Can A Male Fighting Homosexuality Touch Other Men?

Answered by Mawlana Ilyas Patel

Question

I am a 15-year-old male who is currently fighting against a mental illness that I have: homosexuality. An Aalim informed me that it is haram for me to touch other men due to my condition. Is this true? If so, then: a.) does it apply to all men, including my father, brother, etc.

b.) does it apply to shaking another man’s hand when greeting or standing shoulder to shoulder in a row if I feel no lust (sexual thoughts do not even cross my mind) when having the physical contact?

c.) Can I still have friends and spend time with them if I experience no lust towards them (am I allowed to shake their hands when greeting them?) All of them are Muslims. Please answer this question urgently and with great detail.

Answer

In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate

I pray you are in good faith and health. Thank you for your question.

Generally speaking, there is no prohibition stopping a man who is sexually attracted to men interacting with other men. One does not have to avoid shaking hands or attending the congregational prayers. Likewise, it is not prohibited to be in seclusion with another man. Being a part of the Muslim community and having social and communal interaction is still important.

However, the above rulings are general, and people differ in desire and patience. If one finds that they are unable to control their sexual thoughts, lower their gaze, and restrain physical urges, then they must limit their interaction with other men accordingly. This is something each individual will have to gauge for themselves. In these instances, one should avoid situations that they know exacerbate their desires.

I would like you to go through the valuable answers and links below. You will receive guidance and direction in sha Allah.

Related

• Homosexuality Archives – SeekersGuidance
• Purification of the Heart for Youth: Diseases of the Heart and Their Cure – YouTube
• The Path of Muhammad: Birgivi’s Manual of Taqwa Explained – YouTube
• Purification of the Heart: Signs, Symptoms, and Cures of the Spiritual Diseases of the Heart: Hamza Yusuf
• How Does One Perform The Prayer Of Need (salat al-haja)? – SeekersGuidance
• Prayer of Repentance: Salat al-Tawba – SeekersGuidance
• A Reader on Tawba (Repentance) – SeekersGuidance

Wassalam,
[Mawlana] Ilyas Patel
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Mawlana Ilyas Patel is a traditionally-trained scholar who has studied in the UK, India, Pakistan, Syria, Jordan, and Turkey. He started his early education in the UK. He went on to complete the hifz of the Quran in India, then enrolled in an Islamic seminary in the UK, where he studied the secular and ‘Aalimiyya sciences. He then traveled to Karachi, Pakistan. He has been an Imam in Rep of Ireland for several years. He has taught hifz of the Quran, Tajwid, Fiqh, and many other Islamic sciences to children and adults onsite and online extensively in the UK and Ireland. He taught at a local Islamic seminary for 12 years in the UK, where he was a librarian and a teacher of Islamic sciences. He currently resides in the UK with his wife. His interest is a love of books and gardening.