Nakibistan

Bangladeshi Bisexual, Hanafi+Sufi Founder of Bangladeshi Queer Muslims and LGBTQIA+ Muslim Encylopedia

[nakibistan]

Books on history of sexual and gender variance in Muslim Societies (Part-1v)

[nakibistan]

[nakibistan]

Books on history of sexual and gender variance in Muslim Societies (Part-1v)

[nakibistan]

Books on history of sexual and gender variance in Muslim Societies (Part-111)

[nakibistan]

Books on history of sexual and gender variance in Muslim Societies (Part-11)

[nakibistan]

Books on history of sexual and gender variance in Muslim Societies (Part-1)

[womenwhokickass]

Shuniyya Ruhama Habiiballah: Why she kicks ass

‘In the end, only a waria knows what it means to be a waria. We have to define ourselves.’

One of her driving missions in life is to challenge the stereotype of Indonesia’s large transgender community, who describe themselves as waria, a term for transgender people derived from the words wanita (woman) and pria (man).

She is also Muslim, who wrote the best selling memoir “Jangan lepas jilbabku!” (Please do not remove my jilbab!)

She works at Yayasan Putri Waria Indonesia, an institute founded by former waria beauty queen Megie Megawatie to keep the Miss Waria Indonesia pageant running as an annual event. 

[bangladeshiqueermuslims]

Announcement 📢

We are very sad and fustrated that Facebook permanently disabled BQM's page on 30th October with the false excuse that our activism goes against their so-called community standards. Our facebook page contains Queer Muslim resources, our initial works of the project #QueerIslamicHistory, personal story submissions from Bangladeshi or Bengali LGBTQI+ Muslims. Our member also have provided support to some Bangali/Bangladeshi LGBTQI+ muslims through chat conversation.

We will create a new Facebook page for BQM if possible. Facebook was the common place where we got the oppurtunity to connect with so many LGBTQI+ muslims of Bangladeshi or Bengali background, LGBTQI+ individuals from different religious and cultural backgrounds. We want to be keep-in-touch with our Queer Muslim family, friends, and allies.

[nakibistan]

Salim Halali – Algerian Jewish Gay who survived holocaust and stood against Zionism

Salim Halali was an Algerian Jewish singer who performed Algerian music and Arabic Andalusian classical music. He was a pop singer, considered an iconic figure of among Jewish and Muslim Arab/North African communities. Halali’s experiences as a gay Jewish man in Paris in the 1930s were as eventful as one might imagine. His music career was not only well-known but also well-remembered, earning him the title of the “King of Shaabi” at the height of his popularity.

Born in 1920 in Annaba, Algeria, Halali had no formal vocal training. Nevertheless, he began pursuing music professionally at the age of seventeen, stowing away on a boat bound for Marseille and eventually arriving in Paris in 1937. He performed in Flamenco clubs, singing songs written by Algerian artist Mohamed el Kamel. Halali soon rose to fame as a celebrated Arabic singer in North Africa and gained recognition in Paris.

It is partly due to this fame that Halali became associated with one of the most remarkable stories of his life. Shortly after Halali arrived in Paris, Nazi Germany invaded France, and authorities began harassing him for being both gay and Jewish. At that period, Si Kaddour Benghabrit, the founder of the Great Mosque of Paris, had encountered Halali before and admired his music. Witnessing the persecution of Halali and many other Jewish people in Paris, Benghabrit took action. He procured fake papers and hid Jewish people in the Mosque when necessary. However, because Halali was so well-known, Imam Benghabrit devised a different plan: he placed a fake grave for Halali's grandfather in the Mosque's cemetery to “prove” Halali was Muslim, thus protecting him from the homophobic and anti-semitic authorities.

Imam Benghabrit went on to assist many other Jewish people in Paris. Historians estimate that around 100 individuals were helped, although some early reports claimed that the Masjid/Mosque assisted thousands throughout the war. Due to Benghabrit’s efforts, Halali survived the war and continued his music career.

