In the welter of debate about legalising same-sex marriages in Britain – including ferocious opposition from some religious elements – one fascinating aspect has scarcely been noticed: the attitude of Muslim members of parliament.

Unexpected as it might seem, only ONE of the eight MPs who identify as Muslims opposed gay marriage in the parliamentary debate on Tuesday, and more than half of them actively supported it.

Four Labour MPs who identify as Muslim voted in favour of gay marriage: Rushanara Ali (Bethnal Green & Bow), Sadiq Khan (Tooting), Shabana Mahmood (Birmingham Ladywood) and Anas Sarwar (Glasgow Central). A Conservative Muslim, Sajid Javid (Bromsgrove), also voted in favour – as did George Galloway, the Respect MP who has a very large Muslim following.

The only Muslim MP to vote against gay marriage was the Conservative Rehman Chishti (Gillingham & Rainham). 

Two Labour Muslims – Yasmin Qureshi (Bolton South East) and Khalid Mahmood (Birmingham Perry Barr) – did not vote. Nadhim Zahawi, the Conservative MP for Stratford-on-Avon, also abstained. He is of Iraqi Kurdish origin but it is unclear whether he regards himself as Muslim.

This has not been well received in some parts of the British Muslim community – for example, there's a critical article 
here on the Muslim Debate Initiative blog. 

Conventional Muslim religious teaching condemns homosexual acts, as did the vast majority of Christian churches until half a century ago. However, the question of gay rights is a slightly more complicated matter. British Muslims and gay people have something in common: they are minorities who are liable to be discriminated against.

However much Muslims may disapprove of gay sex, opposing discrimination on principle serves the interests of Muslims and gay people alike.

The position of most Muslim MPs in this week's vote echoes the position adopted by the Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) in 2007 when it formally declared its support for the Equality Act outlawing discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation. In a statement issued at the time, the MCB said:

"We affirm our belief that the practice and promotion of homosexuality is forbidden according to the teachings of Islam. However the Sexual Orientation Regulations are not about religious belief but about prohibiting discrimination in the provision of goods and services on grounds of sexual orientation. The MCB stands opposed to discrimination in all its forms."