frasera

I agree with you that Islam is a homophobic religion - in a number of places the Qur'an condemns male homosexuality (Qur'an 7:80-82, 26:165–175, 27:55–58, 29:28–29). Another verse (Qur'an 4:15–16) is often used to condemn lesbians. In many modern Islamic states homosexuals are persecuted and if often beaten, jailed or executed. I totally condemn the persecution of homosexuals as does any decent person.

The issue of apostacy is far more complicated. Islam teaches that 'there is no compulsion in religion' لاَ إِكْرَاهَ فِي الدِّين (Qur'an 2:256). Furthermore the Qur'an states that 'Had thy Lord willed, everyone on earth would have believed. Do you then force people to become believers?' وَلَوْ شَاء رَبُّكَ لآمَنَ مَن فِي الأَرْضِ كُلُّهُمْ جَمِيعاً أَفَأَنتَ تُكْرِه النَّاسَ حَتَّى يَكُونُواْ مُؤْمِنِينَ(Qur'an 10:99). These verses have been used as the basis of freedom of religion and freedom of worship laws in many Islamic states. The Medina Document - which is the constitution established by Muhammad for the first Islamic state in Medina - guarantees freedom of belief and worship to Christians, Jews and Polytheists. In modern times an example would be Article II of the Federal Constitution of Malaysia. Nowhere in the Qur'an is death proscribed as the punishment for apostasy. The only basis for such a view is a hadith (saying of the Prophet Muhammad transmitted by his companions and family) which states 'kill whoever changes his religion'. There are many thousands of hadith and Islamic scholars have spent centuries arguing over their authenticity. The hadith in question is an ahad hadith - meaning that unlike many other hadith which are mutawatir (transmitted by many people) it was only transmitted by one person. Many Islamic scholars have therefore cast doubt on the authenticity of this hadith. They are supported in their conclusion by the fact that neither Muhammad or any of his successors ever sentenced someone to death for apostasy. Over the centuries many prominent Islamic scholars have held the view that apostasy should not be punished by man - the punishment, if any, is up to God and will come in the afterlife.

Islam is not incompatible with the UDHR nor is it a sexist religion. I have worked extensively with human rights and women's rights activists throughout the Islamic world. It may suprise you to know that many of the most vocal supporters of human and women's rights in the Islamic world are also devout Muslims. Take Tunisia as an example. The Tunisian legal system is based on Shari'ah law. Yet it is a system of Shari'ah law which provides equal rights for women - in inheritance, marriage, no polygamy, etc. These rights were guaranteed not by abandoning Shari'ah law but by embracing the flexibility inherent in it. Many Islamic countries have also signed the CEDAW convention (Convention for the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women). Initially they had reservations against some key articles (9,16) of that convention on religious grounds - but these reservations are starting to be lifted as a result of lobbying and pressure from Muslims.

I beseech you and others not to propogate simplistic, ill-informed views about Islam and the Islamic world. Seek to understand and communicate rather than to slander and condemn.

In reply to your comment:
“sorry that is apologist nonsense. a religion based on god should have no flaws, and well, islam is about defective as it gets. you don't get to pick the few good bits to justify the rest which is horrifying.

http://www.thereligionofpeace.com/ (believe it or else...)
islam is incompatible with the universal declaration of human rights.
http://www.iheu.org/node/1541
it is a bigoted homophobic sexist intolerant religion that asks for tolerance from others. just look up apostasy if you want to see the "freedom" that is islam.
”