Muhsin Hendricks, popularly recognised as the world’s first openly gay imam, has been shot and killed in South Africa.
The 57-year-old cleric, who led a mosque in Cape Town known as a safe haven for LGBTQ+ and marginalized Muslims, was ambushed on Saturday morning while traveling near the southern city of Gqeberha.
According to police, “Two unknown suspects with covered faces got out of the vehicle and started firing multiple shots at the vehicle,” as quoted by the BBC.
Hendricks’ death has sent shockwaves through the LGBTQ+ community and beyond, with tributes pouring in from around the world.
Julia Ehrt, executive director at the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association (Ilga), urged authorities to conduct a thorough investigation into “what we fear may be a hate crime.”
She described Hendricks as someone who “supported and mentored so many people in South Africa and around the world in their journey to reconcile with their faith, and his life has been a testament to the healing that solidarity across communities can bring in everyone’s lives.”
While reports suggest that Hendricks was killed shortly after officiating a lesbian wedding, authorities have yet to confirm this.
Security footage of the attack, which surfaced on social media, shows a car pulling up to block the vehicle Hendricks was in as it attempted to leave the curb.
An assailant is seen jumping out, running to the vehicle, and firing repeatedly through the back passenger window where police confirm Hendricks was seated.
His Al-Ghurbaah Foundation, which runs the Masjidul Ghurbaah mosque in Cape Town’s Wynberg suburb, confirmed his death, calling it a targeted attack.
However, Abdulmugheeth Petersen, chair of the foundation’s board, urged followers via WhatsApp to remain patient and respect the privacy of Hendricks’ family.
Muhsin Hendricks was known for challenging traditional interpretations of Islam and advocating for an inclusive, compassionate faith.
Since coming out as gay in 1996, he had been a trailblazer for queer Muslims, founding The Inner Circle to support those seeking to reconcile their faith with their sexuality before later establishing Masjidul Ghurbaah as an inclusive space for worship.
South Africa, despite being the first country in the world to enshrine LGBTQ+ protections in its post-apartheid constitution and legalizing same-sex marriage in 2006, still grapples with discrimination and violence against the community.
The country also has one of the highest murder rates in the world.
Hendricks’ activism made a lasting impact, as reflected in the 2022 documentary The Radical, in which he addressed the threats he faced, saying, “The need to be authentic was greater than the fear to die.”
He was also a strong advocate for interfaith dialogue and spoke about the mental health struggles faced by LGBTQ+ individuals within religious spaces.
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