Assim al-Hakeem

Assim bin Luqman al-Hakeem (; born 23 November 1962) is a Saudi Arabian cleric. He is based primarily in the city of Jeddah, where he preaches Sunni Islam with a Salafist approach mostly in English, delivering programs on social media channels.

Early life and education Assim bin Luqman al-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. 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.

At the age of 12, al-Hakeem moved with his family to Jeddah, where he developed an early interest in Islamic studies. After completing high school in 1980, he initially enrolled at King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals but later left the programme. He subsequently pursued a degree in English literature at King Abdulaziz University, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in 1987. He has also advocated reciting the Qur'an over water and then drinking and washing with it as a means of healing.

Pilgrimage to Mecca 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."

Politics and societal issues Women

While 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. He holds that women are not allowed to work in mixed-gender environments.

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.

Protests

Al-Hakeem has claimed that all forms of protests are prohibited in Islam, a view that aligns with the Madkhali and quietist strains of Salafism. " 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.

Al-Hakeem has engaged in Holocaust denial

Child marriage With 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.

Al-Hakeem told a 16-year-old 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.

Cryptocurrency 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, 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.

Relations with the Saudi government

The ultra-conservative views of Al-Hakeem have been described as being at odds with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's projected image of Saudi Arabia, which includes that of religious tolerance, inter-faith dialogue, modernisation, and support of women's professional and personal opportunities. Despite holding ultra-conservative views, Al-Hakeem has shied away from openly criticizing Mohammed or the government, as most Saudi scholars have chosen to remain silent or publicly endorse Mohammed's policies to be in line with the advice of the Salaf As-Saalih.

Reception In 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 homosexuality. 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." Talks by Al-Hakeem at Sheffield Hallam University were also cancelled.

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."

Personal life Al-Hakeem is known to be a father to 13 children; all daughters. He has had 2 wives over a 25-year span, divorcing 1 of them around a decade ago.