Assim bin Luqman al-Hakeem (Arabic: عاصم بن لقمان الحكيم; born 23 November 1962) is a Saudi Arabian cleric of Indonesian descent.[2] He is based primarily in the city of Jeddah, where he preaches Sunni Islam mostly in English, delivering programs on social media channels.[3][4]
Assim al-Hakeem | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
عاصم الحكيم | ||||||||||
 Al-Hakeem in 2024 | ||||||||||
| Personal life | ||||||||||
| Born | Assim bin Luqman al-Hakeem 23 November 1962 | |||||||||
| Nationality | Saudi | |||||||||
| Spouse | 1 (formerly 2) | |||||||||
| Children | 13 | |||||||||
| Alma mater | King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (dropped out) King Abdulaziz University Umm al-Qura University | |||||||||
| Occupation | ||||||||||
| Religious life | ||||||||||
| Religion | Sunni Islam | |||||||||
| Jurisprudence | Salafi | |||||||||
| Creed | Athari | |||||||||
| Senior posting | ||||||||||
YouTube information | ||||||||||
| Channel | ||||||||||
| Genre | Islamic | |||||||||
| Subscribers | 1.34 million[1] | |||||||||
| Views | 329 million[1] | |||||||||
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Last updated: 22 May 2025 | ||||||||||
| Website | www | |||||||||
Early life and education
editAl-Hakeem was born on 23 November 1962 in Khobar, Saudi Arabia. He is of Indonesian descent; his grandfather was a Mandailing who lived in Medan, Indonesia, and worked as a judge in the Sultanate of Deli at that time.[5] Al-Hakeem's grandfather sent Luqman, Al-Hakeem's father, to Saudi Arabia to study religion, and later he obtained Saudi citizenship; thus, Al-Hakeem grew up in Saudi Arabia.[6]
When he was 12, he and his family moved to Jeddah. From a young age, he was interested in Islamic studies. He finished high school in 1980 and subsequently enrolled at King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, but eventually dropped out. He later enrolled at King Abdulaziz University, majoring in English literature, and graduated in 1987 with a Bachelor of Arts.[3] He then continued a high diploma in Islamic studies at Umm al-Qura University in 1998. He also spent several years studying the works of Saudi Arabian religious scholar Muhammad ibn al-Uthaymin.[4]
Career
editAl-Hakeem began his career as a high school English teacher in 1988. He has been an imam in Jeddah for the last 20 years, where he delivers weekly sermons before Friday prayer and lectures on various Islamic sciences.[3]
He mostly preaches in English, delivering Islamic programs on social media channels, including Questions and Answers (ASK HUDA), Umdatul Ahkaam, Youth Talk, and Mercy to the Worlds. He also preaches on television and radio channels, such as Huda TV, Zad TV, Peace TV, Iqraa, and Saudi 2.[3]
Views
editIslamic jurisprudence
editQuran as alternative medicine
editAl-Hakeem has said of the Islamic practice of ruqyah, a form of litany associated with the exorcism of evil spirits in Islam, that "it is the recitation of the Qur'an, seeking of refuge in Allah, remembrance and supplications that are used as a means of treating sicknesses and other problems, as the Qur'an is a source of healing".[7] He has also advocated reciting the Qur'an over water and then drinking and washing with it as a means of healing.[7]
Shortening or combining prayers
editAl-Hakeem has said that, with regards to the Islamic practice of shortening or combining prayer during travel, a person who travels daily or frequently "will not be considered a traveller for the purpose of shortening of Salah and combining them unless a valid reason exists."[8]
Pilgrimage to Mecca
editAl-Hakeem has critiqued Islamic pilgrims taking pictures of themselves while on the hajj, stating: "Taking such selfies and videos defy the wish of our Prophet."[9]
Politics and societal issues
editWomen
editWhile acknowledging that disagreement exists among scholars, he considers the most authentic opinion to be that female circumcision is recommended but it is neither mandatory nor forbidden.[10] He holds that women are not allowed to work in mixed-gender environments.[11]
When asked about the legality of concubinage in Islam, Al-Hakeem considered the enslavement of prisoners of war humane, if given the rights afforded to slaves in Islam, and affirmed the legality of concubinage.[12]
Protests
editAl-Hakeem has claimed that all forms of protest are prohibited in Islam, a view that aligns with the Madkhali and quietist strains of Salafism.[2] His views came under criticism by many Muslim users, with many citing Quranic principles of standing up against injustice, even were it to be from one’s own family.[2]
