The UK, in fact Europe has recently seen a growing number of LGBT couples formally converting their civil partnerships into legally recognized ones. What is rare though, is a Muslim gay or lesbian couple tying the knot after a long standing civil relationship. A kind of relationship, which is regarded as the most perverse of sins in Islam. Such is the case of Mr Masud Rana and Shahadat Hosain who on the 19th of March tied the knot in Walthamstow council.
The newly-weds who are of Bangladeshi descent, a nation notorious for its strict adherence to Islamic fundamentalism, decided to validate their relationship in the eyes of the law after spending nearly 6 years together as civil partners.
Their union comes after the likes of Zahirul Islam, a Bangladeshi gay couple, who became the first Bangladeshi of his faith in the UK to commit to same sex marriage, by marrying his long-term partner Nobi Hossain. The couple of course gained a lot of exposure in the media when they tied the knot in July last year.
Our London correspondent believes that Mr Rana and his partner Shahadat Hosain have joined a yet meagre just steadily growing number of same-sex couples taking the brave leap by committing to marriage. The UK of course officially started accepting same-sex marriage registrations, after the “Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act 2013” was passed by UK Parliament in July 2013 and came into force on 13 March 2014. But as of 2018 though, our correspondent believes that Mr Rana and Hosain, who are both atheist club member, have joined a group which consist of less than half a dozen couples
Our correspondent goes on to report that the couple had known each for more than 6 years now. They had been living together before they tied the knot, and subsequently decided to take the leap of faith and make their bond truly eternal and everlasting.
Our correspondent reveals that the couple got married under strict privacy, given the fact that the borough that they live in (Upton park) is largely comprised of Muslims originating from from Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and other nations, continents.
One of the couple’s closest friends, Mr Sujan Chandra Dev, however, did attend the largely subdued ceremony in order to wish the couple good luck. Our correspondent did manage to have a chat with him. Although reluctant at first Mr Dev could not stop beaming afterwards and expressed his delight in watching his two good friends finally tying the knot. “They have been going at it for ages” he said, “eager to the idea of marriage but then also reluctant to actually go through with it, which is understandable given their circumstances. But to be honest they deserve each other, they are both the nicest gentlemen and I am so happy for them. I consider myself lucky to be part of the happiest day of their lives.”
Mr Dev also rued the misgivings people have about same-sex partnerships. He also informed us that he expects there to be even more hostility towards the couple from the Muslim community they coexist with here in the UK, and those back home once they become aware of their union if they aren’t already.
The couple is, of course, have been active online campaigners for LGBT rights in Britain, and Mr Shahadat Hosain is, of course, regular contributors here at ‘Boys Love World 71’. They have devoted their valuable time and energy towards LGBT cause and it is the relentless efforts of individuals like them that have allowed ‘Boys Love World 71’ to grow at a remarkably exponential rate. Their union we believe is an iron fist to the face of the constant barrage of abuse they had to go through because of their sexual preferences. Of course, it would be next to suicide for any of them to come out as a homosexual in Bangladesh, given the continued existence of the because of the notorious Bangladesh Penal Code 377.
For those of our readers who are not aware of what the Bangladesh Penal code 377 is, it is a legal system which strictly prohibits same-sex relationships in Bangladesh. Those who breach it are liable to be jailed for up to 10 years, or a slapped with a monetary fine.
Our correspondent next decided to conduct a general impromptu survey of the couple’s union. He decided to approach members of the Bangladeshi community here in London as his sample population. To his complete non-surprise, most of the surveyors answered him with bemusement, irritation, with some expressing outright disgust. Some of them even resorted to using crude words, which of course we have refrained from publishing here. The majority of them, however, did not fail to remind us that same-sex marriage is a ‘sin of the highest’ in the eyes of Islam, and those practising it are the most ‘heinous of kafirs (infidel)’.
The newlyweds, however, Mr Rana and Hosain were unavailable for comment. In fact, Mr Dev whom we spoke to on the day, informed us that the couple left rather hastily after concluding the formalities of their marriage.
