University of KwaZulu-Natal holds memorial lecture honouring slain Imam Muhsin Hendricks

Durban – August 2025

The University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) recently hosted a memorial lecture in honour of the late Imam Muhsin Hendricks, a pioneering religious leader and human rights activist who was tragically killed in February 2025. The memorial, held on UKZN’s Howard College campus, drew scholars, students, interfaith leaders, and LGBTQ+ activists from across the country to reflect on his life, his work, and the implications of his death on human rights and freedom of religious expression in South Africa.

Imam Muhsin Hendricks was widely recognised as the world first openly gay Imam in South Africa, and one of the few in the world to advocate for inclusive interpretations of Islam that embrace LGBTQ+ identities. His work challenged decades of orthodoxy and fear, making space for many queer Muslims to reconcile their faith and sexuality. Over the past two decades, Hendricks became a symbol of progressive faith leadership, officiating same-sex Islamic marriages, leading inclusive prayers, and founding The Inner Circle — a Cape Town-based organisation that provided support and theological guidance to LGBTQ+ Muslims. UKZN’s decision to host a memorial lecture marks a significant moment in the academic and public discourse around religion, sexuality, and social justice in post-apartheid South Africa.

 On 15 February 2025, Imam Hendricks was gunned down at a target range in the Western Cape by two unknown assailants, sparking outrage and mourning across the nation. The shooting, described by many as a targeted hate crime, remains under investigation, with no arrests made as of this publication. His murder sent shockwaves through both religious and human rights communities, with calls for urgent action against intolerance and violence aimed at LGBTQ+ individuals — particularly those within conservative religious spaces.

During the memorial lecture, UKZNs’ DR Chetty of the School of Religion, Philosophy and Classic (SRPC) described imam Hendricks as individual who “dedicated his entire life to promote gender and sexual diversity within Islam and other religious. Dr Chetty further said, “Imam Hendricks was vocal about how religion can perpetuate homophobia, contributing to hate crimes and ‘corrective rape’ in many communities in South Africa’. Other speaker included Ms Noluthando Gasa of Body Theology at UKZN memorial lecture of Imam Hendricks as “Informative space” that gave insight that is much needed into understanding how the religion can influence gender and sexuality negatively.

 Many speakers used the occasion to call on: Law enforcement to prioritise the investigation into Imam Hendricks’ death, religious institutions to speak out against hate crimes. Academic and theological institutions to continue decolonising religious thought and making space for inclusive faith interpretations

Imam Muhsin Hendricks’ legacy lives on in his writings, the people he inspired, and the progressive faith movements that continue to grow in South Africa and around the world. The UKZN memorial lecture served not only as a tribute to his life but also as a rallying point for continued activism, interfaith dialogue, and the defense of human dignity.