Conspiracy theories
editWhen discussing conspiracy theories and the movements associated with them (such as the Freemasons and the Illuminati), Al-Hakeem explained that despite the fact that knowing about such things is not fundamentally useful in Islam and could even be potentially harmful since attributing inordinate power to such groups makes Muslims feel weak, "We acknowledge that through history the Jews collaborating with the hypocrites had many conspiracies against Islam...the collaboration and the fingerprints of the Jews, the hypocrites, and the Rafidah is evident. And this does not prevent them from collaborating over the centuries to continue their dirty work.[13]" Al-Hakeem explained that since Jews are a minority, it is their nature to dominate and control whatever they can, and this is why they control the media and the financial sector today.[14]
Child marriage
editWith regard to the Prophet marrying Aisha, Al-Hakeem said that everyone was happy with the marriage including her, and that people such as Hindus are illogical for questioning this when they themselves worship "cows, mice, private organs and 65,000 other gods," and the fact that this is the only issue people have a problem with is a testament to the truth of Islam.[15]
Al-Hakeem told a 16-year-old boy with two jobs to get married if this goes in line with the laws of the land, since many countries in the West would rather fornication be committed rather than marriage.[16]
Cryptocurrency
editAl-Hakeem considers bitcoin haram. He had pointed out its anonymous and ambiguous nature and said it could be used for illegal activities such as money laundering and drug money,[17][18] and has warned against people using such transactions as the nature of seeking to gain money quickly in such a manner (via a means akin to gambling) is fundamentally un-Islamic.[19]
Preaching bans
editIn 2012, Al-Hakeem was barred from speaking at an event for the Islamic Society at the University of Hertfordshire due to his controversial statements about gays. Raheem Kassam, the director of Student Rights said: "It is encouraging that vile views such as those espoused by Al-Hakeem are not tolerated at Hertfordshire University. They would not be tolerated in open society and nor should university students be subjected to them. We’re delighted that what should be ‘common sense’ has prevailed this time – but all too often preachers like Al-Hakeem are paraded around university campuses as ‘experts’ and manage to disseminate their hateful ideas, dressing them up as scripture and radicalising young people. It has to stop."[20] Talks by Al-Hakeem at Sheffield Hallam University were also cancelled.[21]
In 2024, a Sunday Penny Appeal charity event featuring Al-Hakeem in Montreal, Canada was not hosted at the Rialto Theatre as originally planned after the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA) and B'nai B'rith Canada expressed concern about the preacher. Penny Appeal Canada website pages and Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok posts about Al-Hakeem and his tour were also removed. The Eventbrite pages for the Montreal event, as well as upcoming events in London and Vancouver, were also deleted following the theatre’s decision. B'nai B'rith called on other venues not to host Al-Hakeem, because of his "hate-filled and extremist views". John Rustad, Leader of the Conservative Party of British Columbia, strongly condemned the scheduled appearance of Al-Hakeem, stating, "The extremist and hateful rhetoric of Assim Al-Hakeem has no place here. His views are antithetical to the values that British Columbians hold dear. Al-Hakeem’s history of promoting anti-Semitism, misogyny, and homophobia makes him a dangerous figure who should not be welcomed in our communities."[22][23][24][25]
Personal life
editAl-Hakeem is known to be a father to 13 children; all daughters.[26][27] He has had 2 wives over a 25-year span, divorcing 1 of them around a decade ago.[28]
References
edit- ^ a b "About assimalhakeem". YouTube.
- ^ a b c Ahmed, Omar (June 2020). "Saudi cleric: 'It is prohibited to protest in Islam'". Middle East Monitor. Retrieved 28 June 2023.
- ^ a b c d "Biography of Sheikh Assim al-Hakeem (Interview 2010)". 23 April 2017. Archived from the original on 26 July 2018. Retrieved 6 May 2023.
