Allama of the 21st Century – Ibtisam Ilahi Zaheer – by Usmann Rana
The Allama used the platform of a Friday sermon to incite hatred against Marvi Sirmed and Mohsin Sayeed
Capitalizing on the US embassy holding pride event and the ensuing fiasco, Aaj television tabled a debate on LGBT people with a panel consisting of Islamabad based journalist Marvi Sirmed and fashion journalist Mohsin Sayeed along with the media’s current favorite, Islamist “scholar” Ibtisam Elahi Zaheer. For those unable to recall who he is, Ibtisam is the same man on tv shows famous for bullying his way through debates and speaking at a speed which makes it hard to comprehend his words. The speech can be heard by clicking on this link.
Not satisfied with his performance on air, on 8th July 2011 he then decided to preach a Friday khutba (religious lecture) at his mosque. While not naming them he clearly pointed towards Marvi and Mohsin when he denounced Marvi as a gandi aurat ( filthy woman) and Mohsin as ganda mard (filthy man). But they were not alone in his blacklist. He made it a point to humiliate President Zardariand and Supreme court with derogatory remarks. But this is not the first time he used a mosque to spew hatred. It is amazing how Ibtisam Ilahi Zaheer’s impersonated and spiteful religious khutbas promoting religious bigotry not only are not condemned by the moderates but that he is invited to spew hatred on air by the “free” media.
Ibtisam not only refused to acknowledge homosexuals but also labeled them as worst than dogs. But why, one is tempted to ask? Because some drag queens make these heterosexual men insecure about their own masculinity? Why does it bother them so much that two women can happily enjoy their bodies without the need of a phallus? He encourages capital punishment against homosexuals. If we were to behead or kill people committing homosexuality and adultery in Pakistan more than half of the Pakistani men would be in skies above by now. And that would include many of the homosexuality condemning pedophile Mullahs. For those who, like Ibtisam, believe that Homosexuality is a western import and an effort to demoralize our society, let me recommend a really good article by Hashim Bin Rashid enumerating homoerotic relations in the Muslim history. These people cite religious orthodoxy but refuse to and are unable to talk from a scientific and rationalist perspective.
Whereas Pakistani society, including the Ulema, have largely looked at third gender community with sympathy, and pity, believing their plight to be ordained by Allah, Ibtisam in his Friday khutba, reproached the Supreme Court’s recent measures to have a third box on the NIC cards for eunuchs. According to him then even those naturally born in the condition of being third gendered ought not to be seen as humans. This would come as a surprise to even the bearded class.
Let me give you a cursory look over the views, verified via his facebook page he personally responds to, held and propagated by Ibtisam. He states that in order to overcome moral/sexual corruption we must promote polygamy, marriage in early years (which to me sounds encouraging child marriage), segregation of sexes in schools and functions, and avoiding music/dance. Why is it assumed by morally self righteous beards that a woman and man just wouldn’t be able to control their lust if they were to sit together alone and unsupervised? Music and dance can be used for constructive purposes as well. Music has proven its scientific benefits. Dance traditions such as Kathakali are expressive and an art form of storytelling. In a second we are advised to leave our ingenuous cultural values of centuries for those of another land and time. To 21st century’s problems our esteemed Ulema still have solutions of 7th century.
“Allama” Ibtisam also informs us that certain people are out to do propaganda against Ulema (religious scholars). Are you telling us that like six year old Talha, raped by his Quran teacher and found bloody in the corridors of the mosque in 2004, various victims of pedophilia at the hands of their Quran teachers are doing propaganda? The hate filled speeches are for everyone to see on youtube. What “propaganda” do these people talk of then?
In his Friday lecture Ibtisam reproached Nawaz Sharif and President Zardari for keeping silence over the killing of, in his words, “Shaykh” Osama Bin Laden. Why so much fuss over how West misunderstands majority of Muslims being terrorists when we have Ibtisam and others who not only use praiseworthy words for the very man responsible for the havoc created against Muslims but also cry crocodile tears while performing his funeral rites while purporting to represent Muslim Ummah?
In their dream to Arabize Pakistan, the caliphate dreamers are now waging a war not only on liberal values but the local and more tolerant brand of Islam, seeking homogeneity in Islamic thought and practice. Let me be very clear, Wahabbism is not our ideology. Sufism is. And it is a liberal and inclusive tradition of Islam. Instead of telling us to get visas of European countries, it is those feeding off petro-dollars who are anything but representatives of what Pakistan used to be, a modern Muslim state.
