A Jihad for Love (2007) - Movie Trailer

In a time when Islam is under tremendous attack from within and without, "A Jihad for Love" is a daring documentary filmed in twelve countries and nine languages. Muslim gay filmmaker Parvez Sharma has gone where the silence is loudest, filming with great risk in nations where government permission to make this film was not an option.

"A Jihad for Love" is Mr. Sharma's debut and is the world's first feature documentary to explore the complex global intersections between Islam and homosexuality. Parvez enters the many worlds of Islam by illuminating multiple stories as diverse as Islam itself. The film travels a wide geographic arc presenting us lives from India, Pakistan, Iran, Turkey, Egypt, South Africa and France. Always filming in secret and as a Muslim, Parvez makes the film from within the faith, depicting Islam with the same respect that the film's characters show for it. "A Jihad for Love" is produced by Sandi DuBowski (Director/Producer of the award-winning "Trembling Before G-d") and Parvez Sharma in association with ZDF-Arte, Channel 4, LOGO, SBS-Australia, The Sundance Documentary Fund and The Katahdin Foundation.

In Western media, the concept of 'jihad' is often narrowly equated with holy war. But Jihad also has a deeper meaning, its literal Arabic being 'struggle' or 'to strive in the path of God'. In this film we meet several characters engaged in their personal Jihad's for love. The people in this film have a lot to teach us about love. Their pursuit of love has brought them into conflicts with their countries, families, and even themselves. Such is the quandary of being both homosexual and Muslim, a combination so taboo that very little about it has been documented.

As a result, the majority of gay and lesbian Muslims must travel a twisting, lonely and often dangerous road. The majority of Muslims believe that homosexuality is forbidden by the Qur'an and many scholars quote Hadith (sayings attributed to the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him) to directly condemn homosexuality. Islam, already the second largest religion in the world is also the fastest growing. 50 nations have a Muslim majority. In a few of those nations laws interpreted from alleged Qur'anic prohibitions of male homosexuality (lesbianism is allegedly absent from the Qur'an) are enforced by religious, tribal or military authorities to monitor, entrap, imprison, torture and even execute homosexuals. Even for those who migrate to Europe or North America and adopt Western personae of "gay" or "queer," the relative freedoms of new homelands are mitigated by persistent racial profiling and intensified state surveillance after the attacks of 9/11 and train bombings in Madrid and London.

As a result, many gay and lesbian Muslims end up renouncing their religion completely. But the real-life characters of A "Jihad for Love" aren't willing to abandon a faith they cherish and that sustains them. Instead, they struggle to reconcile their ardent belief with the innate reality of their being. The international chorus of gay and lesbian Muslims brought together by "A Jihad for Love" doesn't seek to vilify or reject Islam, but rather negotiate a new relationship to it. In doing so, the film's extraordinary characters attempt to point the way for all Muslims to move beyond the hostile, war-torn present, toward a more hopeful future. As one can imagine, it was a difficult decision for the subjects to participate in the film due to the violence they could face. It took the filmmaker six years to finish this film and he like those who have stepped forward to tell their stories feel that they are Islam's most unlikely storytellers. All of them feel that this film is too important for over a billion Muslims-and all the non-Muslims in the world-for them to say no. They are willing to take the risk in their quest to lay equal claim to their profoundly held faith.

A Jihad for Love's characters each have vastly different personal takes on Islam, some observing a rigorously orthodox regimen, others leading highly secular lifestyles while remaining spiritually devout. As the camera attentively captures their stories, the film's gay and lesbian characters emerge in all their human complexity, giving the viewer an honest rendering of their lives while complicating our assumptions about a monolithic Muslim community. Crucially, this film speaks with a Muslim voice, unlike other documentaries about sexual politics in Islam made by Western directors. In the hope of opening a dialogue that has been mostly non-existent in Islam's recent history, and defining jihad as a "struggle" rather than a "war," the film presents the struggle for love.

Plot Keywords: Muslim, Trial, Gay Islam, Gay, Turkey, Gay Interest, Homophobia, India, Lgbt, South Africa, Gay Rights, Iran, Lesbian, Islam, Homosexuality, Paris France, Prison Rape, Religion, Pakistan, Imam, Religious Fundamentalism, Egypt, Imprisonment.

• Category

  Film & Animation

[midgysamurai15]

The comments here are so heartless and rude. Some of them any way. If you are a muslim and have devoted yourself to loving Allah whole heartedly, then the actions of your brothers and sisters is not something for you to judge. Have their personal relationships harmed you in any way? Has the love they share for one another killed anyone?

No.

Do you know what kills? Ignorance kills. Now instead of all this pathetic bitching and whining, just sit down and watch the fucking documentary.

[pettuscapallioni]

Islam is peace.it teaches to love people regardless of their faiths or beliefs..

Islam nver teaches us to neglect or exile people due to certain behaviours ...

I'm a Muslim and straight and love Allah whole-heartedly..and i believe that our beloved Prophet Muhammad s.a.w nver turned his back on any people..

love our brothers and sisters for who they are.guide them if they need it.

if we choose to punish these people physically,we r no difference than westerners that commit hate crime,subhanallah

[tubodigital]

Poor humans born in this horrible mentallity

[desiguy55]

when asked about gays , Muhammed the messenger said that gays should be killed.

why do gays question this important ruling from their god Allah? If all the world was truly muslim there would by no m more gays , as achemdanijad mentioned, there are no gays jn Iran, thats because they are simply killed.

[yahiasthsth]

There is a place in Islam for gay people and gay marrige but there is no place for gay people in Sunni , Shia and Wahabi schools !

[RAMSTERLORD .]

Why is homosexuality a lifestyle, yet ball gagging my girl is a fetish? I can love my male friend without it being gay, yet once the physical sexual aspect happens it becomes gay. THAT IS THE DEFINITION OF A FETISH, A PHYSICAL SEXUAL ACT THAT IS NICHE TO SOME, not hating on it, just gay people make it sound like they are their own race, which homosexuality is not

[Pam Ali]

I suggest reading "The Evil Sin of Homosexuality" an article found in Al Jumuah Magazine (volume 12, issue 3).

A Muslim forbids what God (Muslims call Him Allah) has forbidden and loves what He loves- as conveyed by Qur'an. Our Creator (in His infinite Wisdom) has made some things unlawful for our well-being. He tells us in Qur'an: "And it may be that you dislike a thing which is good for you and that you like a thing which is bad for you. Allah knows but you do not know." (Al Baqara 2:216)

[okayyful]

finally! someone who understands everything there is to know about about homosexuality. it's a good thing people like you are around to educate the rest of us. clearly you know everything there is to know about lifestyles and how one should go about leading them. it's nice to see there's more than just ignorance out there. after reading your post, it's clear arrogance and stupidity are what guide you.

[okayyful]

maybe you should learn the difference between PREY and PRAY before you go preaching about god and Islam and allah. i don't believe ANY religion, anywhere in the world, would honestly preach that hating or degrading someone else's beliefs are the way to please your god. you may want to rethink your acceptance and understanding of religion. no REAL religion promotes hate.it is peoples interpretations of written words that promote stupidity. it seems you have gotten the short end of your religion.

[thamack4]

Homosexuality is a fetish i agree %100

It is completely unnatural, and goes against human nature.

You should be ashamed of your self!

Men acting like women, having anal sex, you disgust me and should be treated as if you are insane, and it is still classified as a mental Illness.

If you are muslim, i strongly suggest YOU READ your QURAN and learn what is right from wrong, and PREY to ALLAH for sincere REPENTANCE on this sin.