‘My Faith Is More Important’,say America’s First Openly Gay Imam. ( Only in Yankee)

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Daayiee Abdullah's first act as Imam was to funeral rites for a homosexual Muslim who died of AIDS. Different Imams had declined to do the Muslim cleaning routine for the AIDS victim. That sort of exclusion was why Abdullah turned an Imam in the very first place, to provide help to homosexual and lesbian Muslims who're frequently excluded from their spiritual communities.

Several National Muslim leaders have condemned him, specially for doing homosexual marriages. Some imams actually won't greet him.

 "Anyone who has an inclination that is not acceptable, they have to control themselves," said California imam Muzammil Siddiqi to Al Jazeera when the network asked about Abdullah. "If someone has an inclination to commit adultery or an inclination to drink alcohol or a great desire to eat pork, I would say the same thing: control yourselves."

But Abdullah is virtually a folk hero among American gay rights advocates and progressives. "He's like the Harvey Milk of gay Muslim leaders in America," said Prof. Abdelilah Bouasria of the American University to the Washington Post.

"I have a slightly different vision of Islam," Abdullah told the Washington Post, "and it may take a while for the world to catch up."

Abdullah helps gay Muslims he marries to keep their ceremonies quiet, since families back in the Middle East could be persecuted if the marriages became known. "Our relatives could be killed, their homes destroyed back in the Middle East if our wedding was on the Internet," said MQ, 35, a Muslim who married his partner in a ceremony performed by Abdullah.

Born in 1954 to Southern Baptist parents, Abdullah came out to his parents at the age of 15, and converted to Islam at age 33. He allows women to sit with men and women can lead prayers - another innovation that has outraged some American Muslims.


Abdullah assists homosexual Muslims he marries to help keep their ceremonies calm, because people in the Middle East might be persecuted if the marriages became known. "Our family relations might be killed, their home ruined in the middle East if our wedding was on the Web," claimed MQ, 35, a Muslim who married  his spouse in a ceremony done by Abdullah.

Born in 1954 to Southern Baptist parents, Abdullah came out to his parents at age 15, and changed into Islam at era 33. He enables girls to remain with guys and girls may lead prayers. - still another creativity that's outraged some National Muslims.