World's 'First Openly Gay Imam', Muhsin Hendricks Shot Dead In South Africa

<p>Muhsin Hendricks, the world's "first openly gay imam" has been shot dead in South Africa. The 57-year-old cleric ran a mosque in Cape Town, considered a safe haven for gay and other marginalised Muslims.&nbsp;</p> <p>Hendricks was killed on Saturday morning after his car in which he was travelling was ambushed near the southern city of Gqeberha, reported BBC.&nbsp;The police said in a statement that two unknown suspects with "covered faces got out of the vehicle and started firing multiple shots at the vehicle."&nbsp;</p> <p>The murder of the imam took place after he reportedly officiated at a lesbian wedding, the report stated, adding there has been no official confirmation of this.&nbsp;</p> <p>The security footage of the attack which was shared on social media gave hints on the details of the attack. The footage shows a car pulling up and blocking the vehicle in which Hendricks was travelling as it was pulling away from the curb.&nbsp;</p> <p>The imam was sitting at the back, according to police. The angle of the CCTV footage showed what happened from one side of the road: an assailant jumped out of a car, ran to the ambushed vehicle and shot repeatedly through the back passenger window.</p> <p><strong>ALSO READ | <a href="https://ift.tt/Xqj6hM4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Austria Stabbing Attack That Killed 14-Year-Old Teen Linked To Islamic State, Says Minister</a></strong></p> <p>The imam's death was confirmed by Hendricks' Al-Ghurbaah Foundation, which runs the Masjidul Ghurbaah mosque in the Wynberg suburb of Cape Town. Chirperson of the foundation's board, Abdulmugheeth Petersen appealed via a WhatsApp group for their followers to be patient, stressing the importance of protecting Hendricks' family.</p> <p>Hendricks revealed his sexuality in 1996 shocking the wider Muslim community in Cape Town and elsewhere. The same year, he founded The Inner Circle, an organisation providing support and a safe space for queer Muslims seeking to reconcile their faith and sexuality before establishing the inclusive Masjidul Ghurbaah mosque.&nbsp;</p> <p>Hendricks was the subject of a 2002 documentary called The Radical, where he spoke about the threat he faced: "The need to be authentic was greater than the fear to die."</p> <p>The British-Nigerian imam rallied for the importance of interfaith dialogue and the need to address the mental health issues and trauma faced by LGBTQ+ individuals within religious communities.</p> <p>South Africa became the first country in Africa to legalise same-sex marriage in 2006 and its post-apartheid constitution was the first in the world to protect people from discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation.&nbsp;</p>

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