If people like “Allama” Ibtisam Elahi Zaheer are to represent the 21st century Muslims, why is Muslim world clamoring about all the hatred against Muslims and Islam? Why do people living in Muslim part of the world assume that hate speech would and should be greeted with more lenient immigration policies and donations for flood victims? Where are the so called liberal and “moderate” Muslims? One should be allowed to criticize state institutions like courts, but if people are going to hurl foul words at Supreme court what respect is left of the judiciary Pakistan’s Lawyers’ Movement fought for? There must be free speech. But Pakistani society seriously needs to demarcate between free speech and hate speech and latter ought to not only be condemned by also worked against.
Providing space for rival opinions is good enough but there ought to be no space for hate speech. Pakistani media more than ever needs to demarcate between free speech and hate speech, for its conduct clearly shows its lack of knowledge of fine line between the two.
In order to break the backbone of hate mongers like Ibtisam and others one of the major step would to be to confront big daddies in Saudi Arabia who are funding madrassahs. If Pakistan is to be saved, it must be saved, not from LGBT peoples or Liberals but the corrupt politicians, unchecked military and paramilitary and of course the Salafi/Jihadi ideology.
–Usmann Rana is a student and activist who defines himself Secular Liberal. He can be reached attwitter.com/usmannrana
Well done Usmann in exposing this ikkeesween sadi ka jaali pakhandi allama! These jerks have been given unlimited access on TV and then they also choose to incite hatred against people who cannot confront him!
Excellent article Usmann and very courageous to you to speak out in defense of LGBT rights.
Well written and well observed! Hope the writer can handle being so bold and outspoken!
Very well written, keep it up man
Well done, Usman.
I know Usmann Rana personally, he is a gay
usman rana saab if you read quran with translation than you can clearly get the answer that homosexuality is haram.
Usmann Rana is himself a homosexual
@ pakistani & aaagayyy even if he is gay he still makes points which are valid…. I have been a victim of the Quran Weilding tutor who molested me while he taught me how to read the holy book…. Wahabism is not what we were brought up on…. We were always taught to be better human beings because a true Muslim is just that…. Allah SWT clearly states that I will forgo my rights but if you deceive & hurt my creation their is no forgiveness…..
You can’t use hate speech against particular sects and communities just because ‘You’ think you are the ‘chosen’ sect…..
Before the judgement day we are to have many sects within our great religion and after the glorious rule of Muslims over the world a sharp decline will come and the survivors who will remain will make up the ‘true’ Islam which was at the time of our Holy Prophet (PBUH)……
Allah SWT is the only one with the right to ‘judge’ I don’t know since when did a human became so powerful that he too attained this right….(Nauzbillah)….
To everyone hating the author
Do you people even recognize the gist of the article?
Its NOT Homosexuality but Ibtisam Elahi Zaheer.And you pick and choose a point to rant on and on about.Shame on you all for being such a senseless audience.
I second “A PAKISTANI” s opinion and also have you people read the work of pro-LGBT Islamic scholars like Amreen Jamal? Do you know there are TWO Gay Imams?
Nai,I thought that you all love it so much to quote the story of Lot, you might have read alternative interpretation of it as well…BECAUSE IT FRIGGING EXISTS.
Get a life.
Allah loves me for who I am and especially WHAT I DO!
Why should I go to hell if I am a law abiding, huqooq-ul-ibaad respecting individual when I have seen worst heterosexuals?
If only people would read articles and then comment on it. Ibtisam Ilahi Zaheer is the one under discussion and not homosexuality!!!
I think Allama Ibtisam is a true representative of Quran and Sunnah and the people doing propaganda are agents of homosexuals
ROFL @ “Agents of homosexuals”
Yaar yeh kis taran ki audience hai? They dont even know what the article is about, read the word LGBT and then go on ranting against it.
And if your “Allama” is such an inspiration why dont you first follow the recommendations he suggested to avoid sexual corruption in society,YOURSELF?
He is a hate mongering ignoramus mullah.He does not realize sexual orientaion is a natural and biological phenomenon.
He claimed on national TV that homosexuality does not exist in animal kingdom.
He does not know there are almost 1500 species with homosexual behaviour.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homosexual_behavior_in_animals
In Sindhi, they say “As crow so its babies”, his father was hot favorite of all dictators of all times Saudis (Saudis’ for support for Ahalhadith comes freely), Zia and Saddam. He not only wrote filthy literature against Shias and Ahmadis but was frequently visiting to Saddam to support his mass killings of Shias in Iraq http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OemE20vFqI0
So what should one expect from the baby crows?
surprisingly, there were allegations of being agents of Yahood, Hanood and Nasara, now one can be an agent of Homosexuals!!! Kya baat hay.