Halali established the Middle Eastern Parisian cabaret Folies Ismailia and later The Serail. However, the end of the war did not mark the end of the antisemitism he and other Jewish people faced. In 1949, Halali left Paris for Morocco, where he transformed an old café into the cabaret Le Coq d'Or. The club was a success, attracting wealthy Moroccans and dignitaries, including King Farouk of Egypt. Tragically, it was burned down, though it had been a vibrant hub before its destruction.

Although Halali’s career continued to flourish, he eventually chose to retire to Cannes. His extravagant lifestyle persisted, with grand parties and elaborate décor taking the place of his cabarets. In 1993, he sold his villa and moved into a retirement home, where he lived a quiet, relatively anonymous life until his death in 2005.

It is worth noting his time in Israel—an experience that was brief, as Halali was a staunch anti-Zionist. During a performance in Jerusalem in the 1960s, he shouted in Arabic, “Long live the Arab nation.” (an expression to show solidarity with indigenous Arabs/Palestinian community). The Israeli crowd reacted angrily, throwing objects at him.

Tom Cohen said about Halali:

“The man was an enigma. A homosexual surrounded by women, an outright anti-Zionist who came to appear in Israel. Musically, he was diverse as well and was blessed with lots of color and richness. On the one hand, his singing was essentially Arab. On the other hand, he corresponded with styles that also spoke to Western ears. At heart, he was a pop singer, the sort who performed in coffee shops and at weddings.”

References:

Aderet, Ofer. (2012, March 23). The Great Mosque of Paris That Saved Jews During the Holocaust. Retrieved from https://www.haaretz.com/1.5207782

Ameskane, M. (2010). Casablanca, les années music-hall. VH Magazine.

Barlet, Olivier. (2016) Contemporary African Cinema. East Lansing, MI: MSU Press.

Cahill, Susan. (2017, May 31). Benghabrit: The Muslim Rector who saved Jews from the Gestapo. Retrieved from http://www.thehistoryreader.com/contemporary-history/benghabrit/

European Institute of Jewish Music. Halali, Salim (1920-2005). Retrieved from https://www.iemj.org/en/onlinecontent/biographies/halali-salim-1920-2005.html

[Disclaimer: some of the sources may contain triggering material]

[nakibistan]

Chawk Bazar Shahi Jame Masjid 🌈🕌

— at Dhaka, Bangaladesh

[nakibistan]

Pink capitalism does not only exist in West and settler colonial state like Israel. It also exists in homophobic and transphobic Muslim countries (e.g. UAE, Qatar, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, and Maldives), where they present themselves as (falsely) gay-friendly to foreigners. But these nations oppresse their own citizens who are queer.

[nakibistan]

List of notable Muslim allies of queer, trans or LGBTQI+ folks

Imam al-Nawawi – ally of Mukhannathun or trans femmes, female transsexuals and effeminate queers

Saint Khawaja Gharib Nawaz – ally and patron of Hijra and Khawaja Sara communities

Saint Baba Bulleh Shah – ally and patron of Muslim Khawaja Sira communities

Saint Lal Shabaz Qalander – patron of Khawaja Sira & trans Muslim communities

Abu Muhammad Ali Ibn Hazm – ally of queer Muslims

Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini - ally of transgender & intersex folks

Sheikh Muhammad Sayyid Tantawi - ally of trans & intersex folks

Amina Wadud - ally of LGBTQI+ Muslims, founder of Queer Islamic Studies and Theology (QIST)

