This article presents a systematic discussion on how Muslim gay men protect their image and identity in an Islamic ambience, which can be threatened as a result of self-identifying and coming out as gay. The overarching question of this systematic review is, ‘What has research told us about Muslim gay men?” For the literature synthesis, out of 57 articles that touch on the issues associated with Muslim gay men, 30 of them met the inclusion criteria and were coded. After scrutinizing the articles, the following themes emerged: (i) factors affecting the identity development of Muslim gay men; (ii) societal expectations on Muslim gay men; and (iii) implications of developing the identity of a Muslim gay man. Based on the data obtained, it can be concluded that undermined Muslim character can prompt hyper-connection within fellow religious comrades. The possible directions for future research are discussed towards the end of this paper.
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