International
World’s First Openly Gay Imam, Muhsin Hendricks Killed in South Africa
Muhsin Hendricks, the world’s first openly gay imam, was killed in an ambush near Gqeberha, South Africa.
Hendricks founded a mosque in Cape Town to support gay and marginalized Muslims.
His death has sparked widespread tributes and calls for a thorough investigation into a possible hate crime.
Muhsin Hendricks, a trailblazing figure known as the world’s first openly gay imam, has been shot dead in South Africa.
The 57-year-old cleric founded a mosque in Cape Town designed to be a safe space for gay and marginalized Muslims. He was killed on Saturday morning when the car he was traveling in was ambushed near the southern city of Gqeberha.
“Two unknown suspects with covered faces exited the vehicle and opened fire on the car,” police said in a statement.
Hendricks’ death has shaken the LGBTQ+ community and beyond, leading to a wave of tributes from around the world.
Julia Ehrt, executive director of the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association (ILGA), urged authorities to conduct a thorough investigation, calling it a potential hate crime.
“He supported and mentored many people in South Africa and globally, helping them reconcile with their faith. His life was a testament to the healing power of solidarity across communities,” she said.
Hendricks was reportedly killed after officiating a lesbian wedding, though this has not been officially confirmed.
Details of the attack surfaced through security footage shared on social media. The video shows a car blocking the vehicle Hendricks was in as it was pulling away from the curb. Police confirmed that the imam was seated in the back. The footage, taken from a CCTV angle, shows an assailant exiting a car, running up to the ambushed vehicle, and shooting repeatedly through the back passenger window.
Hendricks’ Al-Ghurbaah Foundation, which operates the Masjidul Ghurbaah mosque in Cape Town’s Wynberg suburb, confirmed his death in what they described as a targeted attack on Saturday morning. However, Abdulmugheeth Petersen, chair of the foundation’s board, called for patience via a WhatsApp group, urging followers to protect Hendricks’ family during this time.
Hendricks was known for challenging traditional interpretations of Islam and advocating for a compassionate and inclusive faith. While South Africa’s post-apartheid constitution was the first globally to protect people from discrimination based on sexual orientation, and the country became the first in Africa to legalize same-sex marriage in 2006, gay individuals still face discrimination and violence, with South Africa having one of the highest murder rates in the world.
Hendricks came out as gay in 1996, shocking many in the Muslim community in Cape Town and beyond. That same year, he founded The Inner Circle, an organization supporting queer Muslims in reconciling their faith and sexuality, before going on to establish the inclusive Masjidul Ghurbaah mosque.
In 2022, he was featured in a documentary called The Radical, where he expressed that the need to be authentic outweighed his fear of death. Hendricks often discussed the importance of interfaith dialogue and the mental health challenges faced by LGBTQ+ individuals within religious communities. He stated at the ILGA World Conference in Cape Town last year, “It is important that we stop to look at religion as the enemy.”
Reverend Jide Macaulay, an openly gay Anglican minister, described Hendricks’ death as “truly heartbreaking.” Macaulay, who runs House of Rainbow in Nigeria, an organization that supports gay people in a country where same-sex relationships are illegal, paid tribute to Hendricks’ courage. “Your leadership, courage, and unwavering dedication to inclusive faith communities have left an indelible mark,” he said.
Sadiq Lawal, a gay Muslim man from Nigeria, said that Hendricks’ impact was immense, having made “the impossible possible” by openly declaring, “I’m a queer imam.” Lawal, a mentor to many queer Muslims in Africa, especially in Nigeria, which faces religious extremism, expressed his shock and devastation, saying, “I’m still in shock and devastated.”
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