Gulbanu Khaki/Gul Khaki - ally of LGBTQ+ muslims, mother of a gay imam

Khaled Hosseini - ally of transgender & proud muslim dad of a transgender child

Siddika Jessa - LGBTQI+ activist, mother of a gay muslim son

Ani Zonneveld

Pamela Taylor

Laura Silver

Omid Safi

Kecia Ali

Ghazala Anwar

Ensaf Haider

Saleemah Abdul-Ghafur

Farid Esack

Zaitun Mohamed Kasim/Toni Mohamed Kasim

Anne-Sophie Monsinay

Imam Kahina Bahloul

Imam Philip Tuley

Imam Tahir Chaudhry

Scott Siraj al-Haqq Kugle

Farouk Peru

Abdennur Prado

Ingrid Mattson

Hasan Minhaj

Reza Aslan

Alia Bano

Zaid Ibrahim

Azahn Munas

Ayman Fadel

Inayat Bunglawala

Shahla Khan Salter

Nakia Jackson

Jeewan Chanicka

Taj Hargey

Michael Muhammad Knight

Maajid Nawaz

Shehnilla Mohamed

Mustafa Akyol

Writer Sabina Khan

Activist Jerin Arifa

Urvah Khan - LGBTQI+ ally, co-founder of Muslim Pride Toronto

Imam Khaleel Mohammed

Imam Tareq Oubrou

Imam Dr Rashied Omar

Shaykha Fariha Fatima al-Jerrahi

Shaykha Amina Teslima al-Jerrahi

Scholar Hussein Abdullatif

Maysoun Douas

Fátima Taleb

Aydan Özoğuz

Omid Nouripour

Özcan Mutlu

Ekin Deligöz

Cem Özdemir

Artist Nadia Khan

Marina Mahathir

Siti Musdah Mulia

Karima Bennoune

Grand Mufti Sheikh Assadullah Mwale

Muneeb Qadir

Dr. Amir Hussein

Dr. Sana Yasir

Dr. Sali Berisha

Dr. Omer Adil

Hashim Thaçi

Albin Kurti

Supermodel Nadia Hussain

Irish-Bangladeshi singer Joy Elizabeth Akther Crookes

Salma Hayek

Fouad Yammine

Pakistani Director Asim Abbasi

Pakistani Actress Nadia Jamil

Indian Actor Saqib Saleem

Indian Actor Irrfan Khan

Indian Actor Aamir Khan

Indian Actress Zeenat Khan/Aman

Indian Actress Shabana Azmi

Indian Actress Saba Azad

Indian Actress Sara Ali Khan

Indian Actress Huma Qureshi

Indian Director Zoya Khan

Pakistani Actor Furqan Qureshi

Bangladeshi Actress Azmeri Haque Badhon

Actor Muneeb Butt

Indian Actress Zareen Khan

Indian Actor Imran khan

Pakistani Actress Mehar Bano

Filmmaker Faruk Kabir

Filmmaker Saim Sadiq

Filmmaker Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy

Riz Ahmed

Zayn Malik

Sally El-Hosaini

Malala Yousefzai

Hafid Abbas

Hojatoleslam Kariminia

Singer Sherina Munaf

Writer Alifa Rifaat

Writer Ismat Chughtai

Activist Nida Mushtaq

Activist Aan Anshori

Abdul Muiz Ghazali

Kyai Hussein Muhammad

Marzuki Wahid

Gigi Hadid

President Abdurrahman Wahid (Gus Dur) - ally of waria or transgender females

Sinta Nuriyah - ally of trans & waria folks

Politician Keith Ellison

Mayor Sadiq Khan

Politician Ilhan Omar

Politician Rashida Tlaib

Politician Rushanara Ali

Politician Nabilah Islam

Politician Shahana Hanif

Politician Rama Yade

Politician Humza Yousaf

Politician Zarah Sultana

UK Sectratary General Zara Mohammed

Turkish politician Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu

Bengali Influencer Sobia Ameen

Shaykh Michael Mumisa

Muhammad Musharraf Hossain Bhuiyan

Mufti Abdur Rahman Azad - Hijra ally

Sheikh Hasina - Ally of hijra-intersex communities

Lawyer Iftikhar Chaudhry

Amani Al-Khatahtbeh

Professor Amel Grami

Professor Muhammad Aslam Khaki

Mohammad Hashim Kamali

Mehrdad Alipour

Lawyer Imaan Mazari/Iman Mazari

Shireen Mazari

Syed Murad Ali Shah

[nakibistan]

Trans and non-binary folks have always existed in this world. We can trace their history back in many pre-modern civilizations.

Native Americans have a rich history of gender diversity. There were approximately 400 distinct indigenous nations in North American region. Of that number, 155 have documented gender variant & genderfluid traditions among native & indigenous folks. Many indigenous communities recognize at least four genders (feminine female, masculine female, feminine male, masculine male) as well as transgender, and most indigenous tribes have specific terms for gender fluid members. All of these non-normative & fluid gender folks are currently known as two spirits.In the 1990s, many gay and lesbian Native American activists in the United States and Canada began to use the term "two-spirit people" to describe themselves instead of the "berdache".

