Taha (Shia cleric)
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Taha | |
|---|---|
| طه | |
| Born | |
| Occupation | Shia Muslim cleric |
| Known for | Queer Shia cleric |
| Title | Hujjat al-Islam |
Mullah Taha[1] (Persian: طه) is a gay Shia Muslim cleric from Iran,[2] and is the first openly queer cleric in the history of Shia Islam.[3][4][5]
He is the son of a cleric,[6] and described his childhood self as being "effeminate".[7] He attended Islamic school at the age of 15,[6] where he realized his homosexuality.[8] And attained the rank of Hujjat al-Islam.[9]
He officiated gay marriages in secret,[10][11] leading to him being questioned by other clerics and threatened with death.[11][4] And forced by the Iranian government to flee to Turkey,[12] where he has lived as of 2016.[13][14][15]
He continued to perform same-sex marriages for queer Shia Muslim refugees in Istanbul.[10] He stated that he's treated with suspicion from both the Muslim community and the LGBTQ community.[16] He resides temporarily in Turkey, as his ultimate destination is Canada, where he has sought asylum.[17][18][2]
