Good news, bad news, and the Saga of Nakia the Outrageous.

OK Ilan killed the personal ads idea, so I shan't be playing auntie for anyone on PI.org. I still think we should have a discussion on progressive Muslims finding mates that are spiritually, emotionally, and intellectually compatible (among other things). Marriage isn't the same as it was when our grandparents were getting hitched, and for those of us who have multifaith families, we've got several traditions/forms of baggage to handle. Let's talk about love, people!

My new PI.org name is Fashion Mujahid. I plan to offer something on the Fashion Jihad in a bit, I'm thinking something along the lines of selecting one's best colors. Stay tuned, and be beautiful to yourself.

The Saga of Nakia the Outrageous

While chatting on MSN with a rather handsome Brit, the conversation turned to the difficulty of finding someone who's compatible. We're both of African descent, so we've got stories of failing the paper bag test that Arab/Asians seem to administer to potential mates for themselves. I made a reference to the World's Cutest Couple - which, in case you didn't know, is a lesbian couple in Cambridge, MA. One half of this adorable pair is Muslim, the other half Jewish. He went into a homophobic fit, demanding that I "justify" the existence of the World's Cutest Couple, and asking "what is the biological conclusion of homosexuality?" 

Yeah, I couldn't make sense of that, either.

Instead of trying to treat the symptoms of his homophobic fit, I decided to go after the underlying disease- the fact that he thinks that his view of the world should govern all.  I also went after his incredibly bad and shifting reasoning process- he kept waffling between trying to prove his point on a "rational" basis, then a "biological" basis, then a "moral" basis, with the fact that human beings reproduce sexually as the lone piece of evidence, to be shared by all three platforms. Like trying to cover his bum with a postage stamp, all his shortcomings were on display as he kept stretching and twisting in a futile effort to make his measly fact cover the whole sorry excuse for an argument. 

And herein lies the beauty of online chats: I didn't have to try to keep a straight face, or restrain my sniggering. Pulling myself together enough to type, I recalled the delightful methods of Dr. Khaled Abou el Fadl (a man who I adore beyond reason), and did my level best to imitate them.-I'd like to point out here that I will never be as cool as Dr. Khaled, not in a jillion years.-I questioned this guy's assumptions, analysed his reasoning process, and called him out on bald-faced lies. I couldn't even touch his "fiqh does not suscribe to homosexuallity" (sic) but by that time, I was well past wanting to touch anything to do with him.

He asked me to state and prove my position. Seeing the state of his mental prowess, I thought it best to start at the very beginning, discussing the nature of authority from an Islamic perspective, and laying the basis for an authoritative Islamic approach rather than an authoritarian Islamic approach. My goal was not to prove that homosexuality was "justified under Islam" , but that the likes of him would have to come up with far more than "the principle is there are male and female beings who procure offspring by a sexual act" to condemn the World's Cutest Couple, and that such a condemnation would have to be subject to scrutiny, lest we be ruled by a bunch of bullies claiming Islam as their source of authority (Hey, wait...)

I was getting warmed up to the subject, and thinking about referring him to a few works by Dr. Khaled, when, seeing that I was going to make far more sense than he did, he decided to retreat. Swore he had to get up very early for work the next morning, and buzzed off. 

Why do I count this as a victory? Because he wasn't going to admit that my ideas were stronger, no matter what. Because he had to admit to the strength of the ideas I did have time to present. But mostly because instead of surrendering the faith of Muhammad (SAS) to the bigots, and accepting the idea that Islam is a petty faith ruled by men, I asserted that God alone is my Lord, and no one, nor no million ones, dare interpose themselves between me and my Lord. 

 Dex Aie!