This is very interesting to say that Allama zaheer was supporter of dictators every one knows he was a true democrat and strong critic of Ayub Yahya and Zia ul haq .I think brother yazdani is quiet right .Wife of lot was not a homosexual or lebsian but she was an agent of homosexuals.Allama Ibtisam is a great scholar of Islam and those doing propaganda are supporters and agents of homosexuals and lesbiand and I thin they want their mothers and sisters to build lesbian club and want their sons and brothers to be gays .May Allah help ulemas who promote righteousness in society
@ZIA M I THINK ALLAMA IBTISAM WAS TALING ABOUT DOGS .I THINK YOU ARE WORST THAN DOGS WHO ARE BARING AGAINST THE GREAT SCHOLAR OF THIS ERA IN SUPPORT OF WORST CREATURES WHO HAVE NO RIGHT TO LIVE ON THIS GLOBE .NO SCRIPTURE ALLOWS HOMOSEXUALITY EVEN DOGS AND BITCHES ARE BETTER THAN GAYS AND LESBAINS.ALLAMA IBTISAM IS OUR HERO AND HOMOSEXUALS ARE ZERO
@mujahid good strike yes Allama Ibtisam was talking against dogs and these are even worse than dogs
Allama sahib zinda bad homosexuals and gays are murdabad
I am amazed how these third class homosexuals and lesbains are being tortured by truth uttered by a real scholar of Islam
The writers of this website obviously have nothing in common with the people of Pakistan. Mr. Rana and likes can claim asylum in US based on their “LGBT Advocacy”, please leave – we don’t want your likes here.
Homos cannot be tolerated!!!!!!!!!!! .We need ulemas like Allama sahib!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
“”@ZIA M I THINK ALLAMA IBTISAM WAS TALING ABOUT DOGS “”
Obviously, you did not watch the Aaj TV Show where the idiot mulla received a good chitrol..
“”NO SCRIPTURE ALLOWS HOMOSEXUALITY “””
Oh, the same scripture that states Hazrat Lut offered his two daughters to the mob for gang rape to save the arse of imaginary angels?
This mullah is void of reason or logic.He is only capable of spewing venom from a pulpit.Such morons are responsible for the terrorism in our country.
http://criticalppp.com/forum/topic.php?id=1667
ZIA m I think so you are a drunkard who is accusing Lot aliehis salam of offering his daughters for zina .I think this lesbian marvi sarmad who received good chitrol from Allama sahib is your sister and you offer her as a lesbian to other prostitutes in your colony
Good comment Huzaifah brother for this barking dog
Great article Usmann, keep it up
@ Saad Mansoor you are also another member of dirty club of homosexuals and gays united against Islam and ulemas
@ Munna:
I am not against Islam and there is no such term as ‘ulema’ in Islam. Please tell me that in which verse of Quran or quotes of Ahadis is the definition of ulema written?
Also,I do not favor homosexuality but something which does not interfere with other peoples life is something I cannot stop them from doing nor should it be my concern.
“”ZIA m I think so you are a drunkard who is accusing Lot aliehis salam of offering his daughters for zina “”
Not only did Hazrat Lut offer his daughters for gang rape to the people of Sodom and Gomorrah but later got drunk and had incestt with them.
The homophobic and bigoted mullah calls it a great sacrifice and an offer for marriage.Wonder how was Lot going to marry his daughters to a mob?
The mullah quotes from the Leviticus but conveniently forgets the Genesis chapter 19.
7 And he said: ‘I pray you, my brethren, do not so wickedly.
ח הִנֵּה-נָא לִי שְׁתֵּי בָנוֹת, אֲשֶׁר לֹא-יָדְעוּ אִישׁ–אוֹצִיאָה-נָּא אֶתְהֶן אֲלֵיכֶם, וַעֲשׂוּ לָהֶן כַּטּוֹב בְּעֵינֵיכֶם; רַק לָאֲנָשִׁים הָאֵל, אַל-תַּעֲשׂוּ דָבָר, כִּי-עַל-כֵּן בָּאוּ, בְּצֵל קֹרָתִי. 8 Behold now, I have two daughters that have not known man; let me, I pray you, bring them out unto you, and do ye to them as is good in your eyes; only unto these men do nothing; forasmuch as they are come under the shadow of my roof………
Genesis 19:30-38
New International Version (NIV)
Lot and His Daughters
30 Lot and his two daughters left Zoar and settled in the mountains, for he was afraid to stay in Zoar. He and his two daughters lived in a cave. 31 One day the older daughter said to the younger, “Our father is old, and there is no man around here to give us children—as is the custom all over the earth. 32 Let’s get our father to drink wine and then sleep with him and preserve our family line through our father.”
