Mushin Hendricks who is called the “first out gay imam” in the Muslim faith, was shot and killed in an ambush while driving his car on Saturday, February 15. Hendricks ran a mosque in the Wynberg suburb of Cape Town, South Africa, that was known as a safe space for gay and marginalized Muslims.
He also ran workshops at mosques across Africa, helping other imams develop more inclusive understandings of gender and sexuality within Islam. This was especially vital as South Africa is the only nation on the continent that allows same-sex marriage, and homosexuality is illegal in 31 of the 54 countries.
Born in Pakistan, he was married to a woman before coming out as gay in 1996. He was known as one of only 5 Muslim faith leaders in the world to be openly gay, and was the first one to come out publicly.
Julia Ehrt, executive director at ILGA (the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association) has asked for authorities to investigate the murder as a hate crime, as it happened shortly after Hendricks performed a lesbian wedding. In a statement Ehrt said, “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.”
