The world’s first openly gay Muslim imam from Cape Town, was sh0t and k*lled in a targeted attack yesterday morning: Tributes pour in from celebrities and South African people.
Muhsin Hendricks, 57, the world’s first openly gay Muslim imam, was shot and killed in a targeted attack.
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?’
Marc Lottering pays tribute to gunned-down gay imam.
Comedian Marc Lottering has called for justice over the murder of openly gay imam, Muhsin Hendriks, in what is believed to be a hate crime.
Comedian Marc Lottering has paid tribute to Muhsin Hendricks, the world’s first openly gay imam [Islamic religious leader], who was shot dead in what is believed to be a homophobic attack this weekend.
MARC LOTTERING REMEMBERS GAY IMAM MUHSIN.
On his social media platforms, Marc Lottering paid tribute to an iconic figure in both the Muslim and LGBTQ communities.
He said of the openly gay imam: “Rest In Peace, Muhsin Hendricks.
You did not deserve to be shot like an animal.
No human being does.”
Marc added: “May justice prevail.”
Muhsin was shot and killed by two masked men, who ambushed his vehicle in Gqeberha.
According to reports, the 57-year-old had officiated a lesbian wedding before his murder.
Muhsin came out as gay in 2006 and founded The Inner Circle, an NGO that provided support and a safe haven to queer Muslims seeking to reconcile their faith.
He also established the inclusive Masjidul Ghurbaah mosque.
In the 2022 documentary The Radical, the gay imam revealed that he had faced numerous death threats over his lifestyle, which was widely condemned.
Despite this, he continued his work, defiantly stating: “The need to be authentic was greater than the fear to die.
While the motive for Muhsin’s killing is unknown at this stage, the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, and Intersex Association has labelled it a “hate crime.”
Executive director Julia Ehrt said in a statement: “The ILGA World family is in deep shock at the news of the murder of Muhsin Hendricks, and calls on authorities to thoroughly investigate what we fear may be a hate crime”.
OUT AND PRIDE.
Like the first openly gay imam Muhsin Hendricks, Marc Lottering is also a proud member of the LGBTQ community.
In 2010, the actor married his long-term partner, producer Anwar McKay, who he has now been with for close to three decades.
Anwar – who is also from the Muslim faith – spoke to EWN about coming out in his mid-twenties.
He said: “Coming from a Muslim background, I was quite closeted.
I felt it was time to explore, and I saw an advert in the newspaper about gay hookups”.
He continued: “I called the number and got a contact list with Marc’s number.
I called the number, we chatted and we hit it off.
Marc was as charming as ever, and I was this shy little thing.
It was just incredible…”
Meanwhile, Marc, the son of a Christian preacher, came out as gay in 2000.
Last month, Marc and Anwar celebrated 15 years of marriage.
