Sexuality and Islam

Leila Lak

The issue of sexuality in Islam is a delicate and somewhat controversial topic but the producers of a new London art show entitled Unbreakable Rope: Islam and Sexuality, say controversy was not the reason behind the show.

“We wanted to look at an issue that was perhaps a little controversial but made people less afraid and wanting to ask questions,” said Nazila Khan the head of creative for the event whose name is inspired by an 8th Century erotic Arab poem by Abu Newas.

The exhibition is part of a wider series of events including talks and seminars organised by Quillem a UK based counter extremist organisation working with young people before they become radicalised. Khan believes this is a event is crucial at this point in time when there is a climate of fear and Islamophobia throughout Europe and much of that she believes is due to a lack of understanding.

Unbreakable Rope hopes to encourage tolerance and understanding. Khan says the current intolerance we see in Islam has not always been the way Islam has dealt with sexuality. She says in the Koran and the Haddith people were a lot more liberal in terms of debating about issues like homosexuality.

“Now there is a cultural lens where nobody can talk about anything because everyone is scared about upsetting somebody,” says Khan.

In the UK Khan says there is an open movement of gay Muslims coming out and trying to find acceptance in their own society.  This is not possible in many Islamic countries and is even less tolerated under the so-called “Islamic State” where they have thrown suspected homosexuals off buildings. Khan set out to directly oppose this. “We are celebrating sexual diversity as being a tolerant thing in Islam not something that sits outside of it,” she says.

“We wanted to show beautiful artwork that represents different facets of culture history and tolerance,” says Khan.  

Even in traditional Muslim families living in the UK homosexuality is not always accepted. One of the pieces chosen for the exhibition is a series of photos by Lisa Bretherick telling the story of a tragic love story that took place recently in the UK.

Dr Nazim Mahmood a successful doctor who ran three clinics in London bought his dream apartment with his boyfriend of 13 years web designer Matthew Ogsten. On the day they moved in Matthew said to Nazim “We have finally made it”. Four months later Nazim killed himself jumping off their balcony.

Nazim grew up in a working class conservative Muslim family in Birmingham, a British town home to a large Bengali Muslim community, where he met Matthew.   They left for London so that they could lead openly gay lives.  After years of hiding Nazim told his family about the man he had loved for 13 years and whom he planned to marry. His mother’s response was to suggest he needed to see a psychiatrist to be cured. Torn between his sexuality and his love of his parents he could not cope with his family’s rejection and soon after killed himself.  The series of photos are of the funeral and the heartbreak in Matthew’s eyes looking at Nazim’s coffin are all too palpable. This series in itself shows the importance of dealing with the delicate subject of sexuality in Islam.

One of the artists who stands-out amongst the collective is Yemeni born Ibi Ibrahim. His beautiful pieces subtly tell the story of love and sexuality, themes he says he grew up thinking about in Yemen, now war torn.

“I’ve seen it go through many changes, in particular security wise,” says Ibrahim. “While the situation continued to worsen, that never influenced my affiliation with Yemen, and my city Sana’a in particular. I still find it to a magical place, and a visit to the old city of Sana’a is almost like going back in time, centuries and centuries.”

His work explores Yemeni culture coupled with his own experiences of growing up in a conservative culture.

“My influence was personal experiences and stories from my childhood, and moments I remember encountering,” he said. “While the subject and medium might differ, I can say that Yemen has always been big part of my influence towards creating art work.” 

His work deals with issues of gender and sexuality in conservative societies, and the two bodies of work he has exhibited for the Unbreakable Rope whilst very different in theme focus on creating debate within Yemeni youth culture. His series “Sans toi” is nine photo panel series shot in New York in 2013 from a series of self-portraits. The other reflecting the idea of gender and love in Yemen is a series he called “Habibi tala” and was shot in Yemen the same year and focuses on the Sitara Yemeni fabric work by women.

“Discussion of sexuality is extremely significant – in particular in today’s age where generations are born and raised in a society that forbids, and dominates, and refuse to accept the other opinion,” he says. “It is true, that this is the age of social media, and the world is accessible within a touch of a hand, but I find it important for such topics to be discussed from within, rather seeking the outsiders’ opinion.”

Unbreakable Rope does this through the lens of a few people’s camera and through the paintings of others. It will be showing at the Free World Centre in London until 8 June.