33 That night they got their father to drink wine, and the older daughter went in and slept with him. He was not aware of it when she lay down or when she got up.
34 The next day the older daughter said to the younger, “Last night I slept with my father. Let’s get him to drink wine again tonight, and you go in and sleep with him so we can preserve our family line through our father.” 35 So they got their father to drink wine that night also, and the younger daughter went in and slept with him. Again he was not aware of it when she lay down or when she got up.
36 So both of Lot’s daughters became pregnant by their father. 37 The older daughter had a son, and she named him Moab[a]; he is the father of the Moabites of today. 38 The younger daughter also had a son, and she named him Ben-Ammi[b]; he is the father of the Ammonites[c] of today…
Please, also study our own history.
Do i need to remind of Mahmood and Ayaz who were gay?
Zia m u are no doubt a drunard insulting prophets Quran clearly says that Lot aliehis salam offered them for marriage .Now you are using pick and choose technique .Curse on you an advocate of Homosexuality a trader of free sex.
Leave them munna brother they are real followers of sodomies who are crossing every limit and now are going to attac even prophets curse on these gays and lesbians
Brothers YOU ARE WASTING TIME WITH GAYS AND LESBIANS AND ENEMIES OF ISLAM AND QURAN O SUNNAH THEY SELL THEIR DAUGHTERS FOR CHAR ANA HOW WILL NOT THEY DEFEND THEIR HOMO MASTERS.?
Munna bhai
It is ok to use our brains once in a while.How do you offer 2 virgins to a mob for marriage?
No boubt, Islam has tried to sanitize the Biblical stories.
You have every right to believe in whatever myths you like but it won’t change the facts.
The Hebrew history is full of debauchery, incest and cruelty.
Wow! What a collection of geniuses.
No wonder Muslims have become a laughing stock of the whole world.
I’m not gay but will always oppose any discrimination based on race, gender,religion or sexual orientation.
Anyone who wants to do any good to gay lib in Pakistan must never link it to USA
Its very troubling to start the debate with USA e,bassy event. USA own record on gay lib is not very good and i think it was most foolish thing to do what they did. They have exposed Pakistani gays to death n torture and humiliation by the Right wing thugs
if this non sense continued every boy who doesnt fit in the masculine profile of pk will be beaten up by jamati goons in colleges
Responsibility is the word. please be responsible. understand the ground reality of Pakistan and situation in which a average Pakistani gay is, and its not Mohsin saaed or a Europe return guy living in isb khi or lhr.
Shaheryar Ali
You are right States should have kept their nose out of it.
It gives the right wing nutjobs to come out of their holes and make life miserable for a minority.
These guys thrive on hatred and bigotry.
Main tum sub per is Ahmaqana behs k karnay per ‘do harf’ bejhta hun. ab meray points note karo. 1- Yeh Allama Ibtisam kon hota hai kisi article ka mozooe bannay wala, yeh us k afkar hain jin pay behs ki ja rahi hai, khwa yeh homosexuality pay hon ya zina-kari pay, ya Usama Bin Laden k liay us ki hamdardi. 2- writer nay barri himat ka muzahira kia k in sab moozoua’at pay Allama k ‘syah’ afkar ko g bhar k ganda kia , kia hi acaha hota agr wo thori si himmat or dikhatay or Islam ko bhi aisay hi afkar ka hamil honay pe bura bhala keh letay!!! 3- Osama Bin Laden wala muamla intahai ghar wazih hai or is hawalay say haqaiq kisi aam admi k pas nahi hain, is liay is muamlay pay sab ki ray ka ahtram karna hi behtreen policy hai. 4- Mujhay afsos hai k ham jins parasti jaisay ghar fitri amal ko bura kehnay or is ki hosla-shikni karnay pay aamadah karnay k liay bhi dalail ki zaroorat hai, OOOhh baywaqoofo, fitrat nay reproductive organs or sex organs ko aik hi q banaya hai, ‘jismani zaroorat or ‘tolid’ aik hi tsveer k do pehlu hain, aik jorra na sirf jazbati tor pay aik dusray pay inhisar karta hai bal k apnay bachon ko paida kar k un ki parvarish kar apni zindgi k aik nay marhlay main dakhil hota hai, or apnay ilm or tajrubay ko nai nasl pay impart karta hai, yeh normal life hai or jo is say deviate karta hai wo abnormal hai abnormal, Islami Hakoomat aisay kisi iqdam pay chup reh k abnormility ko encourage nahi kar sakti.!.!.! 5- Islam amn ka Deen hai, Tijarat or Muashrat k tamam Islami ahkam conflict say bachatay hain, zina to kai qism k jhagrray paida karnay ka ba’ais ban sakta hai, lihaza, Islam is say bhi sakhti say mana karta hai.
