South African President Condemns Killing of Gay Imam as Investigations Unfold

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has shared his “deep condolences to the family, friends, and fellow activists of Imam Muhsin Hendricks,” who was shot dead last weekend in the Eastern Cape city of Gqeberha. Hendricks was widely known as the world’s first openly gay imam.

There are ongoing speculations that the killing was the result of a hate crime due to Hendricks’ sexual orientation and pro-queer activism, especially within the conservative context of his religion as a Muslim.

“While we await the outcome of investigations, I am concerned about the reported likelihood of this being a hate crime against a religious leader who championed the rights and protection of LGBTQ+ Muslims and compatriots more broadly,” Ramaphosa said in his statement, one of the rare times an African president has spoken out in solidarity with the queer community.

South African police have said it is“hot on the heels” of Hendricks’ suspected killers. Deputy Justice Minister Andries Nel said an investigation into the murder is ongoing and that it is too early to tell whether this was a hate crime or not.

LeakedCCTV footage of the killing circulated on social media, showing one of the two assailants in all black coming down from a pickup truck and shooting at Hendricks as he was pulling out of the shoulder of the road. Hendricks, 59 years old, wasreportedly leaving the venue of the interfaith wedding ceremony of a heterosexual couple.

Hendricks came out as gay in 1996, with South Africa’s post-apartheid constitution enshrining the rights of queer people in the country. Previously married to a woman with children, Hendricks’ coming out was a shock to the Muslim community in South Africa and beyond. He spent the rest of his life challenging traditional interpretations of Islam, which outlawed queer relationships.

Shortly after coming out, Hendricks founded The Inner Circle, an organization meant to support queer Muslims looking to reconcile their sexuality and their faith. In 2018, he founded the Al-Ghurbaah Foundation, which runs the Masjidul Ghurbaah mosque in Cape Town, serving as an inclusive space for Muslims of all genders and sexualities.

As he stated in the documentary feature,The Radical, “the need to be authentic was greater than the fear to die,”a mantra that guided him for the nearly three decades he was alive after coming out. Living in a continent plagued by religious extremism and ultra-conservative values, Hendricks was a beacon of light for many queer Muslims in Africa. He was also married to a Hindu man, which brought him criticism from fellow imams in South Africa, many of whomdid not refer to him by religious titles.

Hendricks’ death is also reflective of the stigma and violence that queer people sometimes face in South Africa, despite being the most progressive African country when it comes to queer rights. The country adopted same-sex marriage in 2006. However, most religious institutions and groups aren’t in support.