Lotfi Kallel, a Tunisian cleric, was murdered early Sunday morning in Montplaisir, a neighborhood in central Tunis, while on his way to perform the morning prayer.

Kallel suffered stab wounds to the liver, neck, and heart and died before reaching the hospital. Eyewitnesses saw a car appearing to flee the scene shortly after the attack, but no further details have leaked concerning the killing.

The timing and ferocity of the attack have led some to believe that Kallel was murdered for ideological or political reasons, though no evidence has turned up supporting this theory.

Kallel had no known issues with any specific groups in Tunisia. His sons, Abdelwahoud and Abdelghafour, who were the first to come to the aid of their father after he had been stabbed, asserted firmly that he did not have problems with anyone.

Kallel was a well known figure in the Addaawa wa Attabligh movement, a group that aims to spread the Islamic faith through outreach and missionary work. According to his colleagues and family members, Kallel was a peaceful man that wished to deliver the word of god.

Currently, the police have not released any official information regarding possible leads or suspects. The attorney general has ordered the opening of an investigation into the circumstances of Kallel’s death.