Muslim and Roman Catholic leaders in Scotland are to hold a meeting to discuss their shared concerns about the Scottish Government’s plans to redefine marriage.
Bashir Maan, spokesman for Glasgow Central Mosque – the largest in Scotland – has confirmed that senior figures from both groups will meet to discuss a joint response to the contentious plans.
The mosque’s leader has also written to First Minister Alex Salmond, urging him to think again before proceeding with the “very dangerous legislation”.
Influence
The Scottish Government is currently holding a consultation on whether to rewrite the definition of marriage. The consultation will finish in December.
This week Mr Maan revealed Glasgow Central Mosque’s plans to meet with the Roman Catholic Church, saying: “We will talk about how we can try to influence the government. We don’t want them to go ahead with this.
“Civil partnerships are enough. Why go further and offend people?”
Encourage
Earlier this month Mohammed Tufail Shaheen, president of Glasgow Central Mosque, wrote to Alex Salmond.
He said: “Passing this legislation would further encourage homosexuality and increase the number of same-sex marriages.
“If this trend continues, what would become of our society?”
Criticised
Last month Sir Tom Farmer, the millionaire founder of Kwik-Fit and a Scottish National Party (SNP) donor, criticised the party’s plans to redefine marriage.
The 71-year-old also suggested that the Scottish Government had “alienated” itself from “large parts of the population”.
And Gordon Wilson, who led the SNP from 1979 to 1990, called for a referendum to be held on the issue.
In September Cardinal Keith O’Brien, head of the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland, warned that redefining marriage would lead to homosexual behaviour being normalised in the nation’s schools.