Volume 1, Issue 1
Al-Noor The Light
First International Retreat for
GLBT Muslims A Success!
Formation of An International
Organization Announced!
We have finally taken the first steps to come together
to address the issues that are important to us as a gay,
lesbian, bisexual, and transgender Muslim
community. Faisal Alam, Coordinator, First
International Retreat for GLBT Muslims and Founder
of Al-Fatiha
November 1, 1998 - It was indeed a historic occasion as gay,
lesbian, bisexual, and transgender (GLBT) Muslims and non-
Muslims came together for the First International Retreat for
GLBT Muslims, held in Boston, Massachusetts, USA, from
October 9-12, 1998.
The thirty participants represented the cultural and religious
diversity of the entire Islamic world, coming from all over
the United States and abroad. Countries that were
represented included Belgium, Canada, Egypt, Germany,
Holland, India, Lebanon, Maldives, Saudi Arabia, Syria,
South Africa, Pakistan, and the United States.
continued on page 2
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
1 Press Release: First International Retreat for GLBT
Muslims
1 growth it is easy to see that our community is quite large and
Welcome to Al-Noor The Light By Faisal Alam
3 For most of us the issues being discussed about the
Reconciling God By Shaffiq Essajee
4 Words to Live By
5 Revisiting the Quran By Mohammed Khan
6 GaMIT: A Home for International Students Too By
Bassam Kassab
6 Press Release: First North American Conference for
LGBTQ Muslims & Friends
8 continued on page 4
Resources for LGBTQ Muslims
Al-Noor * 1
May 1999
Welcome to Al-Noor
The Light
And hold fast, all together, by the Rope which God
(stretches out for you), and be not divided among
yourselves He joined your hearts in love Thus does God
make his Signs clear to you: That you may be guided.
Sura 3, Verses 102-103
Welcome to Al-Noor The Light. I am proud to announce
the creation of our inaugural newsletter, which I hope will
bring the news and historic events of our lesbian, gay,
bisexual, transgender, and questioning (LGBTQ) Muslim
community to readers around the world!
It has been quite a roller coaster of a ride for almost two
years now. What began as a listserv (email discussion
group) for gay Muslims, has grown to become an
international organization dedicated to the lesbian, gay,
bisexual, transgender, and questioning (LGBTQ) Muslim
community. Our growth has been tremendous!
In the one and half years that our listserv has been in
existence, we have gained more than 200 subscribers from
over 20 countries around the world! Our membership comes
from all cultural, religious, & racial backgrounds, sexual
orientations, and gender identities. Additionally there have
been two additional listservs that have been created by
community members to specifically address the issues of
concern to Muslim gay men and lesbian, bisexual, &
transgendered Muslim women! Meanwhile, Al-Fatiha
continues to grow outside of the online world,
Meetings and social gatherings have been organized in more
than six cities around the U.S. & Canada, and already two
official chapters (with regular monthly meetings) have been
created (in New York City, and Toronto). With such a fast
diverse! But we are still in the infancy of our development.
reconciliation of our sexuality/gender identity and our
religion, is the first time in our lives that we have been able
to express the feelings and emotions that we have felt inside
of us since we were born. But in this struggle for discourse,
we must remain steadfast and united, inshallah!
In these times of peril when we are bombarded with
negativity from our mainstream Muslim community, and
often face an ideological battle from the inside, let us
remember the words of Allah (swt) above. He has indeed
brought us together, and there is a purpose for our existence!
 First International Retreat for GLBT Muslims
continued from page 1
The retreat served as a forum for the discussion of issues
important to GLBT Muslims. Workshops and sessions
addressed such topics as faith and sexuality, the oppression
of GLBT persons in the Islamic world, gay, lesbian,
bisexual, and transgender identity in Islam, and the
historical perspectives of GLBT behavior in Islamic
societies. Additionally participants examined the opinions
of the Prophet Muhammad on sexual minorities in his time,
as well as the different interpretations of Quranic verses
which appear to address homosexual acts.
The highlight of the retreat was the decision to establish an
international organization to address the concerns of gay,
lesbian, bisexual, and transgender Muslims around the
world. Titled after the first chapter of the Quran, Al-
Fatiha (The Opening), which was also the theme of the
retreat, the organization will work together with other
organizations, gay and straight, Muslim and non-Muslim to