- ^ a b "Assim Al Hakeem". 26 July 2018. Archived from the original on 26 July 2018. Retrieved 6 May 2023.
- ^ afandi (17 July 2023). "Di Masjid At-Tanwir, Sheikh Assim al-Hakeem Berikan Contoh Respon Terbaik Umat Islam Menanggapi Islamophobia". Muhammadiyah (in Indonesian). Retrieved 24 February 2025.
- ^ 'Savage Syeikh': Syaikh Assim Al-Hakim, Jawaban Unik buat Pertanyaan Nyeleneh (in Indonesian), 2 June 2023, retrieved 14 June 2023
- ^ a b Rassool, G. H. (2021), "Re-examining the anatomy of Islamic psychotherapy and counselling: Envisioned and enacted practices", Islamic Guidance and Counseling Journal, 4 (2): 133–143, doi:10.25217/igcj.v4i2.1840, S2CID 247654590
- ^ Musharraf, M. N. (2016), "Shortening and combining of Salah during travel" (PDF), Australian Journal of Humanities and Islamic Studies Research, 2 (1): 53–63
- ^ "Hajj 'selfie craze' bemuses Islamic clerics". BBC News. 30 September 2014.
- ^ "If female circumcision is sunnah can you tell me if one of the wifes or daughter of the prophet was made it?". assimalhakeem.net. Archived from the original on 7 March 2013.
- ^ "What about a sister who works in a mixed environment in the West". assimalhakeem.net. Archived from the original on 25 May 2013.
- ^ "The subject of the women captives of war has come up in discussion with a Christian". assimalhakeem.net. Archived from the original on 7 July 2013.
- ^ "Illuminati and Freemasons - Assim al hakeem". YouTube. 4 December 2019.
- ^ assimalhakeem (5 June 2020). Safiya Bint Hu'yay (Women Around The Prophet ﷺ) - Assim al hakeem. Retrieved 15 December 2024 – via YouTube.
- ^ Sh. Assim Al Hakeem (6 October 2024). Should we justify the Prophet's ﷺ marriage to Aisha to Hindus and Western Media. Retrieved 15 December 2024 – via YouTube.
- ^ assimalhakeem (9 March 2021). 16 year old, have 2 jobs and want to get married - Assim al hakeem. Retrieved 15 December 2024 – via YouTube.
- ^ Alam, Nafis; Gupta, Lokesh; Zameni, Abdolhossein (2019). Fintech and Islamic Finance: Digitalization, Development and Disruption. Cham, Switzerland: Palgrave Macmillan. p. 109.
- ^ Hasbi, A. H.; Mahzam, R. (30 April 2018). "Cryptocurrencies: potential for terror financing" (PDF). RSIS Commentary. 75.
- ^ Mujani, W. K.; Mazuki, A. A. M.; Hirwani, W. M.; Hussain, W.; Alias, M. N.; Salleh, A. D.; et al. (2022). "Bitcoin: The Extent of its Usability from the Perspective of Islamic Scholars". ResearchGate.
- ^ https://www.thepinknews.com/2012/03/22/muslim-preacher-who-said-gays-should-be-treated-barred-from-university/
- ^ https://www.thejc.com/news/universities-say-no-to-hate-speakers-fkup4n8j
- ^ https://m.jpost.com/diaspora/antisemitism/article-816412
- ^ https://tribune.com.pk/story/2491426/saudi-cleric-barred-from-montreal-venue-over-concerns-from-jewish-groups?amp=1
- ^ https://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2024/08/27/saudi-cleric-barred-from-montreal-venue-over-concerns-from-jewish-groups/
- ^ https://www.conservativebc.ca/hate_preacher
- ^ 🆕 Follow the steps of the Prophet ﷺ (long lecture) Malaysia | assim al hakeem JAL on YouTube
- ^ Sheikh finally opens up about his Life Upbringing Family Fame #Assim #assimalhakeem assim al hakeem on YouTube
- ^ how many wives do you have Sheikh Assim Al Hakeem #hudatv on YouTube