The murder of Muhsin Hendricks, widely recognized as the world’s first openly gay imam, has sent shockwaves through South Africa and the global LGBTQ Muslim community. Hendricks, 57, was gunned down in an apparent assassination near Gqeberha, Eastern Cape Province, after his vehicle was ambushed by an unknown assailant. The imam was a pioneering figure, leading a mosque in Cape Town that welcomed LGBTQ Muslims and other marginalized groups—a radical act in a religious sphere often hostile to queer identities.
His killing has prompted strong reactions from Muslim organizations, with the Muslim Judicial Council (MJC) and the United Ulama Council of South Africa (UUCSA) condemning the murder, despite their longstanding theological opposition to Hendricks’ advocacy for LGBTQ rights within Islam. “While the MJC has consistently maintained that Muhsin’s position is incompatible with Islamic teachings, we unequivocally condemn his murder,” the organization stated. The UUCSA echoed this, emphasizing that “extrajudicial killings undermine the rule of law and contribute to societal instability.” Yet, the underlying tensions remain unspoken—Hendricks’ visibility and defiance of religious norms made him a target in both life and death.
South African authorities, led by Deputy Justice Minister Andries Nel, have pledged swift justice, reporting that police are “hot on the heels” of the suspects. The implications of this killing extend beyond a singular hate crime; they reflect the precarious existence of LGBTQ individuals in religious communities that often treat them as outcasts. The attack serves as a grim reminder of the dangers faced by those who challenge orthodoxy, yet Hendricks’ legacy as a spiritual leader and activist will endure.