Muhsin Hendricks, the first openly gay Islamic cleric, has been killed in South Africa.
The 57-year-old imam, who founded a progressive mosque in Cape Town serving marginalized Muslims, was shot dead on Saturday morning near Gqeberha.
Reports indicate that Hendricks’ vehicle was ambushed shortly after he officiated a lesbian wedding.
Security footage circulating online shows a car blocking his vehicle as it moved away from the curb.
According to police, “Two unknown suspects with covered faces got out of the vehicle and started firing multiple shots at the vehicle.” Hendricks, seated in the back seat, was hit multiple times.
Muhsin Hendricks made headlines in 1996 when he publicly came out as gay, a revelation that stirred significant controversy within the Muslim community.
That same year, he founded The Inner Circle, an organization supporting LGBTQ+ Muslims. He later established the Masjidul Ghurbaah mosque, advocating for inclusion and acceptance.
Muhsin Hendricks’ death has sparked an outpouring of tributes from around the world, particularly from the LGBTQ+ community and human rights activists.
