“Imam Musin Hendrick, 57, the world’s first openly gay imam, was fatally shot in broad daylight on Saturday, February 15th, in Port Elizabeth, South Africa. His death has sent shockwaves through LGBTQ+ communities worldwide. Hendrick, who publicly came out as gay in 1996, was a pioneering figure, founding the Inner Circle, a support network for LGBTQ+ Muslims, and leading an inclusive mosque. He was killed by a hooded assailant while en route to officiate a wedding ceremony. Authorities are investigating the motive, with growing concerns it was a targeted hate crime. Hendrick was a vocal advocate for LGBTQ+ rights within Islam, challenging traditional interpretations and creating a safe haven for marginalized Muslims. Despite South Africa’s progressive laws, including legalizing same-sex marriage in 2006, discrimination and violence against the LGBTQ+ community remain widespread. The country struggles with limited hate crime data, and activists have long called for better reporting mechanisms. Recent 2023 studies by rights groups indicate that four in ten LGBTQ+ South Africans know someone murdered due to their sexual orientation or perceived sexual orientation. Activists are now demanding a thorough investigation into Hendrick’s death, seeking justice and accountability.”
Hendrick had previously spoken openly about the dangers he faced, admitting that he feared for his life but believed that living truthfully was more important than the fear of death. “It (threats on his life) just didn’t bother me. The need to be authentic was greater than the fear to die,” he once said. His courage and leadership will continue to inspire many, and his legacy as a beacon of hope for marginalized Muslims lives on, despite the tragic circumstances of his death.
As the investigation continues, the community mourns the loss of a pioneering figure who spent nearly three decades fighting for the rights of the marginalized. His death serves as a sobering reminder that the fight for true equality and acceptance is far from over. According to Rev Ecclesia De Lange, director of inclusive and affirming ministries, his death is not in vain. “The seed that has been sown, life will come from that,” she said.
Reverend Jide Macaulay, the founder and pastor – of House of Rainbow, said Hendrick set an example for faith leaders worldwide in advocating for the dignity of all people. “He embodied the essence of a true spiritual guide — one who embraced love over exclusion and unity over division. His legacy will continue to inspire those who seek a faith that is both just and affirming,” he said.https://www.houseofrainbow.org/
Macaulay, who is an openly gay pastor and met with Hendrick, said that their friendship and collaboration showed that religion should be a sanctuary for all, not a tool for discrimination. “Many of us have faced threats, opposition, and even rejection from our religious communities. Some have experienced physical danger, while others have been ostracized or had their credibility attacked. The cost of standing for justice in faith spaces is real, but the work is necessary,” he said.
The struggle for inclusion continues
Rev. Canon Gideon Byamugisha, an Anglican faith leader in Uganda, decried Hendrick’s killing. He said the tragedy showed the momentous work that still needs to be done for inclusion. He said discrimination and bigotry are a real challenge for our civilization. “We have not found medicine for toxic self-centeredness, naked selfishness, non-repentant self-righteousness,” he said.
He said people are still considering fellow human beings as sub-human. “If you are still looking at someone from a level of human being you cannot kill them, so have reduce them to nothing or a lower level”. Rev. Byamugisha said the struggle for human dignity can only change with more interaction and engagement. “It is change not only for the mind we need, but the heart too. If the change is not happening in the heart, still you can’t reach where we need to go. The mental intelligence must translate into emotional intelligence,” he said.
Pastor Simon of The Affirming Ministries Uganda Chapter (T-FAM), decried the lack of acceptance that persists in the country. He said inclusivity puts a target on your back. “The moment you are inclusive, you become a target. It is as if we are sojourners in our own land. We move (the church location) from one place to another. When residents say we no longer want you here, you have to leave. We have been targeted many times. Many times, relocation becomes the order of the day,” he said. All sorts of accusations are leveled against the church, including recruiting children into homosexuality and causing moral decay.
Pastor Simon appealed to religious leaders to accept the diversity with which every person was created. “I want people to know that they need to stop this kind of pretence. They have queer people in their families, but they are fighting other queer people. People need to tolerate others. That is how we coexist in society. You might not need my sexuality, or you might not need someone’s sexuality, but you will need their service. They might be gifted differently from you, but they might be of a different orientation. That doesn’t mean they cannot be your doctor your mechanic or your lawyer. So, we need to learn to coexist in society, because God has gifted us differently,” he advised.
Pastor Simon called for understanding and acceptance from religious leaders, stopping the harassment against LGBTQ just as they would not want their relatives to be persecuted for being different. “You can never wake up in the morning and teach your son or daughter what they are supposed to become. You could just wake up one morning and they are the way they are,”.
Rev.Byamugishahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gideon_Byamugisha is an Anglican priest who openly identifies with the LGBTQ community. Luckily, he has not faced a threat on his life. He is distrusted by both liberals and conservatives. “I have not been spared. The key populations feel I am not advocating enough. On the right, they think I have turned into a homosexual. No group can say ‘This one is part of us’. And that is a dangerous position to be in,” he said.
The man of God is also cognizant of the bitter truth that fighting for rights can be costly, and the gay imam’s death is one of such sacrifices. But such sacrifices fuel the struggle for inclusion. “Freedom doesn’t come cheap. The struggle for equity is costly. Different people will sacrifice differently. Some will pay with their life. The difference one makes is that they don’t leave the society at the same level. People learn something – and one after the other, people make a difference,” he said.
He recalled the history of ending the slave trade, enlisting women as voters too let alone considering them equal human beings to show how struggles take time to be realised.
