First Openly Gay Imam Muhsin Hendricks Assassinated in South Africa

Muhsin Hendricks, the first openly gay Imam, was fatally shot in South Africa while on his way to officiate a wedding for a lesbian couple. The attack is being investigated as a hate crime, reflecting ongoing violence against LGBTQ individuals in the country. Hendricks was a prominent activist who founded a supportive mosque for LGBTQ Muslims.

In a tragic incident, Muhsin Hendricks, the world’s first openly gay Imam, was assassinated in South Africa while en route to officiate a wedding for a lesbian couple. The 58-year-old was shot at close range as he sat in a vehicle in Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth). Local Imams had previously refused to conduct the wedding, prompting Hendricks to step in.

Surveillance footage captured the brutal ambush, with a masked gunman emerging from a blocked vehicle and firing six shots into Hendricks’s car before fleeing. He succumbed to his injuries shortly after the attack, prompting police to suspect a hate crime due to Hendricks’s sexual orientation and religious role.

Hendricks founded a mosque in Cape Town dedicated to LGBTQ Muslims and had been the recipient of numerous death threats for advocating the compatibility of Islam and homosexuality. He publicly came out in 1996 and faced rejection from his family before reconciling with them, and he became an influential figure in the LGBTQ community.

Despite facing hostility, Hendricks remained committed to his beliefs, stating that he was aware of the risks but did not allow fear to alter his actions. His credentials included a degree in Islamic studies and experience as an activist supporting LGBTQ rights.

The assassination has elicited widespread condemnation across South Africa, with political leaders emphasizing the need to address violence against LGBTQ communities. The timing of Hendricks’s murder, just before Valentine’s Day, has heightened discussions about love and acceptance versus hate and violence in society.

The assassination of Muhsin Hendricks underscores the ongoing challenges faced by LGBTQ individuals in many societies, including hate crimes motivated by sexual orientation. His legacy as a pioneer for LGBTQ Muslims and an activist remains impactful, highlighting the necessity of dialogue surrounding acceptance in religious environments. Hendricks’s murder has intensified calls for justice and awareness regarding violence against the LGBTQ community.

Original Source: www.thesun.co.uk