Muhsin Hendricks, a known figure known as the world’s first openly gay imam was shot dead in South Africa at the age of 57.
Hendricks, who led a Cape Town mosque that served as a refuge for LGBTQ+ and other marginalized Muslims, was ambushed on Saturday morning near Gqeberha.
“Two unknown suspects with covered faces got out of the vehicle and started firing multiple shots at the vehicle,” police confirmed in a statement to BBC.
Hendricks shot dead after officiating lesbian wedding: Unconfirmed reports
Hendricks was reportedly killed after officiating a lesbian wedding, though this has not been officially confirmed.
CCTV footage of the attack, widely circulated on social media, shows a car blocking the vehicle Hendricks was in as it attempted to drive away. A masked assailant is seen rushing to the rear passenger side and opening fire.
His Al-Ghurbaah Foundation, which operates the Masjidul Ghurbaah mosque in Cape Town’s Wynberg suburb, confirmed his death. However, the foundation’s board chair, Abdulmugheeth Petersen, urged followers to remain patient and respect the privacy of Hendricks’ family.
After gay imam’s murder, tributes pour in
His killing has sent shockwaves through the LGBTQ+ community and beyond, with tributes pouring in 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 into what “we fear may be a hate crime.”
“He 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,” she said.
Reverend Jide Macaulay, an openly gay Anglican minister and founder of House of Rainbow, a support group for LGBTQ+ individuals in Nigeria, called Hendricks’ death “truly heartbreaking.”
“Your leadership, courage, and unwavering dedication to inclusive faith communities have left an indelible mark,” he said.
Sadiq Lawal, a gay Muslim man in Nigeria, described Hendricks as a beacon of hope.
“He made the impossible possible by saying the words: ‘I’m a queer imam.’ He’s a mentor to many queer Muslims in Africa, especially in Nigeria, because of religious extremism. I’m still in shock and devastated.”
Who is Muhsin Hendricks?
Hendricks dedicated his life to challenging traditional interpretations of Islam and advocating for an inclusive and compassionate faith.
Despite South Africa’s progressive legal framework—including constitutional protections for LGBTQ+ individuals and the legalization of same-sex marriage in 2006—discrimination and violence persist. The country also has one of the highest murder rates in the world.
Coming out as gay in 1996, Hendricks shocked many in Cape Town’s Muslim community. That same year, he founded The Inner Circle, a support group for queer Muslims, before later establishing Masjidul Ghurbaah as a safe space for those seeking to reconcile their faith and sexuality.
His story was captured in the 2022 documentary The Radical, where he reflected on the threats he faced: “The need to be authentic was greater than the fear to die.”
Hendricks was a strong advocate for interfaith dialogue and mental health awareness within LGBTQ+ religious communities. At the Ilga World Conference in Cape Town last year, he remarked, “It is important that we stop to look at religion as the enemy.”
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