address the social and political issues facing GLBT Muslims
around the world. In most Islamic countries, homosexuality
and transgendered behavior is a crime, punishable by
imprisonment, flogging, and even death. Homosexuality is
so highly stigmatized in Muslim communities, that many
gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender Muslims, including
those questioning their sexuality/gender identity, end up
internalizing the shame and disgust which surrounds them in
their families and communities, said Faisal Alam,
coordinator of the First International Retreat for GLBT
Muslims, and founder of Al-Fatiha. He went on to say that,
They are often unable to come to terms with their own
sexuality, fearing ostracization and even physical
punishment. He added that We (Al-Fatiha) see it as our
moral obligation to help in whatever way we can, and we
have decided that we need to implement different strategies
to address the various problems, both on a local level as well
as on an international one.
Based in the United States, Al-Fatiha will establish chapters
across the U.S. and abroad to support gay, lesbian, bisexual,
transgender, and questioning Muslims on a local level. The
organization will also work with human rights organizations
to advocate against abuses of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and
transgender persons in Islamic countries.
Organizers of the retreat said that the event was something
that has been needed in their community for decades. We
have finally taken the first steps to come together to address
Al-Noor * 2
the issues that are important to us as a gay, lesbian,
bisexual, and transgender Muslim community, said Alam.
The retreat has given us the opportunity to come together
as a community in a way that was never possible before.
The organizers went on to state that the GLBT Muslim
movement has only just begun. Much of the prejudice and
discrimination against gay, lesbian, bisexual, and
transgender people in Islamic societies is culture-based and
does not stem from Islam as a religion, Alam continued.
We want to celebrate our identity as GLBT people who
are also believing Muslims. The noble and fundamental
principles of respect, human dignity, tolerance,
understanding, and justice, in Islam have been ignored with
dealing with the issue of homosexuality. We hope to
change all that God willingly.
The Second International Retreat for Gay, Lesbian,
Bisexual, and Transgender Muslims is tentatively
scheduled to take place in June of 2000 in Capetown, South
Africa.* Meanwhile, plans are already underway to
organize a national meeting for GLBT Muslims in the
United States, tentatively planned to be held in New York
City in April of 1999.
The First International Retreat for GLBT Muslims was
sponsored by the Gay-Muslims Listserv, an internet-based,
email discussion group for gay, lesbian, bisexual,
transgender, questioning Muslims. The purpose of the list
is to bring gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender (GLBT)
Muslims, including those questioning their sexuality/gender
identity, together in a forum to communicate issues of
common concern. By using our own individual
experiences, our knowledge, and our faith in Islam and in
Allah (God), the goal of this listserv is to bring two
important aspects of our lives together. Being a gay,
lesbian, bisexual, or transgender person and a Muslim is not
mutually exclusive, nor is it an oxymoron. By participating
in this list, the hope is that each and every one of us will
realize that God certainly does not discriminate based on
who we love. Indeed we can be both practicing Muslims
and still identify ourselves as being gay, lesbian, bisexual,
or transgender. To subscribe or for more information, send
an email to gaymuslims@yahoo.com.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
*Editors note: The location for The Second International
Retreat has been changed to London, England June 2000.
 Reconciling God
The first GLBT Muslim conference in Boston explores the complexities facing many Queer Muslims
By Shaffiq Essajee
In a plane, flying home over the dark glittering suburbanity of the Northeast. I am exhausted and elated from a weekend of late
nights and early mornings at the first International GLBT Muslim Conference. Like many of the people who had gathered for the
Boston event, I had long struggled with some of the inherent problems that arise when one tries to combine Islam and
homosexuality-especially the Islam of the mullahs and the gay constructs of the "West". For me, those difficulties were twofold.
Firstly to find a personal space where my faith and my sexual identity could peaceably co-exist, and perhaps even re-enforce one
another. And secondly to explore ways and means to resolve the tension and despair that knowledge of my sexual orientation has
caused within my very traditionally Muslim family.

