Muhsin was a Muslim scholar and known as the first openly queer imam. He created safe spaces where queer Muslims could practice their faith and find a support structure. Muhsin was very courageous and overcame his fear to fight for love. As he said in The Radical, a documentary made about his life, “The heart is not big enough to contain both fear and faith.”

As a supporter of the human rights and wellbeing of LGBTIQ+ people, Hivos knows what a unique and courageous leader the LGBTIQ+ community has lost. We also were privileged to work with him through our partner the Global Interfaith Network for People of all Sexes, Sexual Orientations, Gender Identities and Expressions (GIN-SSOGIE). Muhsin was instrumental in building the On Becoming Me material that GIN-SSOGIE uses to work with queer Muslims under our Free to be Me program. Please read GIN-SSOGIE’s statement on Muhsin’s death.

We send our deepest condolences to his family, friends, and the wider LGBTIQ+ community. And we urge the authorities in South Africa to thoroughly investigate this murder, so the perpetrators can be brought to justice.

We invite you to also read the statement of ILGA World, with whom we work closely, and which echoes our own thoughts and feelings.

Photo provided by Muhsin to GIN.