Question:
I try and follow religion, but, I have sometimes strong desires towards the same sex (men), I did not have any physical relation though, but, I might have hugged men with certain desire. My family worried for my marriage, which worries me too?
Answer:
Attraction is like passing thoughts and we are not tasked for them. What constitutes sin is to go ahead and transgress by act. In between thought and act, there is the feeding of such attraction and its indulgence until the barrier of religion, spiritual resolve, psychological distance etc. breaks down and until temptation wins and lead one to the act.
Keep such spiritual and mental barriers up through dhikr and istighfar. Treat temptation as a space to avoid both physically (situations) and mentally. Each of us — believing men and women — knows the test they face and it is a daily struggle all life long. It is also a daily reward and a build up of trust on divine support without which we lose.
Hajj Gibril Haddad
