How can we understand the recent protests by Muslim groups across Canada against LGBTQ inclusion in school curricula? The objective in this course is to showcase that there is no uniform Muslim position as both orthodox and progressive Muslim voices exist. We will delve into how we understand homosexuality in a medieval Muslim context both theologically and medically, i.e., how did the classical Muslim scholars address the issue. We will then parse the Muslim texts, where participants will read verses and look at the intended meanings from a fresh perspective. We will rebut many of the orthodox opinions used in online Muslim videos and articles. Finally, we will build the case for Muslim same-sex unions and showcase the accommodation of trans folks in Islam.
Instructor: Junaid Jahangir
Dr. Junaid B. Jahangir is an Associate Professor of Economics at MacEwan University in Edmonton, Alberta. He is interested in economic pluralism and renewed perspectives to teaching economics. He has developed new courses including Economics of Religion, Futures Studies and Humanistic Economics. In 2016, he co-authored the book Islamic Law and Muslim Same-Sex Unions. In 2019, he projected his ideas through a Tedx talk.
