Muhsin Hendricks

Muhsin Hendricks (June 1967 – 15 February 2025) was a South African imam, Islamic scholar and LGBTQ activist. He was involved in many LGBTQ Muslim activism groups. He was a supporter of greater acceptance of LGBTQ people within Islam. He was seen as the world's first openly gay imam, having come out in 1996.

Career
In 1996, Hendricks founded the Inner Circle, a support network helping gay Muslims to support their sexual orientation. They were founded in response to LGBTQ Muslims who felt excluded from mosques during Friday prayers. Hendricks took part in prayers, counselling and Muslim same-sex marriage ceremonies. Inner Circle was later known as Al-Fitrah Foundation.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Hendricks began posting TikToks with positive messages about love. Hendricks appeared in the 2007 documentary movie A Jihad for Love. In 2022, he was the subject of The Radical, a German documentary movie.

Personal life
He married a woman in 1991, and had children with her before they divorced in 1996: later that year he came out as gay. He married a Hindu man in 2006.

Assassination
Hendricks was killed after being shot on 15 February 2025 in Bethelsdorp, South Africa at the age of 57. The International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association (ILGA) criticised Hendricks's killing and called on authorities to investigate the death. Initial reports claimed that he was murdered after reportedly officiating a lesbian wedding in Gqeberha.

References

Category:1967 births
Category:2025 deaths
Category:Assassinated people
Category:Murders by firearm
Category:Imams
Category:South African academics
Category:South African activists
Category:LGBT rights activists
Category:Gay men
Category:LGBT academics