An Egyptian deputy sheikh likened homosexuality to terrorism, calling it a “moral perversion” and urging religious authorities to fight against homosexuality, according to a report by the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI).
The deputy sheikh of Al-Azhar, Muhammad Al-Dhawini, made these remarks during a “Listening and Speaking” conference held by the Al-Azhar Observatory for Combating Extremism on October 30. He extensively spoke about homosexuality, saying that “there is no difference between terror and destruction [on the one hand] and homosexuality and abominations [on the other].”
“Both [terrorism and homosexuality] are unacceptable forms of corruption, both threaten the wellbeing of stable societies, and both hide behind pretty names and shiny slogans of freedom and democracy.” he also argued.
Al-Dhawini also said that homosexuality must be judged based on Sharia law and mustn’t be judged based on “people's inclination to present things as fair or ugly.” Furthermore, he called on religious institutions to fulfill their duty by combating extremism and moral perversions that causes young people to reject the principles and values of Islam and lose their identity.
"The religious institutions and the clerics, therefore, have a great responsibility to understand people's reality, adapt to developments, and comprehend the challenges. They must present an alternative discourse instead of the discourse of hatred, extremism, terror, and moral perversion.” Al-Dhawini said.
In his speech, Al-Dhawini concluded that targeting young people is the greatest peril in society, urging every aspect of society to combat it and its negative consequences, saying that it must answer their questions and show them the right path.
After the conference, the Al-Azhar Observatory for Combating Extremism issued a closing statement, saying that human dialogue and fighting extremism are both necessities and that freedom is not absolute and has its limits in both the West and the East.
The statement also explained the issue of homosexuality extensively, arguing that "modern science has proved that homosexuality often stems from psychological, social or physiological problems."
The closing statement also urges people to use correct terms when describing concepts or events to avoid confusion and misunderstanding that leads to problematic behaviors in our age. It used the term “Islamic jihad” and the neutral Arabic word for homosexuality, mithliyya, as examples, saying that using these words subverts efforts to address problems and confuses the minds of young people.
Finally, the statement recommended shielding teens and children from “content that promotes homosexuality and destructive extremist ideas.” The report also suggested creating a drama series promoting religious values and denouncing all types of extremism, violence, and homosexuality.
Al-Dhawini’s comments and the subsequent statement by Al-Azhar were not the first time the institution addressed homosexuality. The institution once called it an abomination that the West was imposing on other societies.