Over the course of the weekend, we spoke of many things-what are the challenges and problems faced by GLBT Muslims? Does
Muslim and gay constitute an oxymoron? What does Islam "really" say about homosexuality? What space have Muslim societies
given to expressions of "other" sexualities? The conversations were intense-people mostly shared their personal perspectives,
experiences and anecdotes, we often asked more questions than we answered and at times I would leave a session feeling more
confused than ever before. But for once the confusion was shared, and as our stories unfolded, I began to feel a sense of
comradeship and satisfaction that was astonishing to me.

We certainly did not address every thorny issue that challenges GLBT Muslims, but for the first time in my life, the clamor of my
internal conflict fell silent. I realized that we had been drawn together by love, and that rather than being separate, schizophrenic,
mutually exclusive aspects of my personality-my Faith and my Queerness sprang from the same source of Love. Love for Allah,
love for Islam, love for humanity, love for my family, love for my friends, love for my partner-all of these are the same. As
Jalaluddin Rumi, the great Sufi saint wrote in his 'Masnavi', "The lover's ailment is not like any other. Love is the astrolabe of
God's mysteries, whether love comes from heaven or earth." In his poetry, Rumi uses earthly love as a metaphor for the love of the
Divine, but surely not without reason does he choose time and again to express that metaphor in the form of his physical love for
his male companion, Shams-e-Tabriz.

On the last day of the conference, Matthew Shepard died in a hospital in Wyoming. Two young men had lured him from a bar by
pretending to respond to his sexual advances. While their girlfriends watched, they tied him to a fence and repeatedly hit him on
the head with the butt of a gun, until they smashed his skull open. At his funeral a right wing Christian group held placards that
read, "Matt is in Hell". Their bestial behavior seemed almost farcical, but it struck me that in many ways the mainstream Muslim
community betrays Islam just as surely as those protesters were betraying Christianity.

Messages of hate and intolerance have come to dominate the pronouncements of Muslim clergy and so-called Islamic
governments. Homosexuality is routinely decried as a Western import when same-sex love has existed since the beginning of
human civilization, and is widespread in many Muslim societies. The Quranic passages which refer to the destruction of the
people of Lut are typically cited as evidence of God's rage against 'The Homosexuals' when in fact, I would humbly suggest that
they teach us more about the importance of kindness to strangers, and the sins of lust and rape, rather than about homosexual love.
Nowhere in The Quran is the death penalty prescribed for homosexuality, yet in Iran and Afghanistan for example, Allah's name is
invoked as teenage boys, accused of homosexuality, are executed by the state. This process alarms me, not only because it
infringes upon the lives and liberties of individuals, but also because it brutalizes Muslim societies and inures people to accept this
sort of summary justice as acceptable. Islam enjoins its practitioners to fight oppression, and to defend the faith. One could argue
therefore, that it is our Muslim duty to secure the protection of GLBT Muslims and to challenge the ullema's interpretations and
encourage them to preach the love of God, and the love of humanity rather than the fear of God and the hatred of anyone who is
different to the mainstream.

What is the best way to achieve these objectives? We are a handful of gay-identified individuals living in the Western world and
as such our perspective may not resonate in Muslim countries - even among those very non-heterosexuals that
we are seeking to protect. An attempt to make our voice heard by the powers-that-be in those countries would likely result in
derision or condemnation or both. Instead, I would propose a two-pronged approach.

Amnesty International has recently mandated that individuals who are persecuted for their sexuality be considered prisoners of
conscience in the same way as those who are persecuted for their political beliefs. Amnesty has a reputation-even in Muslim
countries-for being relatively unbiased in their criticisms, and I believe that Amnesty might be a more effective body in terms of
bringing about a change in the ways in which homosexuality is punished in (certain) Muslim countries.

