Muhsin Hendricks, believed to be the world’s first openly gay imam, was shot dead near the South African city of Gqeberha, police confirmed on Saturday.
Authorities have yet to determine a motive for the killing, but LGBTQ+ rights groups have urged an investigation into a possible hate crime.
Muhsin Hendricks was travelling in a car with another person when a vehicle blocked their path in Bethelsdorp, a suburb of Gqeberha, formerly known as Port Elizabeth, police said.
“Two unknown suspects with covered faces got out of the vehicle and started firing multiple shots at the vehicle,” the Eastern Cape police said in a statement. “Thereafter, they fled the scene, and the driver noticed that Hendricks, who was seated at the back, was shot and killed.”
A police spokesperson confirmed the authenticity of a video circulating on social media that appears to show the targeted attack. Authorities have urged witnesses to come forward.
The International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association (ILGA) condemned the killing and called for a thorough probe into whether it was a hate crime.
“The ILGA World family is in deep shock at the news of the murder of Muhsin Hendricks and calls on authorities to thoroughly investigate what we fear may be a hate crime,” said executive director Julia Ehrt in a statement.
Born into a Muslim family in Cape Town, Hendricks married a woman and had children before coming out as gay in 1996. He later divorced and dedicated his life to advocating for LGBTQ+ inclusion in Islam.
In 1998, he started hosting informal gatherings for LGBTQ+ Muslims in his home city, turning his garage into a space where they could meet without fear of judgement.
After a friend shared an experience of hearing an anti-gay sermon at a local mosque, Hendricks decided to establish a dedicated place of worship. In 2011, he founded the Al-Ghurbaah mosque in Cape Town, which, according to its website, provides “a safe space in which queer Muslims and marginalised women can practise Islam.”
Hendricks, also the subject of the 2022 documentary The Radical, had previously spoken about receiving threats due to his work.
South Africa has one of the world’s highest murder rates, with 28,000 recorded killings in the year leading up to February 2024, according to police data.
Authorities have not yet confirmed whether Hendricks’ murder was related to his activism, but investigations are ongoing.
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