Muhsin Hendricks, described as the world’s first openly gay imam, has been shot dead in South Africa, BBC reports on Sunday.
The 57-year-old cleric, who led a Cape Town mosque known for welcoming LGBTQ+ and marginalised Muslims, was ambushed on Saturday near the southern city of Gqeberha.
South African police said two masked gunmen fired multiple shots at the vehicle in which Hendricks was a backseat passenger.
Security footage shared widely on social media, captured the moment a car blocked Hendricks’ vehicle before an assailant jumped out and repeatedly fired through the back window.
“Two unknown suspects with covered faces got out of the vehicle and started firing multiple shots at the vehicle,” police said in a statement.
The Al-Ghurbaah Foundation, which runs the Masjidul Ghurbaah mosque in Cape Town’s Wynberg suburb, confirmed the imam’s death in what it called a targeted attack.
BBC reports that the foundation’s board chair, Abdulmugheeth Petersen, urged the public to respect Hendricks’ family’s privacy as they grieved.
Reports suggest Hendricks was killed after officiating a lesbian wedding, though police have not confirmed this detail.
The news sparked an outpouring of tributes from the LGBTQ+ community.
The executive director at the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association, Julia Ehrt, expressed grief and urged a full investigation into what may have been a “hate crime.”
“He supported and mentored so many people in South Africa and around the world in their journey to reconcile with their faith, and his life has been a testament to the healing that solidarity across communities can bring in everyone’s lives,” she said.
Hendricks, who came out as gay in 1996, faced significant backlash within South Africa’s Muslim community.
That same year, he founded The Inner Circle, a support organisation for queer Muslims seeking to reconcile their faith and identity.
He later established the inclusive mosque, Masjidul Ghurbaah.
South Africa is the first African country to legalise same-sex marriage.
The country also has constitutional protections for sexual orientation but still records widespread anti-LGBTQ+ violence.
A British-Nigerian LGBTQ activist and openly gay Anglican minister, Reverend Jide Macaulay, called Hendricks’ death “heartbreaking.”
“Your leadership, courage, and unwavering dedication to inclusive faith communities have left an indelible mark,” he said.
Hendricks was the subject of a 2022 documentary, The Radical, where he reflected on the death threats he faced.
“The need to be authentic was greater than the fear to die,” he said.
