{"id":2998,"date":"2021-06-23T21:33:08","date_gmt":"2021-06-24T01:33:08","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/fatwa-tt.com\/?p=2998"},"modified":"2021-06-23T21:36:03","modified_gmt":"2021-06-24T01:36:03","slug":"transgenders-and-related-rulings","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fatwa-tt.com\/index.php\/transgenders-and-related-rulings\/","title":{"rendered":"Transgenders and related rulings."},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Question:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Are transgender females (those who were born males but later transitioned into females) considered to be females with regards to the laws of Islaam?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Answer:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the onset, the difference between transgenderism and intersex\/hermaphrodites (Khunthaa as mentioned in the books of Fiqh) must be understood.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hermaphrodite\/pseudo-hermaphrodites\/Intersex:<\/strong> \u201cIntersex\u201d is a general term used for a variety of conditions in which a person is born with a reproductive or sexual anatomy that does not seem to fit the typical definitions of female or male. For example, a person might be born appearing to be female on the outside but having mostly male-typical anatomy on the inside. Or a person may be born with genitals that seem to be in-between the usual male and female types. For example, a girl may be born with a noticeably large clitoris, or lacking a vaginal opening, or a boy may be born with a notably small penis, or with a scrotum that is divided so that it has formed more like labia. Or a person may be born with mosaic genetics, so that some of the cells have XX chromosomes and some of them have XY. Though we speak of intersex as an inborn condition, intersex anatomy doesn\u2019t always show up at birth[1]<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Transgenderism:<\/strong> <\/em>\u201cPeople who identify as transgender or transsexual are usually people who are born with typical male or female anatomies but feel as though they\u2019ve been born into the \u201cwrong body.\u201d For example, a person who identifies as transgender or transsexual may have typical female anatomy but feel like a male and seek to become male by taking hormones or electing to have sex reassignment surgeries[2]<\/sup><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Therefore an individual classified with intersex\/hermaphroditism conditions naturally have anatomy that is not considered typically male or female. Such biological conditions would have occurred naturally, without external medication or procedures etc. In contrast, people who are transgendered are born with a typical male or female body, and may develop psychological and internal issues of gender identity, which may lead to superficial alteration of their physical body and appearance to resemble the opposite gender.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Shari\u2019ah has recognized the first category – intersex\/hermaphroditism as legitimate medical and natural conditions. The same cannot be said of transgenderism\/gender dysphoria.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Intersex people are referred to as \u2018Khunthaa\u2019 in the Arabic language. Some guidelines have been provided in our Books of Fiqh. Understand that at that time, the idea of \u2018sex\u2019 being determined by chromosomes etc. did not exist. As such, the following guidelines were stipulated by the Jurists. The rulings are more applicable to an individual who has developed both male and female genitals[3]<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

