Islam and same-sex marriages

Someone has come to my blog looking for a response to the topic, "Islam and same-sex marriages." Not knowing what this person was looking for exactly, I assume he or she was wondering whether a same-sex marriage is allowable (halal) in Islam. The answer, of course, is "no." Homosexuality by itself is haram (forbidden) in Islam, so we would not condone a same-sex marriage either. This does not mean that two people of the same sex could not live together (e.g., such as roommates), but homosexual activity (whether male or female) would not be permitted between them (this being a major sin), and their marriage by civil authorities would not be recognized by the Muslim community.

Should the gay community feel that Muslims are treating gays harshly by not allowing homosexuality, they should also remember that for Muslim heterosexual couples, pre-marital sex is also not allowed within Islam (this being known as zina or adultery, with its own severe punishments), nor are couples allowed to live together prior to marriage.