Police in South Africa are currently on the hunt for the suspects responsible for the killing of Muhsin Hendricks, who is known as the world’s first openly gay imam.
The 57-year-old imam was shot dead in broad daylight while in his car in Gqeberha on Saturday.
CCTV footage shows a hooded individual emerging from a pick-up truck that was blocking Hendricks’ vehicle and firing shots through the car window. The imam was renowned for his efforts in creating a safe space for gay and other marginalized Muslims, and his tragic death has left a profound impact on the LGBTQ+ community and beyond.
The Life of Muhsin Hendricks
Muhsin Hendricks came out as gay in 1996, which caused quite a stir within the wider Muslim community in Cape Town and beyond. In the same year, he founded The Inner Circle, an organization offering support and a safe space for queer Muslims who were seeking to reconcile their faith and sexuality. Later, he established the inclusive Masjidul Ghurbaah mosque.
Hendricks was widely regarded as the world’s first openly gay imam. Born in Cape Town, South Africa, in June 1967, he grew up in a religious Muslim family and later graduated from a seminary in Karachi. His grandfather was an imam, his father a spiritual healer, and his mother a religious teacher.
He received his primary education in Cape Town, and in 1990, he traveled to Pakistan for further religious studies. At Jamia Darasat Islamia in Karachi, he studied Arabic language and Dars Nizami until 1994. Upon his return to Cape Town, he became a part-time imam at a local mosque while also teaching in three other mosques and excelling as an Arabic language instructor.
At the age of 23, Hendricks had an arranged marriage with a woman, but shortly before the wedding ceremony, he disclosed his sexual orientation to his future wife. Initially furious, she decided to stay with him and “work things out” for the marriage to succeed.
However, the marriage lasted only six years, and after having three children, they decided to divorce. Afterward, Hendricks lived with his same-sex partner.
