Do homosexuals avoid zina in the same way?
In addressing the question of whether homosexuals avoid zina in the same way, it is important to clarify the Islamic perspective on this matter. The Qur'an explicitly instructs believers to avoid zina (unlawful sexual relations), with a strong emphasis on staying away from situations that could lead to such actions. For instance, Surah Al-Israa states, And come not near unto adultery. Lo! it is an abomination and an evil way.
17:32. Tafsir Ibn Kathir explains that Allah Almighty instructs His servants to avoid committing zina and even to refrain from approaching it, stressing that it is a grievous sin.
In terms of specific teachings regarding homosexual acts, there are narrations from the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ that emphasize the prohibition of such behavior. For example, Sunan Ibn Majah records the Prophet's ﷺ statement: If a man calls another man 'mukhannath' (effeminate), whip him twenty lashes; and if he calls him 'luti' (a sodomite), whip him twenty lashes.
Sunan Ibn Majah 21:36. This narration indicates that there are prescribed punishments associated with acts that are considered sinful in this context.
Thus, while the overarching principle of avoiding zina applies universally, the specific considerations and consequences regarding homosexual acts are addressed differently within Islamic teachings, reflecting the gravity with which such acts are viewed in the tradition.
Sources
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17:32 · Al-Israa
17:32 · Muhammad Marmaduke Pickthall
وَلَا تَقْرَبُوا۟ ٱلزِّنَىٰٓ ۖ إِنَّهُۥ كَانَ فَٰحِشَةًۭ وَسَآءَ سَبِيلًۭا
And come not near unto adultery. Lo! it is an abomination and an evil way.
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Tafsir Ibn Kathir on 17:32
Tafsir Ibn Kathir · 17:32
Allah Almighty instructs His servants to avoid committing zina (adultery or fornication) and even to refrain from approaching it, meaning to stay away from the means and reasons that lead to it. The verse forbids coming near zina, emphasizing that it is a grievous sin and a shameful act, described as an evil and detestable path. Imam Ahmad narrated from Abu Umama a hadith illustrating this teaching: A young man once approached the Prophet ﷺ asking permission to commit zina. The people around him dissuaded him, but the Prophet instructed him to come closer and sit. Then he asked the youth if he would love this sin if it were done to his own mother; the youth replied, “No, by Allah, may Allah bless you.” The Prophet continued, asking if he would love it done to his daughters, sisters, paternal aunts, or maternal aunts. Each time the youth answered in the negative. The Prophet then prayed for him, saying, "O Allah, forgive his sin, purify his heart, and guard his chastity." After that, the young man never again looked toward that sinful act. This account demonstrates how deeply immoral zina is by putting the sin in terms the young man could relate to family members he loves and respects. Additionally, Ibn Abi Dunya narrated from the Prophet ﷺ that no sin after shirk (associating partners with Allah) is greater in Allah's sight than the sperm a man deposits into a womb forbidden to him. This highlights the severity with which the Sharia views unlawful sexual relations, underscoring the grave responsibility and consequences involved.
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Sunan Ibn Majah 21:36
Sunan Ibn Majah · Book 21, Hadith 36 · Narrated by Ibn Abbas
The Prophet said, "If a man calls another man 'mukhannath' (effeminate), whip him twenty lashes; and if he calls him 'luti' (a sodomite), whip him twenty lashes."
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