How Can I Advise My Best Friend Who Dates Someone of the Same Gender?
Answered by Ustadha Shazia Ahmad
Question
I just found out that my high school friend has dated someone of the same gender for a year in the past.
She never mentioned or hinted at this to me before because I am Muslim. They might be bisexual. I have no idea what to do. She is my best friend, and I was not expecting this from her at all.
What should I do about our friendship? How can I explain Islam’s stance on this?
Answer
Thank you for your question. SubhanAllah, I can see that you are very shocked and upset by this, and I pray that you advise her in a way that she listens and accepts guidance into her heart.
Friendship
If she is your best friend, I would do two things. First, she must already know about Islam, so I advise that you tell her about the gravity of this action in your religion and that it makes you really uncomfortable. Second, you should gradually distance yourself from her. Although I am sure that she is a nice person, her spiritual state will affect you, and the curse of Allah is upon what she does. See this as a protection for yourself and your religion. You also must not take your hijab off in front of her. See this link for details:
Do Women Have to Cover in Front of Homosexuals or Transgendered Individuals?
Please see these resources:
My Best Friend Is Non-Muslim and Respects My Islam, but She Is Openly Lesbian. What Do I Do?
Lesbianism in the Qu’ran
How Should Muslims Treat LGBTQ Individuals?
Irshad Manji & Lesbian Islam Shaykh Hamza Yusuf
May Allah give you the best of this world and the next.
[Ustadha] Shazia Ahmad
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
Ustadha Shazia Ahmad lived in Damascus, Syria, for two years, where she studied aqidah, fiqh, tajweed, tafseer, and Arabic. She then attended the University of Texas at Austin, where she completed her master’s in Arabic. Afterward, she moved to Amman, Jordan, where she studied fiqh, Arabic, and other sciences. She recently moved back to Mississauga, Canada, where she lives with her family.