Asia is known for it's recognition of multiple trans and gender variant identities, including hijra/kinner, aravani, khawaja sara/khwajasira, mukhannith, mustarajjil, mutarajjil/mutarajjila, köcek, bakla, nat kadaw, bacha, khanith, sida-sida, doh-jens/ dojence, waria/banci, kathoey, kothi, jogappa, calalai, calabai, bissue, etc. Gender & sexual fluidity was celebrated among the earliest animists, pagans, hindus, buddhists, christians, jews and muslims. It is worth noting that, gender-diverse folks weren't never seen as threat to 'traditional family values' before the colonialization.

I feel very disappointed when I see those anti-trans laws are used as a justification of protecting [so-called] religious & moral values, traditional family institution & [cis] women. They really don't care how many trans lives are gone for transphobia in this world.

Shame on you, right-wing extremists, filthy republicans, evangelist conservatives. Shame on you bloody TERFs. Shame on you guys, who weaponize trans-hatred, queer hatred, under the disguise of "so called" religious moral, women's safety, and family values. Your cruelty will be met with justice one day. Your harmful actions will catch up to you through the karma 👊

[nakibistan]

Allah/God is non-binary being. Allah/God transcends the rigid gender binaries or trancends the gender duality. In Quran, Allah/God has both feminine & masculine names/attributes. Allah is also referred as “divine feminine” or “woman” in Sufi cultures.

[nakibistan]

Inspirational Queer Muslims you need know about them

Tuways

Tuways or Tuwais was a renowned Mukhannath individual in the early days of Islamic Arabia. His/Her real name was Abu Abd al-Munim Isa Abdallah al-Dhāib. In Arabic, the name Tuways or Tuwais means peacock. They were born in 632 AD in Medina, on the same day Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) passed away. According to various scholars, Tuways is often described as one of the leading Mukhannath musicians of Medina during his/her lifetime. He/She served as a mawlā of the Banū Mak̲h̲zūm, under the patronage of Arwā bt. Kurayz, the mother of the Caliph ʿUt̲h̲mān b. ʿAffān.

Tuways initially gained recognition by performing melodies learned from Persian captives & went on to become a celebrated musician during the Rashidun Caliphate, the first Islamic Caliphate. According to some accounts, he/she was a devout queer Muslim and was never blamed for his/her queerness.

al-Dalal

al-Dalal was a Mukhannath poet & musician, based in Medinah. Not much is known about his life. Tuways was his/her master and he/she was one of the favourite pupil of Tuways. al-Dalal is often portrayed as a witty but sometimes crude male who "loved women" but disliked to have sex with them. Few accounts report that he was a bisexual, had sexual encounter with both woman & her groom.

During the reing of Umayyad Caliph Sulayman ibn Abd al-Malik, al-Dalal, along with other Mukhannathun were persecuted for their boldness. They were forcefully castrated. They were enslaved by Umayyads.

Abu Nawas

Abū Nuwās (also known as:Abū Nuwās al-Salamī, Abū 'Alī) was an openly gay poet, and the foremost representative of the modern (muhdath) poetry that developed during the first years of Abbasid Caliphate. He also entered the folkloric tradition, appearing several times in One Thousand and One Nights.

He attended a Qur’an school and became a Hafiz at a young age.His youthful good looks and innate charisma attracted the attention of the Kufan poet, Abu Usama Waliba ibn al-Hubab al-Asadi, who took Abu Nuwas to Kufa as a young apprentice. Waliba recognized in Abu Nuwas his talent as a poet and encouraged him toward this vocation, but was also attracted sexually to the young man and may have had erotic relations with him. Abu Nuwas's relationships with adolescent boys when he had matured as a man seem to mirror his own experience with Waliba. Abu Nuwas wrote poetry in multiple genres; Abu Nuwas’s diwan, his poetry collection, was divided by genre: panegyric poems, elegies, invective, courtly love poems on men and women, poems of penitence, hunting poems, and wine poems. His erotic lyric poetry, which is often homoerotic, is known from over 500 poems and fragments.

