Tributes have been pouring in on social media following the brutal murder of Muhsin Hendricks, 57, near Gqeberha, formerly known as Port Elizabeth. Hendricks, considered the world’s first openly gay Muslim imam, was shot and killed in a targeted attack on Saturday morning, 15 February 2025.
Gay imam shot and killed
Hendricks was seated in the back of a vehicle when another vehicle stopped in front of them and blocked their exit. Two individuals with covered faces got out of the vehicle and started firing multiple shots at them. After they fled the scene, the driver noticed that Hendricks had been shot and killed.
Hendricks, a self-confessed gay imam from Cape Town, ran a mosque intended as a safe haven for gay and other marginalised Muslims.
According to The Hindustan Times, he came out as gay in 1996 and ran the Al-Ghurbaah mosque in Wynberg, Cape Town.
Markedly, Muhsin Hendricks was the subject of a 2022 documentary called The Radical. In this documentary, he mentioned previous threats against him. But he insisted that ‘the need to be authentic’ was more important to him ‘than the fear to die’.
‘Shot like an animal,’ Marc Lottering
Many people have taken to social media to pay tribute to Hendricks and express their shock at what happened.
Top South African comedian Marc Lottering posted the following on his Facebook page:
Lottering’s husband, Anwar McKay, posted that he was ‘devastated to learn of the brutal murder of Muhsin Hendricks today. Human rights activist and brave, kind soul. You did not deserve this brutality, this barbarism. May your beautiful soul rest in peace. There is so much hatred in this world today. We as humans will march and fight for the freedom of some human beings but will disregard the sanctity of the life of others. Love is the most powerful force in the universe. In the end, love wins, always.’
A Facebook user responded to McKay’s post saying: ‘Irrespective of others’ beliefs who gives one the right to take someone’s life? This world has lost its humanity’. Another comment reads: ‘This is not only sad, it’s disturbing, disgusting and inhuman!!! Where is humanity?’
I am so devastated to hear of the murder of Imam Muhsin Hendricks, gunned down today in Gqeberha.
It is very likely a homophobic hate crime.
Hendricks (57) ran the Inner Circle, South Africa’s first support group for LGBTQ+ Muslims.
My condolences to his loved ones 💔 🕊 pic.twitter.com/BTkPnVvktU
— Suntosh Pillay (@suntoshpillay) February 15, 2025
This is truly heartbreaking💔. Rest in peace, Muhsin Hendricks.
May Allah bring justice for those responsible for your untimely passing.
I first met you in 2009 when you led a retreat and study days in Cape Town. From that moment, we forged a deep connection—one built on shared… pic.twitter.com/rfBneJrbOW
— Revd Mother Jide ‘Emeka’ Macaulay HHH ™ (@RevJide) February 15, 2025
Do you think that the police will catch the person who shot and killed Muhsin Hendricks?
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