Muhsin Hendricks is an Islamic Scholar with a background in Classical Arabic and Islamic Studies obtained at the University of Islamic Studies, Karachi Pakistan (1990-1994).  He is an Imam (religious leader) by profession and also a human rights activist focusing on gender and sexual diversity in Islam.  He has done independent research on Islam and sexual diversity, an area that does not often get explored in the Muslim world.  He has also delivered many papers and facilitated workshops on Islam and Sexual Diversity to many organizations in South Africa, USA and Europe.

Muhsin Hendricks was elected by Echoing Green out of 970 international applicants as one of the top 10 social entrepreneurs of 2006.  He has won many community awards for personal sacrifices and outstanding courage within his community.  Muhsin Hendricks also featured in the documentary “A Jihad for Love” which explores the lives of Muslims who are queer. Muhsin Hendricks, who is regarded as the first openly gay imam, was also the spiritual backbone of the documentary and the Director of Education for the documentary’s International Muslim Dialogue Project.

Muhsin Hendricks is also the founder and director of The Inner Circle (founded in 2004), the largest formal organization for Muslims who are queer in the world and also the only organization that has a strong public education and training program in Islam and sexual diversity.