Assim Al-Hakeem
Assim al-Hakeem | |
---|---|
عاصم الحكيم | |
![]() Al-Hakeem in 2017 | |
Personal | |
Born | Assim bin Luqman al-Hakeem 23 November 1962 Khobar, Saudi Arabia |
Religion | Sunni Islam |
Nationality | Saudi |
Jurisprudence | Hanbali |
Alma mater | King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (dropped out) King Abdulaziz University Umm al-Qura University |
Occupation | |
Senior posting | |
Assim bin Luqman al-Hakeem (Arabic: عاصم بن لقمان الحكيم; born 23 November 1962) is a Saudi cleric of Indonesian descent.[1] He is based primarily in the city of Jeddah, where he hosts programs dealing with Islam. He mostly talks in English,[2][3] and has been described as an Islamic fundamentalist.[4][5][6]
Early life and education
[edit]Al-Hakeem was born on 23 November 1962 in Khobar, Saudi Arabia. He is of Indonesian descent; his grandfather was a native of Medan who worked as a judge in the Sultanate of Deli at that time. Al-Hakeem's grandfather sent Luqman (Al-Hakeem's father) who is muhajir to Saudi Arabia to study religion, and later he obtained Saudi citizenship; thus, Al-Hakeem grew up in Saudi Arabia.[7]
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.[2] 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.[3]
Career
[edit]Al-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.[2]
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.[2]
Views
[edit]Islamic jurisprudence
[edit]Quran as alternative medicine
[edit]Al-Hakeem has said of the Islamic practice of ruqyah, a form of incantation 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".[8] He has also advocated reciting the Qur'an over water and then drinking and washing with it as a means of healing.[8]
Shortening or combining prayers
[edit]Al-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."[9]
Pilgrimage to Mecca
[edit]Al-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. It is as though the only purpose of this trip is to take pictures and not worship."[10]
Politics and societal issues
[edit]Democracy
[edit]In 2013, Al-Hakeem said democracy is "a big lie and it is against Islam".[11] In 2016, the then opposition Maldivian Democratic Party called Al-Hakeem a "fundamentalist preacher" who has used Islam to "justify hatred, excuse the government’s crackdown on dissent, and legitimize authoritarianism".[11]
Women
[edit]He does not believe women can be political leaders.[12]
While acknowledging that disagreement exists among scholars, he considers the most authentic opinion is that female circumcision is recommended but it is neither mandatory nor forbidden.[13] He holds that women are not allowed to work in mixed-gender environments.[14]
When asked about the legality of concubinage in Islam, Al-Hakeem considered the enslavement of prisoners of war humane, iterated the rights afforded to slaves in Islam, and affirmed the legality of concubinage.[15]
Protests
[edit]Al-Hakeem has claimed that all forms of protest are prohibited in Islam, a view that aligns with the Madkhali strain of Salafism.[1]
This view was expressed in his opposition to protests against Islamophobia and the 2023 Quran burnings in Sweden. He characterized the reactions to the Quran burnings as "doing marches, protest, burning shop and attacking the police as protest" with protestors "falling into his trap, playing his game, and achieving his objective" and that such protests will backfire on Muslims with bans on the hijab, mosques, among others. He further criticized a Swedish Imam who called for protests in front of an embassy as propagating un-Islamic teachings.[16]
Assim instead considered criticism of the Quran burnings,[16] spreading the teachings of the Quran,[17] and the boycott of Swedish products as appropriate alternatives responses. He praised Kuwait's distribution of 100,000 copies of the Quran in Swedish.[18]
Views on the relationship between the Muslims and Jews
[edit]![]() | This section has multiple issues. Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page. (Learn how and when to remove these template messages)
|
Al-Hakeem has been critical of the relationship between the Muslims and Jews, especially in the context of attempts of changing Islam to accommodate the actions and existence of Israel. When discussing the religious status of Ruhollah Khomeini (explaining that he is a Kaffir who corrupted the aqeedah, a murderer of Sunnis, a person who made a fruitless war with Iraq and drained resources from the adjacent countries), he said that Iran's leadership are "enemies of Islam, they want to undermine the true Islam and tarnish its reputation...backed by lobbies from the jews" and who "never had any beef with the Jews, they are allies.[19]"
When asked about differentiating between Jews and Zionists, he responded:[20] "Well, such a difference has only surfaced lately. Zionism is a racist movement...so it's not related to a religion, (to my own humble understanding,)...but to try to polish the image of the Jews and say that they're not Zionists, this most likely won't work. The Jews are the People of the Book, they're all not the same shade: there are of the who are Zionist, there are of them who are open enemies of Islam, and there are those who are not fighting us, not forcing the Muslims out of their homes, so we can try to get closer to those. But in general, the majority of them are against Islam and the Muslims, therefore this is the default until proven otherwise, not the other way around. Allah mentioned the Jews in the Quran and described them to us, so do you think we are going to believe what the media is trying to polish nowadays, and neglect our Quran and the Sunnah? No matter who comes...If they come and say '...the Jews are fine. The Holocaust was a horrible thing,...we have to teach it to the Muslim children in schools, we have to omit and remove verses of Jihad, verses that describe the Jews in the Quran,' ...don't say that this is Islam. This is all part of the global movement to change Islam..."
