I am a prisoner in a U.S.A.

Answer

Only if one believes that homosexuality or any other sin is halaal (permissible) will it nullify Imaan. As long as the perpetrator of the sin believes that his act is sinful he remains a Muslim, albeit with extremely weak and deficient Imaan.

Brother, as long as you do not justify your sexual perversion, and as long as you believe that it is sinful, you remain a Muslim. You are required to struggle against your emotional state and desires to restrain expression of your unnatural desires.

Consider a Muslim who is not a homosexual. He is also not married. He has a strong urge for gratifying his sexual desires, but he is unable to find a woman to marry. Now what is he required to do in this scenario? Islam commands him to restrain his desires and not to indulge in fornication even if for some reason he is unable to get married his entire life, e.g. he may have been sentenced to a lifetime in prison. He has no option but to restrain his sexual lust and not indulge in fornication or in any other act of sexual perversion such as masturbation. But if he falls victim to shaitaan and his nafs and he commits fornication, he remains a Muslim because he knows and believes that his fornication is a grievous sin.

In exactly the same way should be the homosexual. He must never believe that the act of homosexuality is permissible. He must always resort to Taubah (seeking forgiveness) and implore Allah Ta'ala to eliminate the unnatural tendency in him. Allah Ta'ala is merciful and forgives all sins, no matter how great, vile and how numerous the sins are. The brothers who threaten to commit violence against you are in error. Their only right is to repeatedly offer you advice and to warn you of Allah's punishment.

Once when a lady quest i o n e d R a s u l u l l a h (Sallallahu ala yh i wasallam) regarding the numerous rewards in store for men in view of their participation in many acts of ibaadat from which women are deprived, he said:

"O woman! Understand well and convey to the other women that if a woman is a good wife to her husband, she searches for his pleasure, and she obeys and conforms to him, then this is the equivalent of all that (i.e. the activities of ibaadat which the woman had enumerated)."

She had mentioned that men are favoured with Jumuah, Jamaa-aat, visiting the sick, participation in Janaazah, repeatedly performing Hajj, and Jihaad fi Sabeelillaah. Rasulullah (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam) assured her that only by pleasing the husband, the woman gains the thawaab of all of these acts.

It should, however, be remembered that the husband may not be obeyed in haraam. The wife is not permitted to submit to his haraam wishes and orders. But it is incumbent to obey him in all things permissible even if the Shariah has not initially imposed it on her as an obligation.

Noteworthy in the lady's statement are:

(1) Repeatedly performing Hajj, (2) Visiting the sick and (3) Jihad. This indicates that these acts were generally exclusive with males.

It was not the normal practice of women to go for Nafl Hajj/Umrah, visiting the sick and participating in Jihad. These acts were exceptions for them.

"Responding harshly to nonsense and ta'leem with harshness are not in conflict with akhlaaq (good moral conduct)." (Hadhrat Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanvi)

Although this is not the norm, there are occasions when severity has to be adopted in Amr Bil Ma'roof. This was the tareeqah of Rasulullah (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam), of all the Ambiya and of the Sahaabah. Their method of Amr Bil Ma'roof Nahy Anil Munkar was not deficient. It embraced different attitudes.

Whilst Hadhrat Nabi Isaa (Alayhis salaam) is famed for tenderness, he once expelled some people from the Musjid when he found them engaging in conversation. He hit them with his shawl. There is no need to elaborate on the method of Hadhrat Umar (Radhiyallahu anhu). His dhurrah (whip) is famous and proverbial. And, even Rasulullah (Sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) occasionally reacted with anger, annoyance and severity.

SHAITAAN'S

ABODE

"Constantly keep cutting the nails, for verily it is the place of shaitaan, and from it (long nails) develop forgetfulness."

Long finger nails are a haraam kuffaar style. Under such filthy nails dwell shaitaan.

TAQWA Taqwa is achieved by

abstaining from all activ- "Taqwa is to be far away ities and attitudes which from all things which are sinful and from even distance one from Allah such acts which may be Ta'ala." (Hadhrat Abpermissible but which do dullah Khafeef)

not countenance the Pleasure of Allah Ta'ala. Such acts have no benefit in the Aakhrat. Such deeds are futile in which there is no worldly benefit nor benefit in the Aakhirat.

Rasulullah (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said:

"You will not attain the rank of the Muttaqeen as long as you do not abstain from permissibilities for the fear of committing impermissibilities."

A futile act may be initially permissible, but constant or much indulgence culminates into haraam.