Abdullah Hakim Quick, an imam who preaches that gay people should be executed, has been invited to speak at the organization Young Swedish Muslim’s annual meeting. In a press release, the organization says it will not give in to the Swedish Federation for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Rights, which has demanded that the imam’s speech be cancelled. Instead, the Young Muslims are defending the homophobic imam by accusing the gay-rights activists of Islamophobia.

Gay Without Borders quoted Abdullah Hakim Quick as saying:

• AIDS is caused by the “filthy practices” of homosexuals.
• Homosexuals are dropping dead from AIDS and “they want to take us all down with them”.
• The Islamic position on homosexuality is “death”.
• Homosexuals are “sick” and “not natural”.
• “Muslims are going to have to take a stand [against homosexuals] and it’s not enough to call names” (this last point comes close to an implied threat of violence).

It is sad that the Young Muslims use accusations of Islamophobia to silence criticism of a person who himself preaches homophobia and anti-Semitism. This will only strengthen the real Islamophobes.