Thread by @DrUsaama

@OwenJones84 Hi Owen, I firmly believe in building bridges and respecting different viewpoints. I watched your short documentary with great interest. I'm very concerned about the polarisation. But the conversation needs to get more philosophical and theological if it is to be successful. 1

@OwenJones84 The reality is that theologically, Islamic scriptures are both expansive and constricted. Some of this may be seen in @JonathanACBrown’s treatment of the issue here: yaqeeninstitute.org/jonathan-brown…. 2

@OwenJones84 @JonathanACBrown I find the other scholar, @DrShadeeElmasry, who he is in conversation with, less fruitful in dialogue with liberalism. 3

@OwenJones84 @JonathanACBrown @DrShadeeElmasry There are also sharp tensions within the liberal tradition on this issue. These can be ameliorated through dialogue, but the terms of the debate need to be defined by articulate participants on both sides. This is currently not happening. 4

@OwenJones84 @JonathanACBrown @DrShadeeElmasry Most of the Muslims being presented on the issue are somewhat reactionary, even if their positions are not far from those of the community. We are a relatively new immigrant community in Britain. We’re in the process of developing the capacity 4 serious theological reflection. 5

@OwenJones84 @JonathanACBrown @DrShadeeElmasry The pressures being placed on us are onerous, alongside the Prevent agenda and a media that has effectively demonised us for nearly two decades. 6

@OwenJones84 @JonathanACBrown @DrShadeeElmasry This doesn't mean we don’t need to think about issues like LGBT rights, but we also need to be understood as being at a certain stage of communal development. In terms of liberalism’s internal challenges, the Equalities Act respects both sexual identity and religious identity. 7

@OwenJones84 @JonathanACBrown @DrShadeeElmasry Your documentary has suggested that this issue can be circumvented by recognising that the anti-No Outsiders advocacy is being hijacked by a handful of extremist voices. But matters are more complicated than that. These people are no more extremist than Pope Francis. 8

@OwenJones84 @JonathanACBrown @DrShadeeElmasry Islam does have a range of theological beliefs on homosexuality, but no one in mainstream theology, historically or today, has argued that sexual activity between same-sex partners is okay. It is considered sinful because scripture is unambiguous on the issue. 9

@OwenJones84 @JonathanACBrown @DrShadeeElmasry This is not the case for same-sex attraction. Homosexuality understood as a tendency towards same-sex attraction has never been viewed as sinful by anyone in Islamic history. The anti-No Outsiders spokespersons brought forth in the media do not reflect this nuance. 10

@OwenJones84 @JonathanACBrown @DrShadeeElmasry It’s not particularly clear, however, how one can preserve commitment to scripture in any sense widely accepted in the community, and advocate that same-sex sexual activity is not sinful. 11

@OwenJones84 @JonathanACBrown @DrShadeeElmasry Returning to liberalism, given the protection of freedom of belief, it is not clear how that can be reconciled with the relatively new liberal requirement to *believe*, for example, that holding homosexuality to be a sin is homophobic. 12

@OwenJones84 @JonathanACBrown @DrShadeeElmasry This throws a lot of orthodox Jews, Christians, and Muslims under the bus. In Islamic theology, it happens 2 b the case that disbelief in Islam is worse than any other sin. But Muslims are still able 2 respect, admire, and develop close relationships with ppl of other faiths. 13

@OwenJones84 @JonathanACBrown @DrShadeeElmasry Just because you believe something is sinful doesn’t mean one is intolerant. Is liberalism going to require Muslims to change their theology? Where does it stop? Is it the role of the liberal state to police the beliefs of its citizens? 14

@OwenJones84 @JonathanACBrown @DrShadeeElmasry I agree that on certain issues, such as race, this is less challenging for a religion like Islam. Islam’s scriptures strongly reject racism, and so Muslims would be eager to advocate the protection of racial minorities. 15

@OwenJones84 @JonathanACBrown @DrShadeeElmasry On sexual minorities, the current ‘theology’ of liberalism clashes with the current theology of Islam. Demonising Muslims whose scriptures are, according to almost all Muslim theologians required to believe same-sex sexual activity to be sinful, is thus very problematic. 16

@OwenJones84 @JonathanACBrown @DrShadeeElmasry Perhaps the only exception to these Muslim theologians is a small minority of modern theologians primarily based in the West who are typically viewed by Muslims as privileging liberal paradigms over scripture. 17

@OwenJones84 @JonathanACBrown @DrShadeeElmasry But we all share this island, and in the age of Brexit, its all the more important for us to work together in creating a cohesive community. ‘Theological’ differences, Islamic or liberal, should not be a cause for polarisation. 18

@OwenJones84 @JonathanACBrown @DrShadeeElmasry We can learn each other’s perspectives and learn to respect them through constant and continuing dialogue. I am sure this is what you want to do too. Let’s work together on this. 19 [end of thread]