t wash and so on. In the same way Allah has created us, He is our Maker.

He knows what can improve our bodies and minds and those things that can destroy them. He has provided not just an instruction manual (the Quran), but also a model to follow (the holy Prophet).

Now my question is, if we can trust the people who have manufactured the washing machine, then why can’t we trust Allah? Now we all know about the harm and dangers of homosexual behaviour such as diseases like AIDS and the fact that this kind of sexual relationship does not procreate (you know…the reproduction business..).

This is a crucial point because the main purpose of sex is to produce kids in order to continue human life. Homosexual relationship is purely for the sake of pleasure, which is not only unnatural, but leads to disease and death. OK, so if you are saying there’s nothing wrong with being gay, then can you imagine if everyone in the world were gay, then human life would come to an end. Finish. Extinct. Kaboosh! So it’s obvious that homosexuality is unnatural and totally destructive.

BORN BAD?

A typical argument is ‘…we are born that way.’ cry out the gays but sorry mate, that’s not the case. One Muslim expert who crushes this argument states:

‘…They are putting the blame on God. If it is true, why in the world does God have to send an earthquake to the people of Lut in the northern part of Palestine, because they were the first group of people who started committing homosexuality? If people were born to commit homosexual acts, Allah who is most Merciful, would not have destroyed Prophet Lut’s community. These people had an opportunity to change.

They did not, and Allah destroyed them. This is a test Shaytan puts in our way.'

Also, don’t forget…if homosexuality became the norm and everyone adopted it, then the family structure will be completely destroyed, as we know it.

The concept of ‘mother and father’ will be gone- values and morality will no longer seize to exist. This will have massive social and psychological effect on the child because he/she will realise ‘hang on a minute, there’s something dodgey going on here. I’ve got two mums or two dads, which can’t be right can it?

Right … I could go on but that should be enough to understand the position of homosexuality in the view of Islam.

So, abolishing Section 28 is a direct attack on the Iman of Muslims - it will destroy the lifestyle, values, morality and fundamental beliefs of our future Muslim youngsters.

SO WHAT CAN WE DO ABOUT IT?

First of all we need to understand what repeal of Section 28 is all about and what effect it will have on our Muslim youngsters.

Secondly, we need to make every parent and child aware of the dangers and direct threat of the abolishment of Section 28.

Thirdly, we need to be crystal clear about what Islam has to say on homosexuality.

Fourthly, we can do everything in our power to make sure Section 28 is not abolished and even if it is, make sure our children are not taught the promotion of homosexuality.

How? Well, this is what we can do:

• Sign a petition of all the Muslims in your locality and send it to your MP
• Write a letter to your MP expressing your deep concern and anger regarding abolishing Section 28
• Give your local MP, Council and Councillors a bloody headache about it. If you don’t push or hassle them they will do nowt.
• Visit all the Primary and Secondary schools in your area and speak to the headmaster. Speak of boycotting classes or even the schools… that’ll make ‘em do something!
• Make our opposition heard through public protest marches.

If we want our coming generation to grow up as strong Muslims then it is absolutely imperative for us to do whatever we can to stop the abolishment of Section 28.

If we turn a blind eye then what is the point of calling ourselves Muslims! I will leave you with following words of the Prophet (PBUH):

‘If you see an evil (munkar) wipe it out with your hand, if you cannot then wipe it out with your tongue, if you cannot then deny it in your heart and that is the weakest of Iman.’(Muslim)

End Notes

1. Daily Mail - Jan 20 2000,
2. Q News - January 2000

By Sajid Iqbal - Editor, The Revival. First Printed April 2000 in The Revival.