Socrates, Oscar Wilde, Klaus Mann and many other men in history had one thing in common: they loved men. Some of them were lucky and could live a peaceful life regardless, since they either had the respective social standing or lived in societies where homosexuality was at least tolerated. Most others in history, however, were in a rather unfortunate position. To be gay was to be criminal. A conviction for homosexual conduct resulted in years in prison or worse: even today the death penalty can be imposed upon homosexuals in countries where the Shari'a, the Islamic Criminal Code, is interpreted and applied in a strict and conservative way.