As an example, Amnesty was recently successful in commuting the sentence imposed on a group of Filipino immigrants accused
of homosexuality in Saudi Arabia.
continued on page 4

Al-Noor * 3
Reconciling God continued from page 3
Of course we would support Amnesty in this regard, but as
GLBT Muslims, I see our role as a more subversive and in
a sense more fundamental one. While Amnesty might be
able to achieve lighter punishments for homosexuality,
they cannot (nor would they seek to) decriminalize
homosexuality in Muslim countries. This requires change
from within, and I believe that our fledgling organization
may serve as an instrument for that change.
We need to open a dialogue around these issues here in the
West. We need to look for voices of support both within
the mainstream Muslim community and amongst the
religious scholars. We need to study The Quran (those of
us that can) and search within the sacred text for evidence
(which must surely exist) to support the contention that
homosexual love is as pure and God-given as any other.
Most of all, we must ourselves strive to become better
Queer Muslims.
It seems to me that urban gay "culture" - especially
amongst gay men has become synonymous with a peculiar
brand of mindless adolescent hedonism. In the attempt to
break from the norms of straight society (no monogamy
and marriage for us, thank you very much), we have
thrown every common sense caution to the wind.
Ironically, as we become wealthier and wealthier, we have
turned into the ultimate middle class bourgeois consumers.
Gone is the political and social activism of yesteryear-now
that we are "free", we can shop, party and trend-set
instead. Those who speak of man and God, or soul and
spirit are ridiculed. And if every once in a while we feel a
deep sadness or a yearning for intimacy, then drugs,
alcohol and impersonal sex provide a quick fix. We
scarcely realize how self-damaging and self-destructive we
are and in our vanity believe ourselves to be superior to
others.
Of course this does not represent all of us, all of the time,
but this is often the form that media depictions of Gay
Lifestyle take on. Perhaps the prejudice against queer
identity which is so prevalent in Islamic countries is more
about a disdain for gay lifestyle than homosexuality per se.
Islam is a religion that calls for moderacy and if we are to
succeed in our objectives in securing a space in the
Muslim world for GLBT Muslims, then we should be as
much Muslims as much as we are gay, lesbian, bisexual or
transgender.
Leaving the conference and the friends that I had made
there was truly painful. It is perhaps inevitable that life
will intervene to make it impossible to meet or speak with
all but a handful of them on a regular basis. And yet what
we had achieved together was a milestone that will never
be forgotten. I pray that God continues to fill us with love
and gives us the courage to turn our hopes into reality.
Aameen
(This article was published in the December 1998 issue of the SALGA (South Asian
Gay & Lesbian Association) newsletter)
Al-Noor * 4
Welcome to Al-Noor continued from page 1
Allah (swt) says that He will never place a burden on
ones shoulders, more than he/she can bear. If this is the
case, then we must strive to persevere and show
tolerance and understanding towards others who may not
think the same way we do. Only when we understand
that we are different, yet equal in the eyes of Allah (swt)
and that He loves us no matter what our sexual
orientation, cultural background, gender identity, or
racial heritage may be, only then can we truly call
ourselves united! And we have created you into
nations and tribes, so that you may know one another
(The Holy Quran).
The Islamic spirit of social tolerance, mutual
understanding, peace and solitude must surpass
individual feelings of hostility and anger. Only then can
we truly attain Gods pleasure! I pray that we are
successful in this struggle and that He (swt) unites our
hearts and builds our community strong, for our work is
only for His sake! Aamin
Yours truly,
Faisal Alam
Founder & Director Al-Fatiha Foundation
Words to Live By
Narrated 'Umar bin Al-Khattab radhiallahu ta'ala anhu:
Some Sabi (i.e. war prisoners, children and woman only)
were brought before the Prophet, sallallahu 'alaihi wa
sallam, and behold, a woman amongst them
was milking her breasts to feed and whenever she found
a child amongst the captives, she took it over her chest
and nursed it (she had lost her child but later she found
him) the Prophet, sallallahu 'alaihi wa sallam, said to us,
"Do you think that this lady can throw her son in the
fire?" We replied, "No, if she has the power not to throw
it (in the fire)." The Prophet, sallallahu 'alaihi wa
sallam, then said, "Allah is more merciful to His
slaves than this lady to her son."
-Sahih Bukhari Shareef, Volume 8, Book 73, Number 28:
Say to those who do not believe: "Do what ever ye
can: We shall do our part; "And wait ye! We too shall
wait. The Holy Quran, Surah Hud, Verses 121-122
Those that have faith and do good works shall be
received in Gardens of hospitable Homes as a reward
for that which they have done. - Surah 33, Verses 23-24
That man can have nothing but what he strives for; that
(the fruit of) his striving will soon come in sight; then
will he be rewarded with a reward complete.
Surah 53, Verses 39-41
Fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, hate leads to
suffering Yoda (Star Wars, Episode One)
 Revisting the Quran
A Report from the First International Retreat for GLBT Muslims
By Mohammed Khan
I am gay. I am a Pakistani-Canadian. I am a Muslim. For as long as I can recall, these three elements of my identity have either
