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Islamic Countries Decry NEW YORK, June 26 (IslamOnline & News Agencies) Eleven Islamic countries on Tuesday objected to the participation of homosexuals in a special session of the U.N. on the subject of HIV/AIDS. Egypt, one of 11 Islamic countries participating in a U.N. special meeting on fighting the HIV/AIDS epidemic, presented a memorandum objecting to a procedural amendment suggested by Norway, Sweden and Canada, permitting the participation of a member of an international committee for homosexuals' rights group, Karen Kablin. Islamic countries participating at the U.N. conference include Syria, Egypt, Sudan, Pakistan, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Morocco and Libya. Kablin is one of 700 members representing non-governmental organizations contributing to the two-day U.N. conference.She was invited to officially represent the homosexual community, a community liable more than any other to contract HIV/AIDS. Meanwhile, the British weekly, The Times, said Islamic nations such as Iran, Libya and Egypt, teamed up with the Vatican to try and block a proposed reference in a final U.N. declaration to the special vulnerability of some high-risk groups. An Iranian negotiator said: "What is being objected to by Islamic countries are the terms that refer to 'men who have sex with men' and 'sex workers and their clients'. They are not terms that can be included in a declaration by heads of state and U.N. members. Including those terms would imply recognition of them and that is a flagrant violation of Islamic values," the paper reported. Clare Short, the U.K.'s Secretary of State for International Development, criticized Muslim countries and the Vatican as being "reactionary" for trying to stop mention of homosexuals and prostitutes at United Nation's special session on Aids on Monday. On Sunday, a Muslim gay and lesbian group called al-Fatiha has chosen San Francisco's Gay Pride weekend to go public and call on fellow Muslims to demonstrate for gay rights, the BBC online service reported. A leading Muslim cleric denounced the so-called Muslim homosexual group. Sheikh Yusuf Al-Qaradawi, a Qatar-based sheikh, said: "Allaah prohibited Adultery and all means that lead to it. He also forbade all forms of abnormal behavior [including homosexuality]." Homosexuality is mentioned in the Qur'an as an abominable sin. In more than one chapter (Surah) of the Qur'an, the denounced people of Lut are mentioned as a symbol of homosexuality. Muslim scholars quote an ayah (verse) from the Qur'an that prohibits homosexuality. Allaah says, "Those who love [to see] obscenity spread among the believers will have a grievous penalty in their life and in the hereafter: Allaah knows, and you know not." (Surah Al-Noor 24:19) Muslim scholars further warn Muslims not to associate with those who insist on this lifestyle, considering it legitimate and who feel "gay pride". They assert that Muslims should not leave him/her who has taken that wrongful path to the temptations of the Devil. Meanwhile, Prof. Zaghloul al-Naggar, professor of geology and Director of the London-based Markfield Institute of Higher Education, told IslamOnline that many Westerners - some of them homosexual - convert to Islaam in order to appeal to Islamic communities and spread sinful behavior among Muslims, thus shaking their belief. Naggar cited the example of Richard S. Burton, a British writer who wrote in his book "A Journey to Mecca" how he publicly converted to Islaam for ulterior motives rather than out of real faith. Naggar also referred to Turkish Jews who converted to Islaam to reach power in Turkey during the times of Muslim Caliphs. Meanwhile, at the U.N. conference, the U.S. allocated $480 million, double the amount allocated last year, in order to fight HIV/AIDS. U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan called Monday for concerted global action and more money to be put towards a fund for fighting Aids and related illnesses. He said between seven billion dollars and ten billion dollars were needed annually to deal with the disease. So far, three countries - the United States, Britain and France - have made contributions to the fund along with three private donations, reaching a total of just $528 million. The three day conference and meetings will end Wednesday, and will touch on everything from drug prices and AIDS' orphans to homosexuality. Homosexuality: WHAT IS THE REAL SICKNESS? KhalilFM Speaks on Homosexuality..........Pro-Family Groups Attack NEA's Alleged Homosexual Agenda |
