Episode Overview

Podcast: Africa Daily
Host: Alan Kasuja (BBC World Service)
Episode: "How is Muhsin Hendricks’ murder affecting queer Muslim communities across Africa?"
Date: February 21, 2025

Main Theme:
This episode explores the life, legacy, and tragic death of Muhsin Hendricks—the world's first openly gay imam—and examines the profound impact his murder is having on queer Muslim communities across Africa. Interviews with those who knew him and activists inspired by him shed light on the challenges faced by LGBTQ Muslims: reconciling faith and sexuality, facing threats and hate crimes, and continuing advocacy in the face of risk. The episode also discusses broader issues of intolerance, the effects of fundamentalism, and the fight for justice and inclusion.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Life and Legacy of Muhsin Hendricks

• Hendricks as a Trailblazer:

  • The first openly gay imam who publicly reconciled Islam and LGBTQ identity.
  • Founder of The Inner Circle—a support group and safe space for queer Muslims.
  • Established Masjidul Hurba, a mosque that welcomed LGBTQ individuals ([00:55], [02:48]).

• Dedication to Others:

  • Regularly married same-sex and interfaith couples, providing a rare, inclusive spiritual service ([02:48]).
  • Remembered as living a "life of refusal"—refusing to hide or be silenced ([00:08], [07:09]).

• Facing Criticism and Threats:

  • Maintained vocal advocacy despite significant threats from both religious and broader communities ([03:59], [08:43]).
  • Sought to create dialogue around inclusive readings of Islam and sexual orientation ([15:40]).

2. Hate Crime & the Circumstances of Hendricks' Death

• Attack Details:

  • Hendricks was killed while in the Eastern Cape, South Africa, after officiating interfaith marriages ([04:32]).
  • Shot dead when his vehicle was stopped by an armed man; motive is under investigation, with concerns it may be a hate crime ([04:32]-[05:15]).

• Reaction in South Africa:

  • Widespread grief among those whose lives he touched ([05:18]).
  • President Cyril Ramaphosa commented on X fearing the possibility of a hate crime ([06:11]).
  • Despite progressive constitutional protections, South Africa sees continued hate crimes and alienation of LGBTQ people ([11:53]).

• Current State of Investigation:

  • No arrests at time of episode; investigation ongoing with limited public information ([05:53]).

3. Personal Reflections and the Broader Impact

Reverend Sharon Cox (Triangle Project, Cape Town)

• Shared Values and Challenges:

  • Emphasizes the challenge of living authentically as both queer and a person of faith ([07:09], [08:20]).
  • Recognizes the toll of hateful rhetoric and the rise of fundamentalist attitudes across religious contexts ([08:43]).

• Solidarity and Ongoing Fear:

  • After Hendricks’ death, queer Muslims (and allies) face heightened fear and insecurity ([10:27]).
  • The legal protections are often “on paper”—not always a lived reality ([11:53]).

• Enduring Influence:

  • Argues that while his physical body was taken, “they will never kill his spirit,” and his legacy will live through those he helped ([12:32]).
  • Calls for not just legal but also rhetorical justice—accountability for those inciting hatred, not only the direct perpetrator ([19:30]).

Quote:
“He refused to be silenced. He refused to be pushed into a closet. You know, he embraced all of who he was, and that's what he wanted for everybody else.”
– Rev. Sharon Cox ([00:08], [07:09])

Quote:
“...that the rhetoric that the commentary that the vileness that we are seeing spewed, which goes as far as celebrating his death, that those people who so brazenly think that they can speak like this on public platforms will be held to account too...”
– Rev. Sharon Cox ([19:30])

Sim (Co-founder, Loud and Queer Sudan)

• Hendricks’ Influence Beyond South Africa:

  • His work gave hope and courage to queer Muslims in countries with harsh anti-LGBTQ laws ([14:18]).
  • Challenged dominant interpretations of the Quran, showing alternative readings and affirming reconciliation with both Muslim and queer identity ([15:40]).

• Living Under Repression:

  • Describes extreme difficulty of being queer in Sudan—criminalization, past death penalty, compounded by humanitarian crises ([17:11]).
  • Hendricks’ example offers “hope that change eventually come” for oppressed LGBTQ Muslims ([17:47]).

Quote:
“...there has never been a place where LGBTQ people or LGBTQ rights are mentioned in a positive way. It's always being homosexual is a sin and you need to stop that. But building a mosque that include LGBTQ people was really huge for me and influenced me a lot...”
– Sim ([14:18])

Quote:
“...the conflict inside of you, the psychological conflicts and the mental issues facing the queer Muslim people are huge and tremendous. So having a place to feel safe and included and to feel that you are not alone is a huge change to everything.”
– Sim ([15:40])

4. Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Authenticity over Fear:

  • Recalled from the documentary “The Radical”:

    “The need to be authentic was greater than the fear to die.”
    – Muhsin Hendricks (summarized by Rev. Sharon Cox) ([09:28])

• On the Cost of Advocacy:

  “He was more intent on using his life to make a better world possible for everybody, even at the risk of his own safety.”
  – Rev. Sharon Cox ([09:45])

• Justice and Moving Forward:

  “Justice for Mahsin looks like the perpetrators of this crime being brought to account... that the rhetoric... celebrating his death, that those people... can speak like this on public platforms will be held to account too.... It's directly inciting hatred, inciting further violence...”
  – Rev. Sharon Cox ([19:30])

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Introduction and Tributes to Hendricks – [00:08]-[01:00]
• Overview of Hendricks' Life and Work – [00:55]-[03:32]
• Facing Criticism and Threats – [03:56]-[04:28]
• Details & Investigation of His Murder – [04:32]-[05:53]
• Reaction from South African Community – [05:18]-[06:18]
• Reverend Sharon Cox on Hendricks' Legacy & Dangers of Advocacy – [07:09]-[09:45]
• Psychological Toll and Solidarity – [10:27]-[12:32]
• Impact and Inclusiveness: Sim’s Perspective from Sudan – [13:35]-[17:47]
• Lasting Influence and Justice – [18:21]-[20:46]

Conclusion

This episode of Africa Daily provides a powerful reflection on Muhsin Hendricks’ groundbreaking legacy for queer Muslims across Africa and the world. His courage in the face of profound risk, his work to bridge faith and sexuality, and the tragic consequences of intolerance are discussed with empathy and depth. Both those who knew him personally and those who felt his influence from afar underline the need for justice—not just in the courts, but in society’s discourse as well. Hendricks’ legacy continues to inspire activism, dialogue, and hope for inclusion, even in the face of escalating challenges.