been on a mission to break away and assert themselves as distinct entities, or in a constant struggle for dominance. Thus far, being
gay and a Pakistani-Canadian have taken on more significance in my life than being a Muslim. Maybe tomorrow things will
change. In fact, I know that tomorrow things will change. Ive come to rely on change. It is change that beckoned me to attend
the First International Retreat for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender (GLBT) Muslims, and their friends, in Boston on the
weekend of October 9th 12th, 1998.
I must admit that I went to Boston, not knowing what to expect. Although, I was hoping I would meet the perfect desi Muslim
boy and that the nikah would be completed by the end of the weekend . just kidding. Like I was saying, I didnt know
what to expect. However, it was brought to my attention, by one of my close friends, that perhaps the whole event was being
staged by some right-wing, Islamic puritan group, that was planning to gather all the queer Muslims in one location and
exterminate us all at once. She actually went so far as to give me the name and number of a friend in Boston just in case anything
happened. Upon arriving at the location of the retreat, which was only disclosed to the attendees for security purposes, I soon
realized that of the 200 or so people who had inquired about the event, only 30 were going to be in attendance. The primary
reason for this being, security, as well as visibility concerns. So my dear friend was not off base at all in her assessment. By the
grace of Allah, no such fiasco occurred. In my heart, I knew that nothing like that was going to happen, unfortunately, not
everyone was so sure. But can anyone blame them for their fears?
Although I was born Muslim, I dont presently practice the religion. Neither does anyone in my immediate family. I was born in
Lahore, Pakistan and lived in Rawalpindi with my phuppie until the age of ten, at which point I immigrated to Canada to come
live with my parents. While living in Pakistan, I had learned how to perform namaz, and to recite the Holy Quran, and all of the
kalmas; however, I gradually forgot it all in Canada.
It wasnt until the age of 17, while I was struggling with my sexuality, that I decided to revisit the Quran, in order to find out what
Allah had to say about homosexuals. I vividly recall reading the Quranic verses and feeling my chest close in on me. How could
Allah be so cruel, so heartless as to punish people like myself? All I ever wanted to do was to love someone, and to receive that
love in return. But it was hopeless; nothing I read allowed me to be who I am.
At that point, I put the book away and decided to abandon Islam. In fact, I started learning about other faiths, including Hinduism,
and Christianity. I figured that if these faiths had their own floats on Pride Day, that maybe they were more accommodating of
queers. Furthermore, the people around me sparked my initial interest in these two faiths. Two of my close friends are Hindu and
Christian. I have since attended my first queer Christmas mass, and have come to adore the Mahabharata and the Sermon on the
Mount. Despite by increased understanding of Hinduism and Christianity, I was always aware that there was something missing.
It was as though my mind was the only thing being engaged, leaving my soul unspoken for. Spirituality is supposed to be an
alchemy of the heart, something that is with you in every endeavor, in every aspect of life. For me, that feeling of submission is
what was missing.
So there I was, in Boston, Massachusetts, on a rainy weekend in a room full of the most diverse people you could imagine. There
were folks coming in from the Netherlands, South Africa, and Belgium. Others were from Arizona, Boston, Chicago, Washington
D.C., and N.Y. City. Unfortunately, I was the only Canadian there. There were approximately five lesbian-identified women, one
woman who refused to be classified, one female-to-male transgender and about 23 gay-identified men. They represented various
class, age and cultural backgrounds. We had African-Americans, South Asians, Europeans, and Middle-Eastern folks, just to
name a few. We also had a significant non-Muslim presence.
We participated in intense debates and discussions focused on various topics including: Islam and LGBT identity, what Islam
really says about homosexuality, as well as the obstacles and challenges faced by LGBT Muslims around the world. In addition,
we undertook cross-cultural comparisons of gender and sexuality in Islamic societies (both present and historic), and lastly, we
addressed the issue of how to celebrate our lives as LGBT Muslims. The conversations were at times extremely frustrating, as
everyone wanted a chance to share their personal experiences and struggles. The irony of it was that this was perhaps the first
time they had been given a safe space to do so.
For me, the most significant part of this retreat was witnessing that there were LGBT Muslims out there who had managed to
develop and maintain a positive LGBT identity, while still following Islam. I also learned to separate the widely accepted
interpretations of the mullahs, which are riddled with heterosexist bias, from the truest form of Islam, which stresses the
fundamental principles of equality and justice. I have to admit that at some level I was hoping to find some theological
accommodation for homosexuality in the Holy Quran. I never found that. Time simply did not permit an exhaustive theological
examination. However, what I did find was affirmation, affirmation for myself as an individual. I am gay, by nature, and I refuse
to believe that Allah created people who are sinful by their very nature.