See footnote for details on Khunthaa<\/em> as mentioned in books of Fiqh.[4]<\/a>, [5]<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Fuqaha mentioned that with puberty, more often than not, the \u2018sex\u2019 can be established by those methods.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, given that \u2018sex\u2019 today is generally defined through the presence or absence of a Y chromosome, the type of gonads, the sex hormones, the internal genitalia (such as the uterus in females), and the external genitalia, different rulings may be applicable based on the differences in sex development. As such, rulings would be based on more of a case by case study,[6]<\/a> in the absence of external signs that point to a specific gender.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our Creator, Allah Ta\u2019ala in the Qur\u2019an clearly confines humankind to only two genders, either male or female. The laws of Shar\u2019iah are based on these only two genders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our Creator Allah the Almighty clearly defines these two sexes in the following verses,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u064a\u064e\u0627\u0623\u064e\u064a\u064f\u0651\u0647\u064e\u0627 \u0627\u0644\u0646\u064e\u0651\u0627\u0633\u064f \u0627\u062a\u064e\u0651\u0642\u064f\u0648\u0627 \u0631\u064e\u0628\u064e\u0651\u0643\u064f\u0645\u064f \u0627\u0644\u064e\u0651\u0630\u0650\u064a \u062e\u064e\u0644\u064e\u0642\u064e\u0643\u064f\u0645\u0652 \u0645\u0650\u0646\u0652 \u0646\u064e\u0641\u0652\u0633\u064d \u0648\u064e\u0627\u062d\u0650\u062f\u064e\u0629\u064d \u0648\u064e\u062e\u064e\u0644\u064e\u0642\u064e \u0645\u0650\u0646\u0652\u0647\u064e\u0627 \u0632\u064e\u0648\u0652\u062c\u064e\u0647\u064e\u0627 \u0648\u064e\u0628\u064e\u062b\u064e\u0651 \u0645\u0650\u0646\u0652\u0647\u064f\u0645\u064e\u0627 \u0631\u0650\u062c\u064e\u0627\u0644\u064b\u0627 \u0643\u064e\u062b\u0650\u064a\u0631\u064b\u0627 \u0648\u064e\u0646\u0650\u0633\u064e\u0627\u0621\u064b \u0648\u064e\u0627\u062a\u064e\u0651\u0642\u064f\u0648\u0627 \u0627\u0644\u0644\u064e\u0651\u0647\u064e \u0627\u0644\u064e\u0651\u0630\u0650\u064a \u062a\u064e\u0633\u064e\u0627\u0621\u064e\u0644\u064f\u0648\u0646\u064e \u0628\u0650\u0647\u0650 \u0648\u064e\u0627\u0644\u0652\u0623\u064e\u0631\u0652\u062d\u064e\u0627\u0645\u064e \u0625\u0650\u0646\u064e\u0651 \u0627\u0644\u0644\u064e\u0651\u0647\u064e \u0643\u064e\u0627\u0646\u064e \u0639\u064e\u0644\u064e\u064a\u0652\u0643\u064f\u0645\u0652 \u0631\u064e\u0642\u0650\u064a\u0628\u064b\u0627<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Translation: <\/strong>\u201cO men, fear your Lord who created you from a single soul, and from it created its match, and spread many <\/em>men and women<\/em><\/strong> from the two. Fear Allah in whose name you ask each other (for your rights), and fear (the violation of the rights of) the womb-relations. Surely, Allah is watchful over you.- (Surah An-Nisa’, Ayah 1)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u0641\u064e\u062c\u064e\u0639\u064e\u0644\u064e \u0645\u0650\u0646\u06e1\u06c1\u064f \u0627\u0644\u0632\u064e\u0651\u0648\u06e1\u062c\u064e\u06cc\u06e1\u0646\u0650 \u0627\u0644\u0630\u064e\u0651\u06a9\u064e\u0631\u064e \u0648\u064e\u0627\u0644\u06e1\u0627\u064f\u0646\u06e1\u062b\u0670\u06cc<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Translation: <\/strong>and made from him two kinds, <\/em>male and female<\/em><\/strong>.(Surah Al-Qiyamah, Ayah 3)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our pristine Sharia recognizes neither a third sex nor a combination of both sexes in one individual. The concept of transgenderism goes totally against the nature of which Allah Ta\u2019ala has created human, and is totally forbidden.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A person who is physically male or female is not permitted to alter his\/her behavior or appearance in a way that makes him\/her resemble the opposite gender. It is a major sin for a person to undergo surgical procedures to \u201cchange\u201d his or her gender. People who do so are under the curse of Allah and Ras\u016blull\u0101h (\ufdfa<\/strong>). Such prohibition has been mentioned in many Ahadith,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u0644\u0639\u0646 \u0631\u0633\u0648\u0644 \u0627\u0644\u0644\u0647 \u0635\u0644\u0649 \u0627\u0644\u0644\u0647 \u0639\u0644\u064a\u0647 \u0648\u0633\u0644\u0645 \u0627\u0644\u0645\u062a\u0634\u0628\u0647\u064a\u0646 \u0645\u0646 \u0627\u0644\u0631\u062c\u0627\u0644 \u0628\u0627\u0644\u0646\u0633\u0627\u0621 \u0648\u0627\u0644\u0645\u062a\u0634\u0628\u0647\u0627\u062a \u0645\u0646 \u0627\u0644\u0646\u0633\u0627\u0621 \u0628\u0627\u0644\u0631\u062c\u0627\u0644<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cRas\u016blull\u0101h (\ufdfa<\/strong>) cursed those men who imitate women and those women who imitate men.