The LGBT Muslim organisation Imaan has issued the following statement in response to the false story that Yusuf al-Qaradawi called for the Crown Prince of Qatar to be stoned to death:
“We are concerned about the impact that continued distortion of Dr Yusuf Al-Qaradawi’s views is likely to have. There was another example of this distortion in last week’s Observer (Mandarins in a Mess, 4th September). Nick Cohen quoted an Outrage press release which claimed that Al-Qaradawi had called for the stoning of an Arab if claims he was gay were true. The source was an inaccurate report in Aljazeera magazine (no link to the well known electronic media station), which claimed to have sourced Al-Qaradawi’s view from Islam Online. A careful reading of this website reveals this was the view of Sheikh Al-Munajjid. Both Aljazeera magazine and GALHA have removed articles from their websites following this clarification. Outrage has not. We disagree with Al-Qaradawi’s views on homosexuality, which mirror views of Jewish and Christian leaders, but we believe that singling out Islam as being uniquely reactionary encourages Islamophobia and divides the Muslim and Lesbian and Gay communities. We believe it is correct for institutions such as the Foreign Office to work with all religious leaders on issues for those communities.
“What is not helpful in the fight against homophobia and Islamophobia, oppressions that equally victimise LGBT Muslims, is having the media and groups such as GALHA, Outrage and others continuously misrepresenting Islam. Journalists should ensure their facts are accurate. Consulting with lesbian and gay Muslim representative groups, before publishing articles that could have an adverse effect on these communities, would also be a courtesy.”