Al-Noor * 5
 continued on page 8
GaMIT: A Home for International Students Too
by Bassam Kassab

For 30 years, GaMIT (Gays, Lesbians, Bisexuals, and Transgenders at MIT) has been "a group of white American fag boys
running around in high heels." This is how some have perceived one of America's oldest GLBT (gay, lesbian, bisexual, and
transgender) clubs. I don't want to take anything away from our highly visible brothers in "high heels," or claim anything less than
pride for the terms "queer" or "fag," but I will concentrate below on the extent to which "white American" still holds true.
Arguably, there are more Caucasian-Americans who are out of the closet (in relation to MIT's total population of Caucasian-
Americans) than there are "out" American students of color or international students. Nevertheless, this does not prove that "being
out is a white American thing only."

There have been many international students in GaMIT's history who were out and politically active - on campus and elsewhere.
These men and women came from many parts of the world where homosexuality and bisexuality are highly taboo. In addition to
earning a degree from MIT, they learned lessons that last for a lifetime: to be proud of oneself, and to challenge inherited cultural
norms when they conflict with one's own beliefs. This continues to be the case.

For example, many GLBT students identify as Jewish, Christian, or Muslim, and each of these religions converge on their
rejection of GLBT identity. Though some Christian churches and Jewish temples have begun welcoming GLBT people, Islam - as
a religion and culture - remains unrelenting in its discrimination.

Last year, several Boston area universities, including MIT, organized a conference for GLBT Muslims that was attended by a
group of participants representing thirteen countries. The conference had as its goal the affirmation of queer Muslim identity, and
underscored the idea that being both Muslim and gay (or bisexual, lesbian, or transgender) is not oxymoronic. The conference
resulted in the formation of "Al-Fatiha" ("The Opening", a reference to the first chapter of The Quran, Islam's holy book), an
international organization for LGBT Muslims.

To understand the importance of this step requires a bit of background: historically, any gay movement in Islam has been aborted.
For example, the "Lavender Crescent Society" in San Francisco dissolved itself after several members were executed upon their
return to the Middle East.

This raises a key question: what is waiting now for Al-Fatiha (besides recognition and applause from human rights organizations)?
Will there be a "jihad" (holy war) declared against it? An Ethiopian proverb says, "When spiders unite, they can turn down a
lion!" The question for us, then, is: who will be the spiders and who will be the lion?

Muslim, Christian, and Jewish fundamentalism may cause more leaves to fall from the "queer" tree - we need look no farther than
Wyoming and the Matthew Shepard incident for proof. Forgive the metaphorical digression, but I believe that Spring will come
and the trees will blossom again. Someday everyone - queers and straights alike - will be free from the oppression that
homophobia inflicts on us all. "The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams," said Eleanor Roosevelt. It
follows then that we must live out our dreams, and be the very agents of the change in which we believe.
I have a vision of the future: students stepping out of their closets, men running with low (or high) heels, and women with long (or
buzzed) hair, all of them with a beaver ring on their finger and a button on their shirt on which it is written, "Proud to be a GaMIT
graduate!"

(This article was published on March 9, 1999, in MIT's newspaper -- "The Tech" during ToBGLAD 1999)

***PRESS RELEASE***
Al-Fatiha Foundation (LGBTQ Muslims & Friends)

First North American Conference for LGBTQ

Muslims & Friends Announced! Theme: Creating a Community
And we (have) created you into nations and tribes so that you may know one another
-The Holy Quran

Conference coordinators hope that this first conference in North America will be the beginning of a movement where
lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (LGBTQ) Muslims can create a community and an identity for
themselves, living in the West.

