Zahed believes, if the Prophet Mohamad was alive today, he would marry gay couples. He himself is the first gay man to marry partner in a Muslim ceremony in France. He is an Algerian PhD student writing his thesis on Islam and homosexuality, a subject he also addressed in a book "The Koran and the Flesh."
He has experienced anti-gay discrimination from Islamic groups, and Islamophobia from members of the French gay community.
Meanwhile there is a lot of controversy in France regarding both same-sex marriages and Islamic influence and practices. Ten days ago, tens of thousands protesters took to the streets against government's plan to legalize same-sex marriage, while several weeks ago, right wing protesters stormed an unfinished mosque to show disapproval of France's large community of Muslim immigrants.