Mahmud of Ghazni

Yamin-ud-Dawla Abul Qasim Mahmud commonly known as “Mahmud of Ghazni” or “Mahmud Ghaznavi”. He was known as a great sultan of Ghaznavid Empire. But he is also controversial for his invasion in indian subcontinent & treatment of non-muslims. Besides, he is regarded as icon of queer love.

Mahmud was a bisexual muslim. Mahmud had 9 wives and innumerable concubines as well as male slaves. Mahmud of Ghazni's name is often associated with a man named “Malik Ayaz”. Malik Ayaz was a handsome Turkic-Georgian slave brought by Sultan Mahmud. He was a very close companion of Mahmud; was very devoted to the him and fullfilled his all wishes.

The relationship between Mahmud and Ayaz is highly celebrated in Persian poetry and literature.There are a set of 6 poems by Farid al-Din Attar that are inspired by this relationship. Sa'di, a 13th-century poet includes 2 stories about the lovers in his best-known work, Bustan, a collection of reflections on human nature. The chapter “Concerning Love” describes someone complaining that Mahmud’s favourite slave “possesses no beauty.” Upon hearing this, Mahmud responds, “My love, O sir, is for virtue, not for form or stature.” The second story depicts the king travelling with some of his men when an overturned chest of pearls is discovered; all except Ayaz go after the pearls. Questioned by Mahmud about the possibility of gaining riches, Ayaz explains he wants nothing. “I walked in haste behind thee, I do not occupy myself with riches away from thy service.” Nidhami-I-Arudi, a 12th-century Ghaznavid court poet describes the well-known and famous love of Sultan Mahmud for Ayaz, though he explains that Mahmud, being a “pious and God-fearing man,” wrestled with this love. One night after drinking a lot of wine, Mahmud couldn’t ignore Ayaz’s beauty: “Thereupon love plucked the reins of self-restraint from the hands of his endurance, and lover-like he drew him to himself.”

Zahīr ud-Dīn Muhammad (Babar)

Zahīr ud-Dīn Muhammad commonly known as Babar or Babur. Babar was the founder of the Mughal Empire. He was a Bisexual & was also the first queer ruler in Mughal Dynasty. Babur's religious and philosophical stances are characterized as humanistic. Babur was an acclaimed writer, who had a profound love for literature. His library was one of his most beloved possessions that he always carried around with him, & books were one of the treasures he searched for in new conquered lands. During his 47-year life, Babur left a rich literary and scientific heritage. He authored his famous memoir the Bāburnāma, as well as beautiful lyrical works or ghazals, treatises on Muslim jurisprudence (Mubayyin), poetics (Aruz risolasi), music, and a special calligraphy, known as khatt-i Baburi.

He married multiple times but had little attraction towards women. Babur had an affair with his male slave named Baburi Andijani (also known as Baburi). Babur rescued him from the Uzbek camp market in 1499. Babur mentioned his lover's name several times in the "Babarnama" and expressed his feelings towards Baburi without fear. Babur even wrote several Persian romantic poems about same gender love. It is also claimed that Babur built Babri Masjid as a token of love for Baburi Andijani (well, I am not pretty sure)

Maryam Khatoon Molkara

Maryam Khatoon Molkara was a well-known transgender rights campaigner, broadcaster & volunteer in Iran, where she is widely recognized as a matriarch of trans communities. Maryam was later instrumental in obtaining a letter which acted as a fatwa enabling sex reassignment surgery to exist as part of a legal framework. After the Islamic Revolution, Maryam faced intense backlash due to her gender identity. She underwent arrests, and death threats. She was fired from her job at the Iranian National Radio and Television, forced to wear masculine clothing, injected with male hormones against her will, and detained in a psychiatric institution. Later she was released by the help of religious leaders.She also fought for legal recognition of trans people in Iran.

In 2007, she founded the Iranian Society to Support Individuals with Gender Identity Disorder (Persian: حمایت از بیماران مبتلا به اختلالات هویت جنسی ایران) the first state-approved organization for transgender rights in Iran. Before this, she used her own property in Karaj to help other transgender people receive legal advice and medical care, including post-operative care. She continued advocating for other transgender people and bailing them out of prison after they were arrested, even knowing she would likely face violence for doing so.

