The response to the murder of Imam Muhsin in South Africa last week sends a chilling message that queer and trans Muslims do not matter, that our suffering is not worthy of recognition, that our deaths will not be mourned.

The world's first openly gay imam in the Muslim faith was shot and killed in what local authorities say may be a hate crime.

Most headlines call him the “world’s first openly gay imam,” a newsworthy descriptor but hardly the whole story. Beyond Muhsin’s work with queer Muslims, he was a pillar of queer rights activism and the queer interfaith movement globally. He was a father, a grandfather and a friend.

Hendricks, known for his advocacy for the LGBTQ+ community, was gunned down in an alleged hit in Bethelsdorp, Gqeberha.

Muhsin Hendricks was credited by some as being the world’s first openly gay imam and helped Muslims reconcile their faith with their sexual orientation.

CCTV footage of the incident shows a hooded figure running out of a pick-up truck that was blocking Hendricks' vehicle and then firing shots through the window. The imam was well known for his work in creating a safe haven for gay and other marginalised Muslims and his killing shocked the LGBTQ+ community and beyond.

Muhsin Hendricks showed the world that "it's possible to be both queer and a devout Muslim," says his longtime friend and colleague.

Muhsin Hendricks, considered the world's first openly gay imam who was gunned down last weekend in South Africa, stood as a man who valued authenticity -- both in action and