Assassination claims as first openly gay imam shot dead

A prominent figure in the LGBT+ Muslim community has been fatally shot in South Africa, sparking outrage and fears of an assassination.

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Muhsin Hendricks, widely considered the world's first openly gay Muslim imam, was ambushed on Saturday while sitting in a car in Gqeberha, formerly known as Port Elizabeth. Security footage captured the moment a masked assailant leaped from a pickup truck, firing multiple shots through the car window at Hendricks. A driver accompanying him survived the attack.

While police investigations are ongoing and a motive has yet to be officially established, political parties and LGBT+ organisations believe Hendricks was targeted for his progressive religious teachings.

He founded a mosque in Cape Town specifically welcoming LGBT+ Muslims and advocated for greater inclusion within Islam, despite homosexuality being traditionally forbidden in the religion. South Africa’s Justice Ministry has confirmed it is investigating the possibility of an assassination.

Hendricks was known internationally and spoke at the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association’s (ILGA) conference in South Africa in 2024.