References to Homosexuality in the Koran

The Koran (Qur’an) does not mention sex between women, with the possible exception of an ambiguous reference at 4:15. It refers to sex between men in five passages, four of which relate to the Old Testament story of Lot. Each of the five passages is quoted below in four of the most popular English translations: those of N. J. Dawood, Marmaduke Pickthall, M. H. Shakir, and Abdullah Yusuf Ali.

Sura 4 (An-Nisa: Women), ayat 15–16
Dawood	4:15	If any of your women commit fornication, call in four witnesses from among yourselves against them; if they testify to their guilt confine them to their houses till death overtakes them or till Allah finds another way for them.
Dawood	4:16	If two men among you commit indecency punish them both. If they repent and mend their ways, let them be. Allah is forgiving and merciful.
Pickthall	4:15	As for those of your women who are guilty of lewdness, call to witness four of you against them. And if they testify (to the truth of the allegation) then confine them to the houses until death take them or (until) Allah appoint for them a way (through new legislation).
Pickthall	4:16	And as for the two of you who are guilty thereof, punish them both. And if they repent and improve, then let them be. Lo! Allah is ever relenting, Merciful.
Shakir	4:15	And as for those who are guilty of an indecency from among your women, call to witnesses against them four (witnesses) from among you; then if they bear witness confine them to the houses until death takes them away or Allah opens some way for them.
Shakir	4:16	And as for the two who are guilty of indecency from among you, give them both a punishment; then if they repent and amend, turn aside from them; surely Allah is Oft-returning (to mercy), the Merciful.
Yusuf Ali	4:15	If any of your women are guilty of lewdness, Take the evidence of four (Reliable) witnesses from amongst you against them; and if they testify, confine them to houses until death do claim them, or Allah ordain for them some (other) way.
Yusuf Ali	4:16	If two men among you are guilty of lewdness, punish them both. If they repent and amend, leave them alone; for Allah is Oft-Returning, Most Merciful.
Sura 7 (Al-A’raf: The Heights), ayat 80–84
Dawood	7:80	Remember the words of Lot, who said to his people: “Will you persist in these indecent acts which no other nation has committed before you?
	7:81	You lust after men instead of women. Truly, you are a degenerate people.”
	7:82	Their only answer was: “Banish him from your city, him and all his followers. They are men who would keep chaste.”
	7:83	We delivered Lot and all his kinsfolk, except his wife, who stayed behind,
	7:84	and let loose a shower upon them. Consider the fate of the evil-doers.
Pickthall	7:80	And Lot! (Remember) when he said unto his folk: Will ye commit abomination such as no creature ever did before you?
	7:81	Lo! ye come with lust unto men instead of women. Nay, but ye are wanton folk.
	7:82	And the answer of his people was only that they said (one to another): Turn them out of your township. They are folk, forsooth, who keep pure.
	7:83	And We rescued him and his household, save his wife, who was of those who stayed behind.
	7:84	And We rained a rain upon them. See now the nature of the consequence of evil-doers!
Shakir	7:80	And (We sent) Lut when he said to his people: What! do you commit an indecency which any one in the world has not done before you?
	7:81	Most surely you come to males in lust besides females; nay you are an extravagant people.
	7:82	And the answer of his people was no other than that they said: Turn them out of your town, surely they are a people who seek to purify (themselves).
	7:83	So We delivered him and his followers, except his wife; she was of those who remained behind.
	7:84	And We rained upon them a rain; consider then what was the end of the guilty.
Yusuf Ali	7:80	We also (sent) Lut: He said to his people: “Do ye commit lewdness such as no people in creation (ever) committed before you?”
	7:81	“For ye practise your lusts on men in preference to women: ye are indeed a people transgressing beyond bounds.”
	7:82	And his people gave no answer but this: they said, “Drive them out of your city: these are indeed men who want to be clean and pure!”
