We Have Always Been Here: A Queer Muslim Memoir

Habib decides it is time to reconnect with their faith after coming out of the closet and working through their LGBTQ+ identity. Habib is worried that traditional Mosques and community centers will not accept them. They find an inclusive Mosque named the “Unity Mosque,” partly founded by the human rights lawyer El-Farouk Khaki. The Mosque is primarily attended by other LGBTQ+ Muslims.

Habib is shocked by how welcoming the space is. The Unity Mosque becomes a spiritual home for Habib, who explains that their faith is just as important as their LGBTQ+ identity. The two facets of Habib’s identity are inseparable, and they begin bringing potential romantic partners to the Mosque in order to demonstrate what their faith means to somebody who wishes to share their life.

Habib’s time at the Unity Mosque inspires them to begin a photography journey. They realize that there is almost no representation of LGBTQ+ Muslims: Had they seen such representation growing up, they may have been saved heartache. Habib believes that photographing LGBTQ+ Muslims would allow them to communicate about the LGBTQ+ Muslim experience in raw, unfiltered ways that bypass language barriers. They see this potential project as a democratic way of sharing struggles and experiences like theirs with the world at large.