There are many references in the Qur'an which have been cited as referring to gay and lesbian behavior. Some obviously deal with effeminate men and "masculine women." The five references which seem to refer specifically same-sex behavior are:

	Sura 4:20-21: "Against those of your women who commit adultery, call witnesses four in number from among yourselves; and if these bear witness, then keep the women in houses until death release them, or God shall make for them a way. And if two (men) of you commit it, then hurt them both; but if they turn again and amend, leave them alone, verily, God is easily turned, compassionate." 1 Some translations of the Qur'an call for the long-term or permanent house arrest of women guilty of adultery -- they are to be confined to "houses of death." An accurate translation is that their husband (or their parent or guardian) is to keep them -- not abandon them. Also, if they repent of their sin, God will accept their repentance. 5 It is worth noting that a woman can only be found guilty if four witnesses testify against her. Verse 21 seems to call for physical punishment for men who engage in same-sex activity, followed by their release if they abandon the practice. Verse 24:2 calls for a man or woman guilty of adultery or fornication to be flogged 100 times.
	Sura 7:80-84: "And Lot, when he said to his people, 'Do ye approach an abomination which no one in all the world ever anticipated you in? Verily, ye approach men with lust rather than women- nay, ye are a people who exceed.' But his people's answer only was to say, 'Turn them out of your village, verily, they are a people who pretend to purity.'  But we saved him and his people, except his wife, who was of those who lingered; and we rained down upon them a rain; -- see then how was the end of the sinners!" This describes the destruction of Sodom. Lot accuses the men of Sodom of engaging in homosexual behavior, only to have his message rejected. God saved Lot and his family and killed the other inhabitants of Sodom, presumably for their homosexual activities.
	Sura 11:78-81: "And his people came to him, rushing at him, for before that they used to work evil. He 'Said, 'O my people! here are my daughters, they are purer for you; then, fear God, and do not disgrace me through my guests;- is there not among you one right-thinking man?' They said, 'Thou knowest that we have no claim on thy daughters; verily, thou knowest what we want!' He said, 'Had I but power over you; or could I but resort to some strong column....!' [The angels] said, 'O Lot! verily, we are the messengers of thy Lord, they shall certainly not reach thee; then travel with thy people in the darkness of the night, and let none of you look round except thy wife: verily, there shall befall her what befalls them. Verily, their appointment is for the morning! and is not the morning nigh'?" This describes another incident associated with the destruction of Sodom when Lot offered his two virgin daughters, instead of the angels, to be raped by the men of Sodom. The angels told Lot to escape from the city before dawn because the city would be destroyed in the morning, presumably because of their homosexual activity.
	Sura 26: 162-168: "[Lot said] 'Verily, I am to you a faithful apostle; then fear God and obey me. I do not ask you for it any hire; my hire is only with the Lord of the worlds. Do ye approach males of all the world and leave what God your Lord has created for you of your wives? nay, but ye are people who transgress!' They said, 'Surely, if thou dost not desist, O Lot! thou shalt be of those who are expelled!' Said he, 'Verily, I am of those who hate your deed." Here, Lot criticizes the men of Sodom for abandoning their wives and engaging in sex with other males. The men respond with a threat to expel Lot from the city.
	Sura 27: 55-57 and Sura 29: 28-31: "And (remember) Lot when he said to his people, 'Verily, ye approach an abomination which no one in all the world ever anticipated you in! What! do ye approach men? and stop folks on the highway? And approach in your assembly sin?' but the answer of his people was only to say, 'Bring us God's torment, if thou art of those who speak the truth!' Said he, 'My Lord! help me against a people who do evil!' And when our messengers came to Abraham with the glad tidings, they said, 'We are about to destroy the people of this city. Verily, the people thereof are wrong-doers'." Again, Lot criticizes the men of Sodom for their same-sex behavior. The men challenge God to bring on the destruction.

These verses relate to male same-sex activities. As in the Hebrew Scriptures, lesbian practices are not mentioned in the Qur'an.

	The attempts by the men of Sodom to rape the angels.
	The insensitivity of the people of Sodom to the plight of the widows, orphaned children, visitors, and poor as described in other verses in the Hebrew Scriptures.

	"When a man mounts another man, the throne of God shakes."
	"Kill the one that is doing it and also kill the one that it is being done to."
	"Sihaq (lesbian sexual activity) of women is zina (illegitimate sexual intercourse) among them."

"....this led to different views maintained by Muslim Jurists. For example:

In the Hanafi school of thought, the homosexual is punished through harsh beating, and if he/she repeats the act, death penalty is to be applied. As for the Shafi`i school of thought, the homosexual receives the same punishment of adultery (if he/she is married) or fornication (if not married). This means, that if the homosexual is married, he/she is stoned to death, while if single, he/she is whipped 100 times.

Hence, the Shafi`i compares the punishment applied in the case of homosexuality with that of adultery and fornication, while the Hanafi differentiates between the two acts because in homosexuality, the anus (a place of impurity) may also be involved while in adultery (and fornication), the penis/vagina (which are reproductive parts) are involved. Some scholars hold the opinion that the homosexual should be thrown from a high building as a punishment for his crime, but other scholars maintain that he should be imprisoned until death. ₂

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