Gay Imam was killed in South Africa. His friend says that his death “will not be in vain”

Muhsin Hendricks showed to the world that “you can be both strange and pious Muslim,” says his longtime friend and colleague.

Hendricks – South African Imam, who devoted his life to help 2SLGBTQ+ Muslims to reconcile their identity with faith – he was shot and killed on Saturday in the city of Gqeberha. He was 57 years old.

“Muhsin stood there. Visible, “he said a lot This is happening Guest host Helen Mann.

“This is a great loss not only for the LGBT community, and not only for the community of faith, but even for the world in which we live today.”

The motive of killing the unknown

According to the police, Hendricks, who described himself as the first gay imam in the world, was shot by two men in a pickup whose faces were covered.

The shooting safety film shows that one of them jumps out of the vehicle, ran to the Hendricks car and shot a gun many times through the side window.

The police did not establish the motive of the murder, but political parties and spokeswoman say that they believe that Hendricks, which he had long put on the threats of death, could have been targeted because of his work.

The democratic alliance, the second largest political party in South Africa, said that “the nature of murder definitely suggests a professional hit.”

Julia Ehrt, executive director of the International Lesbian Association, Gays, Bisexuali, Trans and Intersxual, called the authorities to “thoroughly investigate what we are afraid of can be a hate crime.”

The Muslim South African Court Council said that although he consistently stated that Hendrick's position was inconsistent with Islamic teachings, “we clearly condemn his murder and all acts of violence focused on members of the LGBTQ community or any other community.”

The Department of Justice of South Africa stated that he studied the claims that he was the purpose of murder.

Hendricks was a world -famous imam and activist who argued that there is nothing in the Koran that forbade the relations of the same sex.

He was in favor of switching on through his Al-Ghurbaah foundation and led a mosque in Cape Town especially for people 2SLGBTQ+.

In document 2022 RadicalHendricks talked about the risk of being a gay clergyman, but said that his need to be his authentic self was greater than fear of death.

It is a feeling that Macaulay said he was too well known.

“Our authentic self can do harm. Our authentic self has been criminalized. Our authentic self has been demonized, “said Macaulay, founder based on the faith 2SLGBTQ+ House of Rainbow.

“He went to the clergyman, you know in the same religion that condemns him, which demonizes him. And that's why it is very painful to see violence against him. “

“Gay pastor meets a gay imam”

When Macaulay first met Hendricks 16 years ago, he said that they gave jokes, that the headline would be “Gay Pastor meets a gay imam.”

“Although it is radical, it was unheard of then,” said Macaulay. “We were clearly, you know, counterparts.”

Parallele between them, he said, ran deeply. They both grew up in Africa, Hendricks in South Africa and Macaulay in Nigeria. Both married women, when they were young men, then came out as gay at the end of the 1920s. Both chose spiritual travels to reconcile faith with sexual orientations.

And they both shared the mission: creating safe spaces for other strange people of faith.

“I think that the fact that we were both married before we left as homosexuals, is actually visible in the fact that we were quite focused on the African tradition, as you know, very normative, you know, a patriarchal system,” said Macaulay.

“Excluding from this requires a lot of courage and requires a lot of fierceness. And I think that the unfortunate ending of his life is brutal. This is perceived by something valuable from our world. “

Macaulay said that as a friend of Hendricks he was “gentle”, “Jovial” and “Playful”, but also a hard -working and deeply devoted to his mission and faith.

“He loved dancing. He loved a lot of fun, “he said. “But at the same time it is also very, very intellectual, very creative.”

Macaulay said Hendricks was also a loving and devoted father to his three children.

“They took him from their children. And this is painful, because at the same time we have communities that also look at him as a father's figure, “he said.

In the message on its official Facebook page, the Al-Ghurbaah Foundation calls Hendricks “a great father and many guard. Continue rest with angels. “

Macaulay said that the influence of Hendricks on others gives him hope that although his friend is dead, his mission will continue.

“His heritage is so strong that I pray and I hope it will continue,” he said. “We must inform the world that you know, his death will not be in vain.”