Sally Mursi

Sally Mursi was an Egyptian transsexual entertainer.She was most controversial figure in Egypt for her sex reassignment surgery.Sally was born in a religious muslim family.Sally was a student of Al-Azhar, which is renowned as one of the world's most prestigious universities for Islamic learning. She completed her sex reassignment surgery in 1988. When Al-Azhar's Medical School for Boys came to know about her sex-change operation, they refused to accept her as their student.

She was also accused of trying to get out of military service and was ordered to report for induction into the army. Army doctors examined her, and finding that she was a woman, concluded that Sally was not medically fit for military service.Sally was refused a transfer to Al-Azhar’s Medical School for Girls. So she filed a case against Al-Azhar Medical School later which stirred a nationwide controversy. Despite going through many problems, she didn't stop her fight for her rights.

At that time Mohammed Sayyed Tantawi, Grand Mufti of Al-Azhar, issued a fatwa that Sally's change was necessary for her health but that before the operation she should for one year dress, behave and comply with all obligations of Islam for women (except for marital obligations).This fatwa was the first Sunni ruling on sex reaffirmation surgery. Eventually Sally won 2 legal rulings against the Al-Azhar school, but it ignored them, and also blacklisted her at other medical schools.So she completed her education from Cairo University on literature.Sally also legally married with a man in Egypt. But still transsexuals like sally faced discrimination & harassment in Egypt.

Bülent Ersoy

Bülent Ersoy is a popular transsexual singer and actress of Turkey. Often nicknamed Diva by her fans. Ersoy's some of the famous hits are "Ümit Hırsızı", "Geceler", "Beddua" , "Maazallah", "Biz Ayrılamayız" and "Sefam olsun". Ersoy Ersoy began her career as a male singer, in the genre of Turkish classical music.Her grandparents played classical Turkish music and she first took private lessons and then studied at Istanbul Municipal Conservatory. Already one of Turkey's most popular singers and actors, she gained international notoriety in April 1981 after having sex reassignment surgery in London by a British plastic surgeon. She kept the name "Bülent" even though it is a typically masculine name. After the operation, Ersoy found herself in opposition to 1980 Turkish coup d'état of Kenan Evren. In a crackdown on "social deviance," Ersoy's public performances were banned along with those of other transgender people. To circumvent the ban, she petitioned the Turkish courts to legally recognize her as a woman.The petition was rejected in January 1982. Days later, she attempted suicide. In 1983, she left Turkey in protest of the Evren regime's repressive policies and continued her career in Germany. Along with her musical career, she made several Turkish movies in Germany.Later Ersoy came back to turkey when Evren left office and many of his policies were rescinded.

[nakibistan]

People often say that LGBTQIA+ people doesn't exists in Muslim/Islamic World. Nowdays many muslims argued that LGBTQI+ rights are contrary to their traditional beliefs, homosexuality shouldn't be decriminalized in their native countries,because it goes against their moral values,cultural norms & social mores,[...].

But previous Islamic history & muslim traditions had wide range of acceptance of sexual & gender diversity.In those days Muslim communities weren't so bigotted, heterosexist,homophobic/transphobic, heteropatriarchal.Colonialism,communism,dictatorship,islamist regime justified the prejudices against queer folks in Muslim world, not Islam itself.

In 1854, Ottoman empire legalised consensual homosexuality in parts of SWANA, East Africa, some parts of Europe. Notably Mughal,Mamluk, Khilji,Sayyid, Pathan,Lodi,Abbasid,Safavid,Qajar, Ottoman empire gave privileges to gender variants and eunuchs. Even it is also said that Aghawas (a designation for effeminate, trans or non-binary eunuch) were served as guardian of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)'s mosque & tomb. There had been numerous same-sex and gender variant or vice-versa qissas, homoerotic paintings, queer love poetries & gazals in medieval Islamic period. In early muslim societies ghazals (sufi spiritual song) has direct references with queerness. In some sufi traditions cross-dressing, gender fluidity was considered as sacred and spiritual.

