KEY POINTS
- Police are tracking suspects in Imam Muhsin Hendricks’ killing.
- LGBTQ+ and religious groups condemn the murder and call for justice.
- Hendricks’ advocacy for queer Muslims continues to inspire many.
According to Deputy Justice Minister Andries Nel, South African police are actively searching for the culprits in the murder of Muhsin Hendricks, the first openly homosexual imam in history.
Police track suspects in Imam Muhsin Hendricks’ killing
In the seaside city of Gqeberha, Hendricks, 57, was shot and killed Saturday in broad daylight while he was seated in his vehicle.
A hooded suspect may be seen on CCTV shooting through the window of a pickup truck that had blocked Hendricks’ car.
Hendricks was well-known for establishing safe places for vulnerable people and advocating for LGBTQ+ Muslims. The LGBTQ+ community and beyond have been rocked by his passing.
Whether the murder was a hate crime has not yet been established by authorities. According to Nel, who spoke to Newzroom Afrika TV, Deputy Police Minister Polly Boshielo told him that police were “hot on the heels” of the suspects but withheld more information.
Hendricks was characterized by Nel as “a South African that we can all be proud of, a South African that we can all aspire to be.”
Traditional interpretations of Islam that forbid same-sex unions were questioned by Hendricks’ work. One of the main religious organizations in South Africa, the Muslim Judicial Council (MJC), denounced his murder and emphasized that people of different theological backgrounds should live in harmony with one another.
“As members of a democratic, pluralistic society, the MJC remains steadfast in advocating for peaceful coexistence and mutual respect, even amidst divergent views,” it stated.
In 1996, Hendricks came out as gay, shocking the larger Muslim community in Cape Town, where he was born. In the same year, he established The Inner Circle, a group that helps queer Muslims who want to make peace with their sexuality and religion. Later, he founded the inclusive mosque Masjidul Ghurbaah.
Hendricks’ legacy of advocacy for queer Muslims lives on
According to BBC, his advocacy efforts went beyond Islam, focusing on interfaith discussion and the difficulties LGBTQ+ people in religious communities have with their mental health.
At last year’s International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association World Conference in Cape Town, Hendricks stated, “It is important that we stop to look at religion as the enemy.”
In the 2022 documentary The Radical, Hendricks discussed the dangers he faced and said, “The need to be authentic was greater than the fear to die.”
However, violence and prejudice continue in spite of legislative protections and a vibrant LGBTQ+ community. In addition, South Africa has one of the highest rates of homicide worldwide.
