The first ever gay Muslim wedding has taken place in the UK. Happy
grooms Jahed Choudhury, 24, and Sean Rogan, 19, tied the knot wearing
traditional golden Sherwanis in a civil ceremony at Walsall registry
office.
The pair, who’ve been together for two years, first met
when Choudhury was crying on a bench in Darlaston.He told Express and
Star: ‘I’d not long overdosed and I was crying on a bench and Sean came
over and asked if I was okay.
Adding that Sean gave him hope at
his lowest point and has stood by him ever since. Choudhury said that
being an openly-gay Muslim made him feel like something of a ‘black
sheep’ and that he ‘stood out like a sore thumb’ and often felt trapped
between his sexuality and faith.
He
tried to deny his orientation and even tried taking medication and
completed a pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia and another to Bangladesh, where
his family originates.Although his family weren’t present for the
ceremony, Choudhury believes the wedding is significant progress for the
Muslim and LGBT communities alike.He added: ‘My family doesn’t want to
come on the day, they just don’t want to see it, it’s too embarrassing
for them.’
Choudhury
says that some of his family dismiss his sexuality and happy
relationship with Sean as a ‘disease’ or a phase.He added: ‘I want to
say to all people going through the same thing that’s it’s okay – we’re
going to show the whole world that you can be gay and Muslim.
