First gay imam in the world in South Africa shot

First gay imam in the world in South Africa shot

A man who is considered the first imam in the world who has outed himself as a gay was shot in South Africa on Saturday, as the local police said. Human rights groups fear that it could be a hate crime.

Details of the incident

The police of the province of Eastern Cape said in a message that the death of Muhsin Hendricks, 58, was examined in Bethelsdorp. The exact motif behind the murder is unclear. According to the statement, Hendricks and a driver were in a gold-colored VW T-Roc in the Haley Place, extension 24, Bethelsdorp when a silver-colored Hilux dual cubin was in front of them and prevented them from driving away.

"Two unknown suspects with hooded faces got out of the vehicle and opened the fire on the car. Then they fled from the crime scene, and the driver noticed that Hendricks, who was sitting in the back of the vehicle, was shot," added the police.

video of the incident

a Video , which is to be recorded by a security camera and showed the incident, was largely divided into social media. CNN did not verify the video independently, and the police could not confirm the content due to the ongoing investigation.

shootings are common in South Africa, where the Mordrate World counts and has reached a 20-year high.

The reaction of the community

According to an explanation of the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association (Ilga World) from 1996, Hendricks was the "First Imam in the World to get out of gay". "The ILGA World family is deeply shocked by the news of the murder of Muhsin Hendricks and asks the authorities to examine thoroughly what we may see as hate crimes," said Julia Ehrt, the managing director of Ilga World.

The Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Development of South Africa also made a concern of the murder of Hendricks and promised to "track and monitor justice" should actually be confirmed as a hate crime.

commitment to the LGBTQ+ Community

Hendricks founded the Al-Ghurbaah Foundation in Cape Town, where he worked as a managing director. This human rights organization offers support for "queer Muslims that help to reconcile Islam with its sexual orientation and gender identity", as on the website Al-Ghurbaah Foundation can be read.

The Muslim Judicial Council of South Africa (MJC) condemned in a communication on Sunday the "shocking crime" "without reservations". "It was claimed that the crime may have been motivated out of hatred against Muhsin Hendricks due to his views on same-sex relationships. While the MJC has always emphasized that Muhsin's position is not compatible with the Islamic teachings, we condemn his murder and any acts of violence against members of the LGBTQ community or other communities."

an important inheritance

The imam was the subject of the documentary "The Radical" from 2022, which followed Hendricks, while he set up a mosque for LGBTQ+Muslims in Cape Town and was confronted with murder threats. "The need to be authentic was greater than dying," says Hendricks in the film.