Book Description

Between an autobiography and an essay on religion, this book relies on a Muslim gay couple's real life events to stress the facts that homosexuality, despite what some conservatives might say, is not a choice; and that it would be crazy to choose to be homosexual when one comes from the sociocultural milieu where Ludovic-Mohamed Zahed and his husband Qiyaam Jantjies Zahed come from. The author recalls his ardent youth, spiritual asceticism and burning desire. Neither passion nor rigor but both at the same time, a very singular path emerges in the text. It is a history of his contracting HIV-AIDS, before his pilgrimage to Mecca, Umm Al-Qura, the mother of all cities. In a moving scene at the ancient house of God, Ludovic-Mohamed understands that it is possible to conceive of "faith without dogma." For it is said in the Qur'an: "No constraints in religion." Can you be gay and Muslim? This book's message: Of course yes!The author is also the founder of the association HM2F (Homosexual Muslims of France), to sustain Gay Muslims in France. Mr. and Mr. Zahed they are the first gay Muslim couple to have been married publicly in front of an imam. He is now the Founder-Imam of the first European Inclusive Mosque.“What arguments can be put forward to someone who thinks that homosexuality is a sin, something against nature, which should be prosecuted and convicted? What can we say to address the plight of our Muslim gay brothers and lesbian sisters? What can we say to such obvious lack of the most basic feelings and values of Islam, such as compassion, respect for others and a sense of right and wrong? It's time to say that this issue is not a matter of divergent interpretations: it is a basic issue for the survival of Islam as a way of life based on transcendent values, rooted in the depths of the human heart. In this sense, (this book) goes beyond the foregoing issues, to address the issue from the very heart of Islamic spirituality” (Abdennur Prado, Green Book 2012 - http://www.calem.eu/GREEN-BOOKS_against-homophobia-lesbophobia-biphobia-transphobia.html). “Faith without change would be a dead faith, not a living, breathing one, for any living thing that fails to change and grow will die. The challenge facing Islam in the 21st century is whether it will continue to grow and mature and be in the spiritual vanguard as it was when it was first revealed to our beloved Prophet Muhammad ASWS, or whether it will stagnate and become degraded? Will it adapt to changing circumstances and respond to new problems, becoming more egalitarian and more just; or will it continue to be monopolized by often oppressive, homophobic and misogynistic interpretations of what it means to be a Muslim?” (Matthew Simonds, MPV-USA - http://mpvusa.org/).“The Arab Spring was a watershed in the fight against the barrier of silence and repression, which was supported by the Arab peoples, since it is now enjoying a much greater freedom of expression about our claims in all areas that relate to our society. These revolutions have worn slogans of freedom and rejection of repression, oppression and marginalization, and they have fulfilled their goals by breaking this cycle of tyranny that lasted for years... And as long as homosexuals will be an integral part of this society, things will change and we will continue to strive for recognition, justice and peace” (Marwan Bensaid, ASWAT-Morocco - http://aswatmagazine.blogspot.fr/).“I had a retreat with queer Muslims and their allies. Really the sisters and brothers there put more heart and soul into our worship together, I thought, this is what community is all about” (Amina Wadud, 2012 Tawheed Umrah pilgrimage - http://www.calem.eu/Tawheed-Umrah_islamic-pilgrimage-Mecca-Madinah-June2012-Radjab1433_with-Amina-Wadud-&-inclusive-progressive-secular-Muslims.html).