Al-Noor * 6
 continued on page 7
Press Release: First North American Conference continued from page 6

April 16, 1999 - Al-Fatiha Foundation, an international organization dedicated to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and
questioning (LGBTQ) Muslims announced today that it will hold its first North American conference at the New York University
in New York City, USA, from Friday, May 28th Monday, May 31st, 1999 (U.S. Memorial Day Weekend).

The theme of the conference will be Creating a Community. Conference coordinators hope that this first conference in North
America will be the beginning of a movement where lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (LGBTQ) Muslims can
create a community and an identity for themselves, living in the West. But as Al-Fatihas Founder & Director, Faisal Alam points
out, We are just beginning to scratch the surface. Our (LGBTQ Muslim) community is far from reconciling the struggles that
face us. We are still in the beginning stages of our development where for some of us these issues are being discussed for the first
time in our lives. Homosexuality and same-sex acts are still punishable by harsh fines, jail sentences, and in some instances,
even public whip lashing and death, in most Islamic countries. Together with an extremely homophobic outlook, homosexuality is
often highly stigmatized in Muslim communities and lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender Muslims are often ostracized and
rejected from their families and communities if their sexuality/gender identity is made public. Alam hopes that this conference
will be the beginning of an on-going discussion in the community, and that by meeting other LGBTQ Muslims, conference
attendees will gain confidence in themselves and in the struggle for acceptance within the greater mainstream Muslim
community.

Panel discussions and workshops will address topics including:

* Reconciling Homosexuality with the Religion of Islam * Transgender Identity & Islam
* Reconciling Religion: People of Other Faiths * Partners of LGBT Muslims
* Issues of Marriage & Dating for LGBTQ Muslims * Bisexuality & Islam
* Immigration & Asylum Issues for LGBT Muslims * LBT Muslim Womens Issues
* History of the Gay Muslim Movement: US & Abroad * Gender Socialization in Islam
* Human Rights: The Persecution of Gay Muslims * Prayer: A Source of Peace or Pain?

Other events during the conference will include regional U.S. & Canadian meetings, a reception with SALGA (South Asian
Lesbian & Gay Association) and GLAS (Gay & Lesbian Arab Society), and the unveiling of Al-Fatihas mission statement, web
site, and newsletter. Conference attendees will also participate in a memorial service for Muslims who have been killed because
of their sexual orientation and/or gender identity and those that have died from the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

Al-Fatiha Foundation began in November of 1997 when its founder Faisal Alam began a listserv (email discussion group) on the
internet for gay Muslims. Since its inception, the online forum has grown to include 250 people from more than 20 countries who
come from all sexual orientations, religions, cultural backgrounds, and gender identities. In October of 1998 members of the
listserv met in Boston, Massachusetts, USA at the First International Retreat for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender (GLBT)
Muslims. More than 45 people attended from across the US including 4 international participants, who came from South Africa,
The Netherlands, Canada, and Belgium. It was at this retreat in Boston that attendees formally decided that an international
organization needed be formed to address the issues faced by lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender Muslims, including those
questioning their sexual orientation and/or gender identity. We have finally taken the first steps to come together to address the
issues that are important to us as a gay, lesbian, bisexual, and trasnsgender Muslim community, announced Faisal Alam, at the
end of the retreat. Thus Al-Fatiha was born. The word Al-Fatiha which means The Opening in Arabic comes from the first
chapter of the Holy Quran. It served as an appropriate theme for the retreat in Boston and thus was also adopted as the name of
the organization.

Since the retreat in October, members of Al-Fatiha have organized social and support groups for LGBTQ Muslims across the
United States and Canada. Successful events and meetings have already taken place in Boston, New York City, Washington DC,
and Toronto.

Al-Fatiha Foundation is an international organization dedicated to lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) Muslims
including those questioning their sexual orientation/gender identity and their friends. Al-Fatihas goal is to provide a safe space
and a forum for LGBTQ Muslims to communicate issues of common concern, share individual experiences & institutional
resources. By using our knowledge, our faith in Islam and our belief in Allah (God), the mission of Al-Fatiha Foundation is to
help LGBTQ Muslims in reconciling their sexual orientation/gender identity with the religion of Islam.

