By Agency Reports
Muhsin Hendricks, the world’s first openly gay imam, was shot and killed in South Africa on Saturday. The 57-year-old cleric, known for leading a mosque in Cape Town that welcomed LGBTQ+ Muslims, was ambushed near Gqeberha.
Police reported that two suspects, with covered faces, fired multiple shots at Hendricks’ vehicle. Security footage shows the assailant blocking the vehicle and shooting through the back window where Hendricks was seated.
Hendricks’ Al-Ghurbaah Foundation confirmed the attack was targeted, with many tributes pouring in from the LGBTQ+ community. Julia Ehrt, executive director of the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association, called for a full investigation into what might be a hate crime.
Hendricks was known for challenging traditional interpretations of Islam and advocating for an inclusive faith. He had been a prominent figure for queer Muslims since coming out in 1996, founding The Inner Circle to support those reconciling faith and sexuality, and later establishing the Masjidul Ghurbaah mosque as an inclusive worship space.
Despite South Africa’s progressive laws on LGBTQ+ rights, including legalizing same-sex marriage in 2006, the country continues to face violence and discrimination against the community. Hendricks’ activism and advocacy for interfaith dialogue left a lasting impact, as seen in the 2022 documentary The Radical.