Beauty and Resilience

Missing the beauty and resilience of last weekend's #LGBTMuslims retreat. 90 queer Muslims, partners and children. 18 states, 3 countries, 19 faiths and spiritual traditions and more than 12 ethnicities and racial backgrounds. Gathered together to celebrate "Strength in Diversity." Retreat album will be posted soon. 

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Dobby has no master! Dobby is a FREE ELF, and Dobby has come to save
Harry Potter and his friends! Such a beautiful place to be with
friends. So happy to be with friends.

That adorably fun furnace whose fuel is flashing phantoms from the past.

Following The Retreat Live

It has been really hard to "live" tweet or post about the #LGBTMuslims Retreat.  Our schedule is packed from 6 am to 10 pm with sessions, workshops, prayer, meals, zikr, meditation, yoga and a number of other activities.  There has been a roller coaster of emotions in the last 2 days.  Out of 90 people in attendance, more than 1/2 are new! There are 31 ethnic identities and more than 19 spiritual and religious traditions present among the 90 people.  More than 40 participants identify as women (the highest number we have had).  We are indeed a microcosm of the Islamic world!

Our sessions have included topics including:

- Gender 101

- Diversity within the Islamic Faith

- Power and Privilege 

- Mental Health & Resilience

- South Asian Diaspora

- Negotiating Sex & Relationships

- Building Inclusive Spaces

- Queering the Quran

And many more. We invite you to take a look at our program book to learn more about this weekend's activities.  Inshallah we will update everyone on our weekend together soon.  We will post photos later tonight on our blog (lgbtmuslimretreat.blogspot.com) and we invite you to "Like" the Muslim Alliance for Sexual and Gender Diversity - MASGD page on Facebook and follow us on twitter @TheMASGD

http://www.lgbtmuslimretreat.com/resources/2014%20LGBTQ%20Muslim%20Retreat%20Program%20Book%20-%20V3.pdf

Diversity, Faith and Practice in Islam

Plenary on "Diversity, Faith and Practice in Islam."  Presentation by 2 scholars and a community member discussing the vast ideological and political variances and struggles in early Islam. 90+ #LGBTMuslims and partners who identify with 29 religious / spiritual traditions are learning about how Islam was not and continues to not be a monolithic faith. There are Sunni, Shias, Agnostics, Islamailis, Unitarians, Dawoodi and Druze; all in one place celebrating the rainbow of the Divine. - 2014 #LGBTMuslims Retreat. 

The mark of a good slave is that the slave makes oneself invisible.
There is no question of privilege or lack thereof - one has no time or
energy for the question of privilege.

Pondering one's visibility is the privilege of the non-enslaved.
-One Who Knows

Inclusive Spaces

Inclusive Spaces
- Sacred sites (ie Quran) creates sacred spaces. Inclusive interpretations of the Quran lead to inclusive spaces
- Our vision of inclusive Islam: non-discrimination on the basis of race, class, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual identity, sexual orientation, species identity
- Inclusive language, inclusive liturgy, inclusive "gherstory," inclusive Prophecy (including women Prophets), leadership and authority.
- Ghazala Anwar, speaking on Inclusive Islam

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Envisioning an Inclusive Islam

"Making a Case for Inclusion of LGBTQ Muslims" - plenary presentation by Dr Ghazala Anwar.
*We have to state our case in common Muslim language of the heart and body.
*Re-interpreting what is used to justify our exclusion while not questioning or desacralizing the commonly held sacred sites of the community.
*Stressing shared moral and ethical criteria

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Day 1 of #LGBTMuslims Retreat

Day 1 of #LGBTMuslims Retreat has come to an end. Strangers brought together from across the country and around the world for one purpose. To share their struggles and celebrations in a space that welcomes them and cherishes them for all their identities.

A punkish trans Muslim convert who recites the Quran with a tonation better than the best Quranic reciters. A young hijabi woman passionately speaking out against  the capitalist farce that forces the poor into perpetual economic despair. A young Muslim man who's building a community of queer Muslims in a small town in Kansas. These are just a tiny example of the diversity that is Allah's creation present here, outcasts among outcasts.

Finding and building and creating and struggling and celebrating and honoring and loving and learning. Strength in Diversity. Building a queer Muslim revolution both within our lives and out in our world.

A small retreat center is the epicenter of agitation and wisdom and longing for acceptance and celebration of our lives. Brought together by Allah. For we have created you into nations and tribes, so yoy may know each other. And surely the best among you are the ones who gathers together to remember the Divine. 

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Intimacy of Our Relationship and Connection to Allah

"The intimacy of (our relationship and connection) to Allah is accessible to everyone (regardless of gender or sexual orientation." El-Farouk Khaki at#LGBTMuslims Retreat Friday prayer.

We have a lot of Muhammads :-)

Iron and Handsome Guys

Yes,  I'm bringing an iron to the #LGBTMuslims Retreat. We're having "speed networking" and rumor has it many handsome queer Muslim guys are coming. So a boy's gotta look good, right? :-) #queermuslims #femmeatheart

-Faisal 

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