Al-Noor * 7
Revisiting the Quran continued from page 5
I have come away from this retreat feeling empowered, not
only on a personal level, but also on a community level. I
say this because never in my life have I felt such a strong
sense of community, certainly not in the mainstream Islamic
community.
We have all heard the term familiarity breeds contempt,
but in this instance the opposite was true. I realized soon
after the retreat that the feeling of submission that was
missing for me was a consequence of the strong sense of
affinity that I feel not only for Islam the religion, but also for
the rich Islamic culture. Islam is indeed more than a
religion, it is a way of life.
As a community, we have taken it upon ourselves to partake
in the development of an actual International Organization
for LGBT Muslims. Preliminarily, the name will be Al-
Fatiha (The Opening), titled after the first chapter of the
Quran. Due to the diversity of our group and our ideas, it
was decided that our goals and objectives would be multi-
faceted. We will address issues ranging from human rights
abuses in Islamic countries towards LGBT Muslims, to
setting up support groups and other community resources in
North America and abroad. The work that lies ahead is
tremendous, but this retreat proved to all of us that it is long
overdue.
I liken my journey to Boston with the words of
Rabindranath Tagore, who once wrote that The traveler has
to knock at every alien door to come to his own, one has to
wander through all the outer worlds to reach the innermost
shrine at the end.
P.S. Look for me next year on Pride Day on the LGBT
Muslims float.
(This article was published in Trikone Magazine in the January 8, 1999 issue)
Resources for LGBTQ Muslims
Al-Fatiha Chapters:
New York City Telephone # (212) 752-3188
Toronto Telephone # (416) 925-9872 ext. 2209
New chapters starting in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, San Francisco,
Los Angeles, Vancouver Canada, Washington DC
WE ARE ALSO SEEKING CONTACTS IN:
Bangladesh * Canada * Egypt * England * India * Indonesia *
Israel * Malaysia * Pakistan * Singapore * South Africa * Turkey
If you are interested in starting a local chapter of Al-Fatiha in these
areas, please contact us!
Books:*
Sexuality & Eroticism Amongst Males in Moslem Socieities,
Edited by Arno Schmitt & Jehoeda Sofer, Harrington Park Press
Islamic Homosexualities, by Stephen O. Murray & Will Roscoe,
New York University
Longing But Not Belonging: By Badruddin Khan
* Available online from Barnes & Nobles at http://www.barnesandnobels.com
Internet Listservs (email discussion groups):
Gay-Muslims (for LGBTQ Muslims & Friends)
To subscribe send a message to gaymuslims@yahoo.com.
Iman (for lesbian, bisexual, and transgender women)
To subscribe send a message to owner-iman@queernet.org.
Muslim Gay Men (for gay & bisexual Muslim gay men)
To subscribe send a message to owner-muslimgaymen@onelist.com.
Internet Web Sites:
Al-Fatiha Foundation (LGBTQ Muslims & Friends):
http://www.al-fatiha.org
Queer Muslims: http://www.angelfire.com/ca2/queer/muslims/
Queer Jihad: http://www.geocities.com/WestHollywood/Heights/8977

Al-Fatiha Foundation is an international organization dedicated to lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) Muslims
including those questioning their sexual orientation/gender identity and their friends. Al-Fatihas goal is to provide a safe space
and a forum for LGBTQ Muslims to communicate issues of common concern, share individual experiences & institutional
resources. By using our knowledge, our faith in Islam and our belief in Allah (God), the mission of Al-Fatiha Foundation is to
help LGBTQ Muslims in reconciling their sexual orientation/gender identity with the religion of Islam.

Al-Fatiha Foundation (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Questioning [LGBTQ] Muslims & Friends)
Telephone & Fax: (212) 752-3188 Email: gaymuslims@yahoo.com Web: http://www.al-fatiha.org

Al-Fatiha Foundation
405 Park Avenue, Suite 1500
New York, NY 10022

Al-Noor * 8
 continued from page 1

Al-Fatiha Foundation
415 Park Avenue, Suite 1500
New York, NY 10022

ADDRESS CORRECTION REQUESTED

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