[Today's Prayer] World's First Gay Muslim Cleric Shot Dead in South Africa

The world's first gay imam (Islamic cleric) was shot dead in South Africa.

According to the BBC and other sources on the 16th (local time), South African police announced that gay imam Muhsin Hendrix (58) was shot dead in the eastern city of Gebeha the previous day.

The police said, "Two suspects with their faces covered blocked the car Hendrix was riding in and shot him multiple times, and he died at the scene. The suspects fled immediately after the crime."

(Omitted)

The motive for the crime has not yet been determined, but there is speculation that it may have been a hate crime. The police said that although the identities of the suspects are unclear, they will continue the investigation, leaving open the possibility of a hate crime, as they appeared to have intentionally approached Hendrix's car.

Born in 1967 to a Muslim family in Cape Town, Hendrix worked as an Arabic teacher and fashion designer before coming out publicly in 1996 and becoming an imam. He is believed to be the world’s first openly gay imam.

He ran a mosque in Cape Town that catered to gays and other marginalized Muslims.

Source: Christian Today

When the Lord saw that he turned aside to look, God called to him from the midst of the bush and said, "Moses, Moses!" And he said, "Here I am." And God said, "Do not come near here. Put off your sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy ground. He also said, "I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." Moses hid his face because he was afraid to look at God (Exodus 3:4-6)

Amid the possibility of a hate crime being raised as the cause of the shooting death of a gay Muslim cleric in South Africa, we hear news that a mosque was operated where gays and other marginalized Muslims could stay.

May the Lord have mercy on the marginalized people of the world who did not know the truth and tried to fill their hearts with Islam and homosexuality, but the end was death.

The whole world is deceiving people with lofty thoughts and theories that go against God’s providence and oppose God, but when we preach the love of the cross of Jesus Christ who came to the world to shine the light of truth, we believe that homosexuals and Muslims will raise their eyes and come into the light.

God, who called and used Moses, who considered himself a sinner and was alone in the wilderness, according to your holiness, may homosexuals confess their sins and enjoy the joy of salvation that gives them new life through the grace of the blood of the cross.

When homosexuals repent and come before Jesus in fear and trembling to serve the Lord, may they be reborn as leaders of the kingdom of God through the anointing that you poured upon Moses.

God, who wrote the history of leading all the Israelites through the Exodus, please lead them to escape from homosexuality, wash away all their sins with the blood of the cross, and make them your people who advance toward the holy kingdom of God!