Muhsin Hendricks, widely regarded as the world’s first openly gay imam, was shot and killed on Saturday near Gqeberha, South African police confirmed.
Hendricks, known for his advocacy for LGBTQ+ Muslims, was in a car when another vehicle blocked their path. Two masked gunmen exited and fired multiple shots before fleeing the scene, police said. The driver later discovered that Hendricks, seated in the back, had been fatally wounded.
A video circulating on social media appears to show the targeted attack, and police have urged witnesses to come forward as they investigate the motive behind the killing.
The International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association (ILGA) condemned the murder, calling for a thorough investigation into what they fear may be a hate crime.
Hendricks, who came out as gay in 1996, founded the Al-Ghurbaah mosque in Cape Town, offering a safe space for queer Muslims and marginalized women to practice Islam. His work was featured in the 2022 documentary The Radical, where he acknowledged past threats against his life but emphasized that “the need to be authentic” outweighed his fear of death.
South Africa, despite its progressive LGBTQ+ rights, remains plagued by violent crime. Police recorded nearly 28,000 murders in the year leading up to February 2024.