	7:83	But we saved him and his family, except his wife: she was of those who lagged behind.
	7:84	And we rained down on them a shower (of brimstone): Then see what was the end of those who indulged in sin and crime!
Sura 11 (Hud), ayat 77–83
This is one of a number of additional passages in the Qur’an that deal with the story of Lot. It is sometimes cited as relevant, although it makes no explicit reference to homosexuality. In common with other passages, it confirms that the “rain” in the story consists of (clay) stones.
Sura 26 (Ash-Shu’ara: The Poets), ayat 165–173
Dawood	26:165	[Lot says] “Will you fornicate with males
	26:166	and leave your wives whom Allah has created for you? Surely you are great transgressors.”
	26:167	“Lot,” they replied, “desist, or you shall be banished.”
	26:168	He said: “I abhor your ways.
	26:169	Lord, preserve me and my kinsfolk from their evil doings.”
	26:170	We delivered Lot and all his kinsfolk,
	26:171	save for one old woman who stayed behind,
	26:172	and the rest We utterly destroyed.
	26:173	We pelted them with rain, and evil was the rain which fell on those who had been warned.
Pickthall	26:165	[Lot says] What! Of all creatures do ye come unto the males,
	26:166	And leave the wives your Lord created for you? Nay, but ye are froward folk.
	26:167	They said: If thou cease not, O Lot, thou wilt soon be of the outcast.
	26:168	He said: I am in truth of those who hate your conduct.
	26:169	My Lord! Save me and my household from what they do.
	26:170	So We saved him and his household, every one,
	26:171	Save an old woman among those who stayed behind.
	26:172	Then afterward We destroyed the others.
	26:173	And We rained on them a rain. And dreadful is the rain of those who have been warned.
Shakir	26:165	[Lot says] What! do you come to the males from among the creatures
	26:166	And leave what your Lord has created for you of your wives? Nay, you are a people exceeding limits.
	26:167	They said: If you desist not, O Lut! you shall surely be of those who are expelled.
	26:168	He said: Surely I am of those who utterly abhor your doing;
	26:169	My Lord! deliver me and my followers from what they do.
	26:170	So We delivered him and his followers all,
	26:171	Except an old woman, among those who remained behind.
	26:172	Then We utterly destroyed the others.
	26:173	And We rained down upon them a rain, and evil was the rain on those warned.
Yusuf Ali	26:165	[Lot says] “Of all the creatures in the world, will ye approach males,
	26:166	And leave those whom Allah has created for you to be your mates? Nay, ye are a people transgressing (all limits)!”
	26:167	They said: “If thou desist not, O Lut! thou wilt assuredly be cast out!”
	26:168	He said: “I do detest your doings.
	26:169	O my Lord! deliver me and my family from such things as they do!”
	26:170	So We delivered him and his family, all,
	26:171	Except an old woman who lingered behind.
	26:172	But the rest We destroyed utterly.
	26:173	We rained down on them a shower (of brimstone): and evil was the shower on those who were admonished (but heeded not)!
Sura 27 (Al-Naml: The Ant), ayat 54–58
Dawood	27:54	And tell of Lot. He said to his people: “Are you blind that you should commit indecency,
	27:55	lustfully seeking men instead of women? Surely you are an ignorant people.”
	27:56	Yet this was their reply: “Banish the house of Lot from your city. They are men who would keep chaste.”
	27:57	So We delivered him and all his tribe, except his wife, whom We caused to stay behind,
	27:58	pelting the others with rain; and evil was the rain which fell on those who had been warned.
Pickthall	27:54	And Lot! when he said unto his folk: Will ye commit abomination knowingly?
	27:55	Must ye seek lust after men instead of women? Nay, but ye are folk who act senselessly.
	27:56	But the answer of his folk was naught save that they said: Expel the household of Lot from your township, for they (forsooth) are folk who would keep clean!
	27:57	Then We saved him and his household save his wife; We destined her to be of those who stayed behind.
	27:58	And We rained a rain upon them. Dreadful is the rain of those who have been warned.
Shakir	27:54	And (We sent) Lut, when he said to his people: What! do you commit indecency while you see?
	27:55	What! do you indeed approach men lustfully rather than women? Nay, you are a people who act ignorantly.
