Most religious institutions do not accept homosexuality, and that was the gist of Ghozlan's original article: you can't say that Islam allows homosexuality. For some reason this issue bothers Norwegians much more than issues like freedom of speech.
For Ghozlan, human rights are an issue of what the majority wants, which is quite a dangerous point of view for a member of a religious minority. Would he also be understanding of issues he sees as sacred and that Norwegians see as sinning?
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Basim Ghozlan runs the website islam.no, giving information and advice about Islam to Muslims in Norway. In an article on the site he came out against Muhsin Hendricks, leader of a South-African Muslim homosexual group who was recently in Norway for a conference on the subject. Hendricks is himself an Imam and homosexual and works for allowing homosexual practice in Islam.
"Homosexuality is undoubtedly a sin. all sexual intercourse without marriage is a sin," he said to Dagbladet.
The Islamic leader recognizes that Muslims can also be homosexuals, which he sees as a problem. "For several reasons. Every deviation is a problem, and homosexuality is a deviation. There's no doubt about it. In a medical sense, all deviation is a sickness."
He thinks acceptance of homosexuality will cause even bigger problems. "First, life is not controlled by buttons. Even the king can't press a button that makes society change. If we had achieved 100% acceptance, we will solve the problem, but that is not possible."
If homosexuality would be more accepted, he fears that more boys will be influenced to "classify themselves" as homosexual. Consequently they will also suffer of not being accepted.
Afshan Rafiq of the Conservative Party's forum for diversity and inclusion: "It's not right to fear something like this. I think factually the opposite can happen, because if it becomes accepted to come out, the excitement of being a rebellious Muslim disappears," says the former parliament member.
He thinks it's terrible that Muslims today live in hiding because they risk their lives by coming out with their leaning. He says that as a Muslim he understands Ghozlan's interpretation of the Koran, but can't understand why he doesn't acknowledge Norwegian attitudes.
Like Rafiq, Ghozlan opposes punishment and harassment of homosexuals. "In any case in Norway, here we have a different set of values. But I understand that there will be punishment in lands where the majority don't accept homosexuality," says Ghozlan.
- "You think that homosexual Muslims are a problem. Should they be "treated" in any way?
"I'm not a medical expert, but there is a treatment, why not," asks Ghozlan. "I don't want to generalize, but for some it becomes fashion to be homo."
- "Should these be 'cured'?
"For their own sake it's better. Then they don't have to be part of the deviation and it will make their lives easier," says Ghozlan.
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iOslo.no spoke with many who think that "enough is enough" from Islamic leaders in Norway.
It is Ghozlan's human outlook that is horrible and should be cured. These Islamic leaders have contempt for the Norwegians' way of life. They say that the Norwegians are Satan's sons, that Norwegian women are whores and that homosexuals should be executed," said an irritated Mazyar Keshvari. Keshvari is a political asylum seeker from Iran and can't understand why these Muslim leaders live in Norway if they don't like Norwegian society. If they do everything to oppose Norwegian values and if everything is so wrong and horrible they can go back to where they came from, there 'everything is so much better'.
Local politician Erling Lae calls for no mercy in the fight against Islamic hatred against sexual minorities: "Ghozlan himself enjoys living in a society where minorities' rights are defended. So it's disappointing that he defends and explains harassment against minorities in other countries."
Lae is Norway's most powerful homosexual politician and as a politician in a city with many Muslims and homosexuals he sees the importance of fighting hate and discrimination: "He enjoys our liberal values - that we will defend. In practice this shows that we greatly need an information campaign to meet the lack of knowledge."
- But is it lack of knowledge or a deliberate fight against Norwegian values?
"Ghoazlan has attitudes here that are unacceptable in Norway. It's not allowed to discriminate against homosexuals and I don't accept his attitudes - we must eradicate them."
Lae further thinks that the Islam leaders "don't know what homosexuality is". He says that more than anything else, what can inform imams and Muslims in general is to have more openly homosexual Muslims. It's despite everything only by meeting with people that we get rid of prejudices.
Håkon Haugli of the labor party think that situation is "very alarming". He is also one of Norway most powerful homosexuals. He thinks Ghozlan's statements are so insulting, on the verge of comic: "Excuse me, but we live in the same century? We live in the same country? Is he a spiritual leader?" asks Haughli and adds, "The Islamic leaders have laid a course towards a confrontation line, and that is very alarming. If they want a conflict, they'll get it".
Håkon Haugli thinks it very special that Islamic leaders like Ghozlan can express themselves in this way about homosexuals in a city like Oslo, where the top leaders are homosexual. "So it's completely ok that they city's topmost political leaders would have been executed in another country? Do they think that Erling Lae should be treated for his leanings?"
Sources: Dagbladet, TV2 (Norwegian)
See also: Daily Links 2 (Norway: Congress on homosexuality among immigrants), Norway: Islamic Council turns to European Fatwa Council for ruling on homosexuals, Norway: Islamic Council doesn't want to say 'no' to death sentence for homosexuals , Norway: Homosexual immigrant youth fear for their lives
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