Since 18th & 19th century almost all muslim countries were colonized or being influenced by Euro-christian culture. Europeans pushed their moral codes, & rigid gender roles upon muslim communities. But western colonialism was unable to erase queerness & love from asia. In Pakistan, Bangladesh,India & some parts of Afghanistan, Hijras are still exists.Hijras has recognition of third gender in Pakistan,India & Bangladesh.They have some civil rights in those countries mentioned.But Transgender people's livelihood in Afghanistan is very worst. Some Afghan trans people's lifestyles are very similar to Hijra or Khawajasara folks. In Central Asian muslim cultures gender vice-versa or variance are not uncommon.

Waria, another transgender & non-binary community can be found in all territories Indonesia. Most of them are Muslim. Warias has very limited rights comparing to Hijras. In South Sulawesi, Bugis (a muslim tribe) recognized 5 genders: Oroané(masculine men), makkunrai (feminine women), Calalai (trans-masculine or masculine women), Calabai (trans-feminine or feminine male), Bissu (non-binary). The classification of the calabai, calalai, & bissu as third genders is disputed.These roles can also be seen as fundamental occupational and spiritual callings, which are not as directly involved in designations such as male and female.

In pre-Islamic culture, Bissu were seen as intermediaries between the people and the gods. The Bissu are closely associated with the female yet androgynous moon goddess, as her spiritual offspring. Up until the 1940s, the Bissu were still central to keeping ancient palace rites alive, including coronations of bugis kings & queens. Historically, Bissu have played an important role in other ceremonies as well,particularly in weddings and childbirth events. However today Bissu & Waria faces marginalization in their homeland due to rise of Puritanical Islam & Religious Extremism .

Here is a list of Muslim/Islamic nations where homosexuality is not a criminal offense (technically):

Albania - Legal since Ottoman period.

Azerbaijan - Legal since Ottoman Era. Then modern Azerbaijan decriminalized sodomy in 1918 or 2000.

Bosnia & Herzegovina - Legal since Ottoman period.

Kosovo - Legal since Ottoman period.

Turkey - Legal since Ottoman period, legal in modern turkey since 1923.

Northern Cyprus - Legal since Ottoman period. Legal in modern northern cyprus since 2015.

Jordan - Legal since Ottoman period,legal in hashemite kingdom of jordan since 1951.

Bahrain - Legal since Ottoman period.

Gaza (Palestine) -Female homosexuality always been legal.

West Bank (Palestine) - Female homosexuality always been legal,male homosexuality is legal since 1951.

Lebanon - Legal since Ottoman period, legal in modern lebanon since 2018 (however the legal status of homosexuality is vogue)

Kazakhstan - Legal since 1997 (de facto),nationwide legal since 1998 (de jure).

Kyrgyzstan - Legal since 1998.

Djibouti - technically legal

Egypt - Legal since Ottoman period. Although private consensual homosexuality is not (explicitly)criminalized by domestic laws. Adult consensual and commercial homosexuality is de-facto illegal since 1961.

Kuwait -Female homosexuality always been legal.

UAE - There's no explicit federal law against homosexuality.But commercial & non-commercial homosexuality is de-facto illegal.

Mayotte - legal

Guinea Bissau - legal since 1993.

Sierra Leone -Female homosexuality always been legal.

Uzbekistan - Female homosexuality always been legal in federal law.

Turkmenistan - Female homosexuality always been legal in federal law.

Tajikistan - legal since 1998.

Indonesia - Homosexuality never been a criminal offense until 2022. LGBTQI+ people often faced persecution and harassment.In 2022, Indonesian parliament passed a controversial bill that punishes sexual relationships outside the traditional marriage and mingling of opposite sex. Although the bill don't explicitly mention about LGBTQIA population.

Here is a list of Muslim/Islamic nations,where transgender & gender diverse people has rights:

Iran - Transgender individuals were officially recognized by the government, under condition of undergoing sex reassignment surgery, with some financial assistance being provided by the govt. for the costs of surgery, and with a change of sex marker on birth certificates available post-surgery since early 1980s. However, substantial legal and societal barriers still exist in Iran. Trans individuals who do not undergo surgery have no legal recognition and those that do are first submitted to a long and invasive process (including virginity tests, parental approval, psychological counseling that reinforces feelings of shame & inspection by the Family Court).