\u201d (Sahih al-Bukhari)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u0639\u064e\u0646\u0650 \u0627\u0628\u0652\u0646\u0650 \u0639\u064e\u0628\u064e\u0651\u0627\u0633\u064d\u060c \u0642\u064e\u0627\u0644\u064e \u0644\u064e\u0639\u064e\u0646\u064e \u0627\u0644\u0646\u064e\u0651\u0628\u0650\u064a\u064f\u0651 \u0635\u0644\u0649 \u0627\u0644\u0644\u0647 \u0639\u0644\u064a\u0647 \u0648\u0633\u0644\u0645 \u0627\u0644\u0652\u0645\u064f\u062e\u064e\u0646\u064e\u0651\u062b\u0650\u064a\u0646\u064e \u0645\u0650\u0646\u064e \u0627\u0644\u0631\u0650\u0651\u062c\u064e\u0627\u0644\u0650\u060c \u0648\u064e\u0627\u0644\u0652\u0645\u064f\u062a\u064e\u0631\u064e\u062c\u0650\u0651\u0644\u0627\u064e\u062a\u0650 \u0645\u0650\u0646\u064e \u0627\u0644\u0646\u0650\u0651\u0633\u064e\u0627\u0621\u0650 \u0648\u064e\u0642\u064e\u0627\u0644\u064e \u200f <\/strong>“\u200f \u0623\u064e\u062e\u0652\u0631\u0650\u062c\u064f\u0648\u0647\u064f\u0645\u0652 \u0645\u0650\u0646\u0652 \u0628\u064f\u064a\u064f\u0648\u062a\u0650\u0643\u064f\u0645\u0652 \u200f<\/strong>“\u200f\u200f.\u200f \u0642\u064e\u0627\u0644\u064e \u0641\u064e\u0623\u064e\u062e\u0652\u0631\u064e\u062c\u064e \u0627\u0644\u0646\u064e\u0651\u0628\u0650\u064a\u064f\u0651 \u0635\u0644\u0649 \u0627\u0644\u0644\u0647 \u0639\u0644\u064a\u0647 \u0648\u0633\u0644\u0645 \u0641\u064f\u0644\u0627\u064e\u0646\u064b\u0627\u060c \u0648\u064e\u0623\u064e\u062e\u0652\u0631\u064e\u062c\u064e \u0639\u064f\u0645\u064e\u0631\u064f \u0641\u064f\u0644\u0627\u064e\u0646\u064b\u0627\u200f.\u200f<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Prophet (\ufdfa<\/strong>) cursed effeminate men (those men who are in the similitude (assume the manners of women) and those women who assume the manners of men, and he said, “Turn them out of your houses.” The Prophet (\ufdfa<\/strong>) turned out such-and-such man, and `Umar turned out such-and-such woman. (Sahih al-Bukhari)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mannish characteristics (for women) and effeminate characteristics, dressing, speaking (for men) are im\u00adpermissible if adopted deliberately.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If, however, effeminate behaviour man\u00adifests in a male by their nature (khilqatan), outside of his con\u00adscious control then those unintentional mannerisms are not sinful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In conclusion, transgenderism is a major sin and has no place in Shari\u2019ah. A person will remain the gender Allah has created them on, regardless how they feel or think about their body<\/span>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The American Fiqh Academy concludes,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even if, in certain cases of gender dysphoria, a psychological condition where one feels at odds with their biological sex, may encourage a person to undergo such procedures, one must remain aware of the grave sin in doing so. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although one\u2019s gender dysphoria, a psychological condition where one feels at odds with their biological sex, may encourage one to undergo such procedures, one must remain aware of the grave sin in doing so.  One does not have full rights over one\u2019s body, but rather one must treat it in accordance with the laws of the Sharia. At the same time, although one regards and treats such individuals as per their original sex, one must also maintain compassion for the individuals themselves, even if one disapproves of their actions, especially since psychological illness underlies such behavior.[7]<\/a> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

As Muslims, we believe each one of the concepts of LGBTQ are explicitly prohibited by our creator Allah Ta\u2019ala under the clear verses of the Qur\u2019an and Ahadith. A person who regards these major sins to be lawful and acceptable cannot claim to be a Muslim.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

And Allah Ta\u2019\u0101la Knows Best<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mufti Arshad Ali<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Darul Iftaa, Jaamia Madinatul Uloom (Trinidad)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

www.fatwa-tt.com<\/strong><\/a> \/<\/strong>www.jaamia.net<\/strong><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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[1]<\/a> https:\/\/isna.org\/faq\/what_is_intersex\/<\/p>\n\n\n\n

[2]<\/a> https:\/\/isna.org\/faq\/transgender\/<\/p>\n\n\n\n

[3]<\/a> http:\/\/askimam.org\/public\/question_detail\/43237<\/p>\n\n\n\n