MuhsinHendricks was a SouthAfrican imam, Islamic scholar and LGBTQ activist. He was involved in various LGBTQ Muslim advocacy groups and was an advocate for greater acceptance of LGBTQ people within Islam. These powerful words definedMuhsinHendricks, the world’s first openly gay imam, who was shot dead in broad daylight in SouthAfrica at 57. Hendricks’ murder in Gqeberha has sent shockwaves through the LGBTQ+ community. Discover the news, views and stories behind the art. MuhsinHendricks, considered the world’s first openly gay imam, has been shot dead near the southern city of Gqeberha, SouthAfrica. Imam MuhsinHendricks in 2024, from a documentary produced by the University of Southern California Center for Religion and Civic Culture. His efforts extended beyond SouthAfrica, as he engaged in interfaith dialogues, conducted workshops, and provided training courses aimed at fostering acceptance within religious communities globally. One of the world’s first openly gay imams, MuhsinHendricks has died. He was born in 1967 and lived in SouthAfrica for most of his life, apart from his time at the Islamic University in Karachi (1990–1994). Imam MuhsinHendricks, a 2006 Echoing Green Fellow, was senselessly killed in SouthAfrica on February 15 by masked gunmen. Widely known as the world’s first openly gay imam, Muhsin worked tirelessly to create inclusive faith communities.