Homosexuals or gays ko expose karnay per Allama sahib key juraat ko Salam .Great scholar fighting for Islam !!!!!!!!!!!!
I agree with Sheharyar and i believe the intention of these homophobic hooligans is to DIVERT the attention from the real point.Which is IBTISAM ILAHI ZAHEER! NOT homosexuality. It was a context for heaven’s sake!
And Aaqib, BRAVO! I second your opinion man!
iF YOU DONT LIKE gAYS, dont INDULGE IN Gay Sex. SIMPLE!
Oh and just as I have been pointing out, the variant interpretation of story of Lot exists. Get your ass down and read that liberal progressive interpretation!
Usmann rana thumbs up for writing this article. This mullah we’re talking about here is a bigot who wants women to walk around in Burka’s with only one eye visible through it. We are not living in the middle ages. And we don’t want to go back to the 14th century of that’s where you’re from mullah sahib.
And yes there are people like Dayiee Abdullah (the gay imam) who have different interpretations of the verses of the Quran this mullah throws in our face.
And when will these mullahs stop enforcing their interpretations of Islam on other people who prefer to have a different approach to it? Why do they consider ot their godly right to tell people what’s right and whats wrong? And why do they think their own interpretation is the only right way to think?
And allama sahib as nuwazish wrote in an article in the tribune, what is it to you what I do in my bed with the consent of my adult partner? Why do you need to impose your will on how I spend my life?
Very well written article
Extremely well written 🙂
Haseeb
the writer is Nuwas Manto not Nuwazish. He tried to make fun of HIM by twisting the name to Nuwazish.Lol
No doubt, Ibtehsham did, what is his responsibility.
His responsibility as an “islamic scholar” (laughing) is to spew hatred?!
Many thanks for raising this. Thanks LUBP for standing up.
allama ibtisam u rock……..people like allama ibtisam are required in our society
allama ibtisam is not only a religious scholar but also has done 11 masters and is a national record holder……..the idiots like u cannot compete him
each and every word of ibtasam elahi is 100% true ………. ALLAH pak SAB KO HIDAYAT DE….. how can the animals ( like marvi n the other one) tolerate the chains of islam …….
For those who believe in the Word of Quran, they should read about Hazrat Looth (A.S) and his folks on which Allah taa’la sent curse. They were homosexuals 🙂 I dont get into debate of what is extremism, wahabism or Sufism but I believe in what comes from Quran 🙂
This article shows that Mr.Usman is not only anti-Islam but also a staunch supporter of gays and lesbians.He does not know even the basics of Islam.As far as Islamic punishments are concerned ,these have not been prescribed by Ibtisam Elahi Zaheer.These are heavenly revealed.Review your thoughts.May Allah show you the right path.aameen…………….
allama is right
u people r jahil n followers of west
islam is totally against all this
tm log na ghar k na ghat k
angraiz k pithuu ho
aya bda allama sahb k braai zuban darazi krne wala
islam me apni mrzoi chalanai wala u copy cats
aj b islam sai pyar krne walai ghayur log zinda hain
jo tm jaisai jahilon k lyai ye sab asan nae honai dain gai
afsos YE MUSLMAN HAIN JINHAIN DAIKH K SHRMAEN YAHUUD
Aynda aisa article likhnai sai pahlai zra such lijye ga mr usman
apne he tabak roshan krwaen hn
jo ALLAH walon ko zalel o khar krne ki koshish krta hai RAB SWT usai zaleel kr daitai hn
phir usai koi bachanai wala nae hota
MIND IT NEXT TIME
ISLAM ki bat hai fashion designing jaisai mrzi kr li