When 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.[21]"
When discussing the relationships that Christians and Jews have with Muslims, Al-Hakeem said, "Allah...mentioned in the Quran that the most in hatred and enmity to the Muslims are the idol worshippers and the Jews. This is in the Quran. And the closest to the believers are the Christians. So this is mentioned in the Quran in the sense that the Christians share a lot with us Muslims, and they're more soft-hearted than the idol worshippers or the Jews...and what's happening in Gaza is a clear indication, a clear sign of their hatred and enmity. It's in their DNA; we have to admit.[22]" He has also prayed that Allah free Al Aqsa from "oppressors and from our enemies, the Jews[23]."
Cryptocurrency
[edit]Al-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,[24][25] 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.[26]
Personal life
[edit]Al-Hakeem is known to be a father to 13 children; all daughters.[27][28]
References
[edit]- ^ a b Ahmed, Omar (June 2020). "Saudi cleric: 'It is prohibited to protest in Islam'". middleeastmonitor.com. 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.
- ^ "Scholars Argue Prosecutions Against Muslim Liberals Don't Follow Islamic Teachings". NPR.
Assim Al-Hakeem is a hard-line Saudi sheikh...
- ^ "Kamer wil opheldering over moslimbijeenkomst Utrecht" (in Dutch). Nederlandse Omroep Stichting.
Hij staat bekend als een fundamentalist
- ^ "2016 Report on International Religious Freedom: Maldives".
to a visiting fundamentalist preacher, Assim al-Hakeem
- ^ '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. 30 September 2014.
- ^ a b Maldives Independent, Maldives Independent (9 March 2016). "Government accused of using radical preachers 'to justify injustice'". maldivesindependent.com. Maldives Independent. Retrieved 28 June 2023.
- ^ "Can a woman lead for example like the Saudi women who are struggling to become political leaders?". assimalhakeem.net. Archived from the original on 7 July 2013.
- ^ "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.
- ^ a b How should muslims react when disbelievers burn the Quran? - assim al hakeem. Retrieved 13 April 2024 – via www.youtube.com.
- ^ How to react to hate against Islam, what should we do, can we protest? assim al hakeem JAL. Retrieved 13 April 2024 – via www.youtube.com.
- ^ How should muslims react to burning of the Quran? - assim al hakeem. Retrieved 13 April 2024 – via www.youtube.com.
- ^ "Why do the Shia have great respect for al Khomeini? | Sheikh Assim al Hakeem -JAL". YouTube. 14 August 2021.
- ^ "Should we differentiate between Jews & Zionists? Assim al hakeem". YouTube. 21 December 2021.
- ^ "Illuminati and Freemasons - Assim al hakeem". YouTube. 4 December 2019.
- ^ "Hadith that says we should be close to the Christians? #assimalhakeem #assim assim al hakeem". YouTube. 29 March 2024.
- ^ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rPrVy-oJrr8
- ^ 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.
- ^ 🆕 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