Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
THE ISLAMIC CENTRE in Blanchardstown, Dublin, has issued advice to Irish Muslims on voting in the upcoming same-sex marriage referendum.
Today, the centre said it has received many queries from Muslims living here about the referendum. In a letter from Head Imam of Al Mustafa Islamic Centre, Shaykh Umar Al-Qadri, circulated to the Muslim community, he said being entitled to vote and participate in a political process is a privilege.
He stressed thatt the referendum is not about changing Islamic marriage, but about changing marriage in the Irish constitution.
“Imams will not be obliged legally to conduct an Islamic marriage (Nikaah) between same sex couples.” However he said the referendum was not simply about equality for gay people.
The amendment will have serious consequences, as it will redefine marriage and parenthood. It will open the door to new definitions of marriage, which could extend further. These are consequences on children and future generations.
In the letter, Al-Qadri explained the Islamic tradition has always acknowledged that some people may have “homosexual impulses and this is not considered a sin in Islam”.
“To act on these sexual impulses is considered a sin in Islam.”
As Muslims we must believe in equality and inclusiveness. People should not be discriminated for any reason. It is important to humanise people and not to de humanise. The Islamic tradition teaches to hate the sin but not the sinner. The attitude of some Muslims towards homosexuals is incompatible with the spirit of mercy and kindness in Islam.
He asked Irish Muslims to keep in mind both the Islamic stance on homosexuality and the consequences of the amendment for society.
“The Irish constitution guarantees all Irish citizens the freedom of conscience and Muslims must exercise this right when voting on 22nd May 2015.”
Have the UK Government consulted the DUP on this plan yet? I can already see the pained look on Paisley Jr’s face…
@Ruairi Gagarin: They’ll be raging even more when they find out she was Protestant when she fought against the empire…converted after the rising at some stage I believe.
@Dead Mousche: she’d pop back now if she was around and saw what her new flock did !
@Ruairi Gagarin: imagine the British governments dismay when they discovered that the first female elected member was an abstentionist shinner lol
Arlene will soon put a stop to that!
I’d say it’s fair to presume that this is a shining example of what little brittish people know about irish history. I’d say Teresa may just doesn’t know who she is. This could come back to bite her
@domas1507: Haha that’s what’s great about it, it’s like an eternal FU to the British Parliament from an Irish republican. I hope the most staunch conservatives don’t find out who she is until their at the commemoration speech, it’ll be gut wrenching experience for the old goats.
@domas1507: oh the usual mistake of underestimation, and the inability to take a compliment …
The main reason they spared Countess Markievicz life was because they were busy making political capital from the execution of the Nurse Edith Cavell by the Germans on the 12th October 1915.
@Jarlath Murphy: ah I’d say the fact she wasn’t from Thomas Street helped a bit too!
She killed a British policeman.
I’m sure, back in the days, the Irish Independent would’ve labelled her a terrorist!
Michael Latiff was Irish member of the RIC killed by the countess….We did not have British police in Dublin in 1916….
@John003: Were we not all British then?
@Paul Kelly: you’re right, we were.
And pre-1776, Americans were British.
@John003:
The RIC were British.
@Paul Kelly:
No.
@Fran Lonergan: Yes
@Franklin Roosevelt: oh you’re using the Countess now to excuse all the dirtbags that murdered policemen in this country now, and are walking around free as birds.. at lest they are using their own names I suppose !
@Paul Kelly: Irish people were never British.
@Paul Kelly: I’m sure all the kids lying under priests and Christian brothers , and abused by nuns , under what freedom brought , under Dev and Mc Quaid’s watch were proud to be Irish too ?
@Gerry Campbell: I think she should be commentated, but we should not forget that the was an absolute nut job that was the most trigger happy spanner back in the day. At least Pearse and Connolly had a bit of romance – she was a nutcase!
@Franklin Roosevelt: That was more for the way the RIC treated the people of dublin during the lockout strike of 1913. they illegally aimed for peoples skulls instead of the shoulders. attempted murder more like.
@Gulliver Foyle: Connolly wasn’t simple either, he wanted to shoot the RIC man on duty in the GPO that day, execute a prisoner, a fellow Irishman trying to feed his family, and unfortunately in the worst post in Dublin that day, fortunately Connollys orders were countermanded by his CO The O’ Rahilly.
Did she take the scenic route to the Dail, so she could claim expenses, too?
@Eyepopper: She took the scenic route to Glasnevin cemetery, one of the largest funerals Dublin ever saw.
And who will be the real heroes of the present and the near future?
Who will inspire better times, kinder times, fairer times and more egalitarian times?
Will we be defined in the 21st century only by success in the pursuit of money.
@Fiona deFreyne: Your posts are so cryptic, i cannot understand them, what country are you from?
The absolute hypocrisy of FF eulogising this heroine for her abstentionism from Westminster while repeatedly trying to condemn SF for their abstentionism from Westminster. Pathetic stuff from ‘The Republican Party’.
@Tír Eoghain Gael: no I think you will find ”twas all the bodies with plastic bags over their heads in ditches gave us the distaste for ye ?
@Gerry Campbell: Back in the day of the old IRA, the murders committed by members of what is now the FF party were no different than the murders committed by SF. Murder is murder, and yet you glorify and honor those that fought and died to free the South, but condemn those who fought and died to free the North.
Would Sinn Féin reciprocate and take their seats in Westminster? This would destabilise the pact between the DUP and the Tories and further the road to unification. Why not? It would be an empty gesture like FF taking the oath of allegiance to oust Cumann na nGael?
FG will be delighted.
She’s the spit of Cillian Murphy in Breakfast on Pluto
@Stephen: Do not be so disrespectful to a woman who did not have to, but sacrificed her privileged life for a cause she believed in.
@Tom&Gerry: you need to chill super paddy, he can say what he likes, that’s Ireland of long ago we have long since sold our souls
@Eddie Nugent: You are so right, Thanks for the super paddy tag, i really like it and will wear it with pride.
The Polish Community in Ireland will be pleased that she was married to a Polish Count.
Great auld lad that fella….
More huffing and door slamming now from comb over republicans who can’t get their heads around why Britain neither knows or cares about Irish history. Why should they? Your not that important lads
@Kevin Slater: Well they must be very uneducated if they don’t know or care anything about a country they invaded and ruled for centuries.
@Tom&Gerry: totally agree with Kevin . They couldn’t care less about Irish history . I don’t think they really care about their own history either . They don’t seem to be hung up on the history thing like us Irish . WW1 and WW2 seems to the only part of history they care about .
She’s my hero a leading lady in irish history .
The original pussy-pass?
@Liam Mac Roibin: Shame on you, you are insulting a person of honour who sacrificed her privileged life for the cause of freedom for the Irish people. Please show some respect.
@Tom&Gerry: handing out the shame on you badges, look around at all the Irish that shame and show no respect everyday, do you really think those who have sacrificed there lives back then would really think it was worth it now, I doubt it.
@Eddie Nugent: If you are talking about the way this country was sold over to The E.U. and being flooded with migrants of a dangerous persuasion, i agree with you. Otherwise i don’t understand what you mean.
have your say