	27:56	But the answer of his people was no other except that they said: Turn out Lut’s followers from your town; surely they are a people who would keep pure!
	27:57	But We delivered him and his followers except his wife; We ordained her to be of those who remained behind.
	27:58	And We rained on them a rain, and evil was the rain of those who had been warned.
Yusuf Ali	27:54	(We also sent) Lut (as a messenger): behold, He said to his people, “Do ye do what is shameful though ye see (its iniquity)?”
	27:55	Would ye really approach men in your lusts rather than women? Nay, ye are a people (grossly) ignorant!
	27:56	But his people gave no other answer but this: they said, “Drive out the followers of Lut from your city: these are indeed men who want to be clean and pure!”
	27:57	But We saved him and his family, except his wife; her We destined to be of those who lagged behind.
	27:58	And We rained down on them a shower (of brimstone): and evil was the shower on those who were admonished (but heeded not)!
Sura 29 (Al-Ankabut: The Spider), ayat 28–31
Dawood	29:28	And We sent forth Lot to his people. He said to them: “You commit indecent acts which no other nation has committed before you.
	29:29	You lust after men and assault them on your highways. You turn your very gatherings into orgies.” But his people’s only reply was: “Bring down Allah’s scourge upon us, if what you say be true.”
	29:30	“Lord,” said he, “deliver me from these degenerate men.”
	29:31	And when Our messengers brought Abraham the good news they said: “We are about to destroy the people of this town, for they are wicked men.”
Pickthall	29:28	And Lot! (Remember) when he said unto his folk: Lo! ye commit lewdness such as no creature did before you.
	29:29	For come ye not in unto males, and cut ye not the road (for travellers), and commit ye not abomination in your meetings? But the answer of his folk was only that they said: Bring Allah’s doom upon us if thou art a truthteller!
	29:30	He said: My Lord! Give me victory over folk who work corruption.
	29:31	And when Our messengers brought Abraham the good news, they said: Lo! we are about to destroy the people of that township, for its people are wrong-doers.
Shakir	29:28	And (We sent) Lut when he said to his people: Most surely you are guilty of an indecency which none of the nations has ever done before you;
	29:29	What! do you come to the males and commit robbery on the highway, and you commit evil deeds in your assemblies? But nothing was the answer of his people except that they said: Bring on us Allah’s punishment, if you are one of the truthful.
	29:30	He said: My Lord! help me against the mischievous people.
	29:31	And when Our messengers came to Ibrahim with the good news, they said: Surely we are going to destroy the people of this town, for its people are unjust.
Yusuf Ali	29:28	And (remember) Lut: behold, he said to his people: “Ye do commit lewdness, such as no people in Creation (ever) committed before you.”
	29:29	“Do ye indeed approach men, and cut off the highway? - and practise wickedness (even) in your councils?” But his people gave no answer but this: they said: “Bring us the Wrath of Allah if thou tellest the truth.”
	29:30	He said: “O my Lord! help Thou me against people who do mischief!“
	29:31	When Our Messengers came to Abraham with the good news, they said: “We are indeed going to destroy the people of this township: for truly they are (addicted to) crime.”

The Koran (1956), by N. J. Dawood (translator). The publisher of this translation (Penguin) describes it as “the first in contemporary English idiom”. It is not divided into ayat (verses), but ayah numbers are shown above for ease of comparison with other translations.
The Meaning of the Glorious Koran: Explanatory Translation (1930), by Marmaduke William Pickthall (1875–1936).
The Qur’an Translation, by Mohammad Habib Shakir (1866–1939).
The Holy Qur’an: Text, Translation and Commentary (1934), by Abdullah Yusuf Ali (1872–1953).

Parallel text of the full Pickthall, Shakir and Yusuf Ali translations is available from Project Gutenberg. The Dawood translation is not readily available online. For other translations, see the List of translations of the Qur’an on Wikipedia.

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