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This book highlights the lived experiences of gay Muslims in Malaysia, where Islam is the majority and official religion, and in Britain, where Muslims form a religious minority. By exploring how they negotiate their religious and sexual identities, Shah challenges the notion that Islam is inherently homophobic and that there is an unbridgeable divide between 'Islam' and the 'West'. Shah also gained access to gay Muslim networks and individuals for his in-depth research in both countries, and the book investigates the different ways that they respond to everyday anti-homosexual or anti-Muslim sentiments. Amid the many challenges they confront, the gay Muslims whom Shah encountered find innovative and meaningful ways to integrate Islam and gay identity into their lives.
The Making of a Gay Muslim will appeal to students and scholars with an interest in contemporary Islam, religion, gender and sexuality.
List of contents
1. Introduction.- 2. Looking for Gay Muslims.- 3. Studying Islam and Homosexuality.- 4. Comparing Malaysia and Britain.- 5. Coming to Terms with Being Gay and Muslim.- 6. Gay Expressions of Islam.- 7. The Wider Politics of Halal and Haram.- 8. Conclusion.
About the author
Shanon Shah is an academic based in London, UK. He lectures in the sociology and anthropology of religion and researches into contemporary Islam and Christianity in Malaysia and Britain.
Summary
This book highlights the lived experiences of gay Muslims in Malaysia, where Islam is the majority and official religion, and in Britain, where Muslims form a religious minority. By exploring how they negotiate their religious and sexual identities, Shah challenges the notion that Islam is inherently homophobic and that there is an unbridgeable divide between ‘Islam’ and the ‘West’. Shah also gained access to gay Muslim networks and individuals for his in-depth research in both countries, and the book investigates the different ways that they respond to everyday anti-homosexual or anti-Muslim sentiments. Amid the many challenges they confront, the gay Muslims whom Shah encountered find innovative and meaningful ways to integrate Islam and gay identity into their lives.
The Making of a Gay Muslim will appeal to students and scholars with an interest in contemporary Islam, religion, gender and sexuality.
Additional text
“The key strength of this book is its comparative approach that demonstrates the constructive nature of faith and sexuality through different historical, political, social and demographical contexts, within which gay Muslims make sense of, receive/reject, negotiate, express/suppress their faiths and sexualities. … this book certainly serves as a great reference to interested scholars and gay Muslim individuals in understanding these two seemingly ‘incommensurable’ identities in Europe and Southeast Asia.” (Chua Hang-Kuen, Journal of Malaysian Studies, Vol. 38 (1), 2020)
“The Making of a Gay Muslim, is not just important in terms of expanding our knowledge about the complex interfaces between sexual orientations and religious affiliations. … . Thick description has been applied throughout the book, as the author records in detail the design process of the project and howthe data were collected, interpreted and eventually formulated into concrete findings and conclusions. At every stage, the descriptive parts are interlaced with critical analysis and (self-)reflection.” (Carool Kersten, Religion, State & Society, Vol. 47 (1), 2019)
“Shah’s prose is vivid and energetic, and the reader feels drawn to the text and the writer. Stories and observations are interspersed with references to academia, activism, and religious writing, adding weight to the powerful participant views. The writing style is also supported by an honest and transparent approach. … The Making of a Gay Muslim is an excellent and engaging work which deserves to be widely read.” (Alexander Toft, Reading Religion, readingreligion.org, September, 2018)
Report
"The key strength of this book is its comparative approach that demonstrates the constructive nature of faith and sexuality through different historical, political, social and demographical contexts, within which gay Muslims make sense of, receive/reject, negotiate, express/suppress their faiths and sexualities. ... this book certainly serves as a great reference to interested scholars and gay Muslim individuals in understanding these two seemingly 'incommensurable' identities in Europe and Southeast Asia." (Chua Hang-Kuen, Journal of Malaysian Studies, Vol. 38 (1), 2020)
"The Making of a Gay Muslim, is not just important in terms of expanding our knowledge about the complex interfaces between sexual orientations and religious affiliations. ... . Thick description has been applied throughout the book, as the author records in detail the design process of the project and howthe data were collected, interpreted and eventually formulated into concrete findings and conclusions. At every stage, the descriptive parts are interlaced with critical analysis and (self-)reflection." (Carool Kersten, Religion, State & Society, Vol. 47 (1), 2019)
"Shah's prose is vivid and energetic, and the reader feels drawn to the text and the writer. Stories and observations are interspersed with references to academia, activism, and religious writing, adding weight to the powerful participant views. The writing style is also supported by an honest and transparent approach. ... The Making of a Gay Muslim is an excellent and engaging work which deserves to be widely read." (Alexander Toft, Reading Religion, readingreligion.org, September, 2018)