Bosnia and Herzegovina - Trans people may change their legal gender in Bosnia & Herzegovina after a sex reassignment surgery & other medical treatments.

Pakistan - Pakistan recognized Hijras as third gender in 2009. In 2018 Pakistan's parliament passed “The Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act” which provides fundamental rights in health, education, government and security.

Lebanon - In late 1990s Lebanon allow sex reassignment surgery.In 2016 Lebanon court legally recognized a trans man as man.

Turkey - Trans lubunyas or transgender individuals were allowed to change their gender since 80s. Later state adopted harsh policies for trans individuals, required many pre–requisutes in order to be able to receive gender recognition.

Jordan - Since 2014 jordan allow trans people to change their gender after a sex change operation.

Bahrain -Since 2008 Bahrain allow trans people to change their gender after a sex change operation.

Bangladesh - Since 2013 Bangladesh recognized hijras as third gender.In 1975 Dr. Hosne Ara Begum became the first transsexual woman to be legally recognised as woman in Bangladesh's history.

Indonesia - Indonesia allows sex change operation for Warias & give limited rights for transgenders.

Kazakhstan - Since 2003, trans people allowed to change legal gender following sex change surgery,medical examinations, & sterilisation.

Kyrgyzstan -Transgender people allowed to change legal gender following sex reassigment surgery, medical treatments,sterilisation since 2014.

Tajikistan -Under Tajik law, trans people may change their legal gender on their passport if they provide a medical statement that they have undergone sex reassignment surgery. There has been 2 sex-change operations performed – the first one in 2001 and the second one in 2014.

UAE- allows intersex persons to undergoes a sex change surgery & change their gender.

Egypt - In 1988, a sunni Islamic Fatwa by Muhammad Sayyid Tantawy grants legal permission to perform gender affirming surgery. In Egypt, those who want to undergo the surgery must seek an approval from a gender reassignment review committee at the Medical Syndicate of Al-Azhar. But the committee has not convened since 2013, when Al-Azhar withdrew its member from the ccommission. Now, Egypt only perform sex reassignment surgery for intersex individuals with court approval.

Iraq - An Iraqi transsexual undergone a sex change surgery in 2018. The Iraqi Ministry of Interior supported country's first sex change operation. However, Iraq has harsh policies for trans individuals, required pre–requisites in order to be able to receive sex reassignment surgery. Since 2023 Iraq has prohibited sex change operations based on mere personal choices, one must have court approval and have to give medical reason for it.

[Updated last in 23 Sep, 2025]

[nakibistan]

Queer Muslim Babes !

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[nakibistan]

Allah Loves Equality - A Voice for LGBTQIA+ Muslims & Minorities

🌈☪️Allah Loves Equality is a revolutionary campaign that was started by a Pakistani Gay Muslim Activist Wajahat Abbas Kazmi The campaign amplified the voices of marginalised womxn including Queer womxn,Pakistani LGBTQ community as well as LGBTQIA+ muslims.Hashtag #AllahLovesEquality has been trending since 2016.The campaign gain both supports & criticisms. Through his campaign,wajahat wanted to spread the message of TRUE Islam,wanted to end hate & bigotry within muslim societies.The message of ''Allah Loves Equality'' was spred across the continents.A documentary film by the same name was directed by Wajahat Abbas Kazmi to documents the lives of queer muslims in Islamic State of Pakistan🇵🇰 It was a very courageous thing that he has done.Like A jihad for Love,Poshida:Pakistan's Hidden LGBT, Allah Loves Equality film abled to show Pakistan's underground queer & sexual minority.

Wajahat Abbas Kazmi campaigning in Pride March of Italy 🇮🇹🇵🇰🏳️‍🌈

Turkish Gay muslim model is holding #AllahLovesEquality

#AllahLoveEquality in Europe's first Muslim LGBTQ+ Pride 🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍🌈☪️

A Queer Palestianian holding #AllahLovesEquality in Jerusalem Pride.

Filipino Muslim Filmmaker Rhadem Musawah marching with #AllahLovesEquality 🇵🇭🏳️‍🌈