The Ruling on Sodomy in the Light of Hadith
Source: Fatāwā Ameenpuri by Shaykh Ghulam Mustafa Zaheer Ameenpuri
❖ Question:
What is the ruling on sodomy?
❖ Answer:
Sodomy is such a heinous crime that Allah ﷻ sent down a punishment of stones upon its perpetrators, overturned their settlement, and made them a lasting sign of warning until the Day of Judgment.
Undoubtedly, only those whose nature has been corrupted, whose hearts have become overtaken by bestial traits, and upon whom Shayṭān has gained dominance, commit such lewdness and immorality. Even monkeys and pigs do not commit this filthy act, while disbelievers indulge in it.
Homosexuality is a cancer for society — a form of savagery deadlier than lethal poison. It is a destructive mistake and deception of the soul that tears apart the fabric of honor. Every person of sound nature and true insight finds this act repulsive. It darkens hearts, devours health like termites, and destroys nations when they become afflicted with it, exposing them to the severe grasp of Allah ﷻ. The consequences of ingratitude and disobedience manifest in their condition: their moral standards decline, they lose the essence of chastity and purity, and courage and valor vanish from them.
Sodomy destroys the sanctity and sacredness of relationships. For this reason, the Qur’an refers to it as فاحشہ and خبائث. فاحشہ refers to something that exceeds all bounds.
Sodomy is unanimously regarded as a major sin, and its prescribed punishment is death.
✿ Scholarly Consensus
✔ Imam Ibn Hazm رحمه الله (456H) said:
اتفقوا أن وطء الرجل الرجل جرم عظيم
“The scholars are agreed that a man committing intercourse with another man is a grave crime.”
(Marātib al-Ijmāʿ, p. 131)
✔ Imam Ibn Hubayrah رحمه الله (560H) said:
اتفقوا على أن اللواط حرام، وأنه من الفواحش
“The scholars are agreed that sodomy is ḥarām and it is among the vile indecencies.”
(Al-Ifṣāḥ ʿan Maʿānī al-Ṣiḥāḥ: 2/255)
✔ Imam Ibn Qudāmah al-Maqdisi رحمه الله (620H) said:
أجمع أهل العلم على تحريم اللواط، وقد ذمه الله تعالى فى كتابه، وعاب من فعله، وذمه رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم
“The scholars are unanimously agreed on the prohibition of sodomy. Allah ﷻ condemned it in His Book, reproached its doer, and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ also condemned it.”
(Al-Mughnī: 9/60)
✔ Imam al-Qurṭubī رحمه الله (671H) said:
إجماعهم على تحريمه
“There is consensus of the scholars on its prohibition.”
(Tafsīr al-Qurṭubī: 7/243)
✔ Imam Abū al-Faraj Ibn Qudāmah رحمه الله (682H) said:
أجمع أهل العلم على تحريم اللواط
“The scholars are unanimously agreed on the prohibition of sodomy.”
(Al-Sharḥ al-Kabīr: 26/271)
✔ Ḥāfiẓ al-Dhahabī رحمه الله (748H) said:
أجمع المسلمون على أن التلوط من الكبائر
“The Muslims are unanimously agreed that sodomy is among the major sins.”
(Al-Kabāʾir, p. 56)
✔ Imam Ibn Nujās رحمه الله (814H) said:
قد أجمع الصحابة على قتل فاعله
“The Companions were unanimously agreed that the one who commits sodomy is to be killed.”
(Tanbīh al-Ghāfilīn, p. 142)
✔ Imam Ibn Mufliḥ رحمه الله (884H) said:
بالجملة فالإجماع منعقد على تحريمه، وقد عابه الله فى كتابه وذم فاعله
“In sum, there is consensus on its prohibition. Allah ﷻ has condemned it in His Book and reproached its perpetrator.”
(Al-Mubdiʿ: 7/386)
✔ Imam Ibn Ḥajar al-Haythamī رحمه الله (974H) said:
أجمعت الصحابة على قتل فاعل ذلك
“The Companions unanimously agreed upon the killing of the one who commits it.”
(Al-Zawājir: 2/232)
✔ Imam al-Shawkānī رحمه الله (1250H) said:
اتفاقهم على تحريمه وأنه من الكبائر للأحاديث المتواترة فى تحريمه ولعن فاعله
“The scholars are unanimously agreed on its prohibition and that it is among the major sins, due to the numerous mutawātir aḥādīth declaring it forbidden and cursing its perpetrator.”
(Nayl al-Awṭār: 7/140)
