Openly gay documentary filmmaker Parvez Sharma, visited the Jane Addams Hull-House Museum for a two-day event (April 7-8) surrounding his feature documentary, A Jihad for Love.
On the first night, participants saw “Jihad” and asked Sharma questions. The next day, Sharma discussed how he overcame the challenges of being a gay Muslim director.
Sharma was born in India, where he obtained a mass communications degree from Jamia Millia Islamia University. He has done work in radio, broadcast and print. Sharma, who is a also Muslim, came up with the idea for “Jihad” after attending American University, where he heard several stories from other gay Muslims. Sharma filmed the documentary in 12 countries. He wanted viewers to see that even in a very religious community like the Islamic one, LGBT members are present.
A Jihad for Love, which can be interpreted as “a struggle for love” within the gay and lesbian community, takes the viewer on a journey through countries such as Iran, Egypt, South Africa and Turkey, where the Islamic faith does not tolerate same-sex relationships. The quote “There is no god but God, and Muhammad is his prophet,” opens the movie. The viewer is introduced to nine people trying to stick true to their sexual identity while attempting to overcome Islamic views on gay and lesbian relationships.
The viewer is then introduced to Imam Muhsin Hendricks, who lives in Johannesburg, South Africa. Unlike some of the other characters in the film, Hendricks decided to ignore his feelings about the same sex and marry a woman. They have three children before Hendricks finally reveals that he is gay and has been seeing men on the side. Hendricks, now divorced, works as an imam trying to spread the message that just because you’re gay does not mean you are not religious. “Jihad is not a holy war. It’s a struggle,” said Hendricks in the documentary.
Viewers are also introduced to Mazen, an Egyptian who was arrested, tortured and spent two years in prison before seeking asylum in France. Then there are Maha and Maryam, an Arab lesbian couple; while one accepts her sexual identity, the other struggles and wonders if punishment wouldn’t help her to stop liking girls.
Ferda and Kiymet, a lesbian couple living in Turkey, have accepted their sexual identity. Kiymet is introduced to Ferda’s mother and hopes that she will like her. The viwers also meet Ahsan and Qasim, two gay men living in India. One struggles with his sexual identity, while the other deals with his illiteracy. Both find comfort in a local group of friends, who are also gay.
Lastly, there is a tense situation involving a group of four gay men who flee Iran to Turkey and await asylum. Will all of them make it to Canada?
A Jihad for Love is a powerful documentary, one that everybody—including those not struggling with their sexual identity—should see.