Daniel Haqiqatjou
Daniel Haqiqatjou | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Personal life | |||||||
| Born | Daniel Reza Haqiqatjou 1980[1] | ||||||
| Alma mater | Harvard University Tufts University | ||||||
| Known for | Critique of Islamic modernism, debate and comparative religion | ||||||
| Religious life | |||||||
| Religion | Islam | ||||||
| Denomination | Sunni[3] | ||||||
| Sect | Non-sectarian[3] | ||||||
| Creed | Athari[4] | ||||||
| Muslim leader | |||||||
YouTube information | |||||||
| Channel | |||||||
| Years active | June 30, 2015–present | ||||||
| Subscribers | 438,000[5] | ||||||
| Total views | 136,169,847[5] | ||||||
| Associated acts | AlasnaHaq, Alasna Institute, Muslim Skeptic - Subcontinent | ||||||
| |||||||
| Website | muslimskeptic | ||||||
Daniel Reza Haqiqatjou, commonly known as Daniel Haqiqatjou, is an American Muslim polemicist, writer, public speaker, debater, and Islamic proselytizer. He is known for his online debates, critiques of modernism, pro-Islam polemics, and writings and lectures on issues surrounding Muslims and modernity as well as the intersection of western philosophical thought and Islamic intellectual history.[2][6]
Early life and education
Haqiqatjou was born in Houston, Texas to Iranian parents Reza Haqiqatjou, a systems engineer at Boeing, and Nili Haqiqatjou, a real estate agent.[7][8] Haqiqatjou grew up in Houston, where he currently lives. Haqiqatjou studied physics with a minor in philosophy at Harvard University and completed a master's degree in philosophy at Tufts University.[9] Haqiqatjou also studies the traditional Islamic sciences with Islamic scholars part-time.[2]
Career
Haqiqatjou was a writer for the online magazine Muslim Matters from 2014 until 2017.[10] Around 2015–2016, Haqiqatjou created the YouTube Channel Muslim Skeptic and also created a website with the same name, both providing personal research, and opinion outlet, particularly on interfaith critique, modernism, current events, family, and accountability reports on figures he claims are attempting to change Islam from within.[8][11]
Haqiqatjou labels some Imams as "compassionate Imams", criticizing them over socio-political stances; among these imams are Omar Suleiman, Yasir Qadhi, Hamza Yusuf, Suhaib Webb and others.[citation needed]
Controversy
In 2023, Haqiqatjou's invitation to several New York colleges sparked controversy among some of its Muslim students due to his controversial and alleged misogynistic opinions, namely his views on gender roles and women's education.[12]
In March 2024, the Anti-Defamation League claimed Haqiqatjou has engaged in anti-Semitism, promoting terrorism, conspiracy theories, and pushing extremist, prejudiced, misogynistic, and anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric.[13]
Personal life
Born into a nominal and secular Shia family, Haqiqatjou has converted to Sunni Islam. He identifies as an orthodox conservative Sunni Muslim, but despite this accusations of him being a closeted Shia given his Iranian background, advocating for Sunni-Shia unity, and opinions on geopolitics exist nonetheless.[3]
Haqiqatjou's sister, Donna Haqiqatjou, aged 19, went missing in California in 2007 during a party and disappeared with convicted sex offender John Steven Burgess, who told the police that he had given her drugs on which she overdosed, and that he had discarded her body into the ocean, after which it was never found.[14][15][16]
Haqiqatjou has been married since 2009 to Umm Khalid, who was born in Egypt, but moved to the US as a child and also attended Harvard University where she met Haqiqatjou. Haqiqatjou has four children with his wife and lives in the suburbs of Houston.[17][18]
Publications
See also
- Biblical criticism
- Criticism of Judaism
- Criticism of Christianity
- Criticism of Hinduism
- Islamic-Jewish relations
- Islamic apologetics
- Deobandi movement
- Islamic fundamentalism
References
- ^ "Daniel Haqiqatjou". OpenSanctions.org. November 11, 2024. Retrieved December 8, 2024.
- ^ a b c Haqiqatjou, Daniel (May 20, 2014). "Black Mass, Liberalism, and the Orthodox Paradox". MuslimMatters.org. Retrieved July 20, 2024.
- ^ a b c "Daniel Haqiqatjou on "Islam vs. Liberalism"". Middle East Forum. June 3, 2022. Retrieved November 21, 2024.
- ^ Haqiqatjou, Daniel (January 12, 2025). "Daniel Haqiqatjou on X". X.
- ^ a b "About The Muslim Skeptic". YouTube.
- ^ Biographydesk (September 25, 2023). "Daniel Haqiqatjou Biography: Age, Family, Career, Networth". Biography Desk. Retrieved September 6, 2024.
- ^ "Daniel Haqiqatjou". Public Discourse. Retrieved July 20, 2024.
- ^ a b "About". Muslim Skeptic. July 18, 2024. Retrieved July 20, 2024.
- ^ "Daniel Haqiqatjou, Author at Muslim Skeptic". Muslim Skeptic. July 18, 2024. Retrieved July 20, 2024.
- ^ "Daniel Haqiqatjou, Author at MuslimMatters.org". MuslimMatters.org. Retrieved July 20, 2024.
- ^ "The Muslim Skeptic". YouTube. Retrieved July 20, 2024.
- ^ "US: Muslim college students enraged over invite of controversial Muslim personality". Middle East Eye. Retrieved July 20, 2024.
- ^ "Daniel Haqiqatjou: What You Need to Know". www.adl.org. Retrieved July 23, 2024.
- ^ "Search Continues For Student's Missing Sister | News | The Harvard Crimson". www.thecrimson.com. Retrieved July 20, 2024.
- ^ "John Steven Burgess, Who Admitted Dumping Donna Jou in Ocean, Freed After 2 Years in Jail". ABC News. Retrieved July 20, 2024.
- ^ Haqiqatjou, Daniel (June 9, 2017). "My Sister". Muslim Skeptic. Retrieved July 20, 2024.
- ^ Westrop, Sam (June 3, 2022). "Interview: Radical preacher Daniel Haqiqatjou on "Islam vs. Liberalism" | Focus on Western Islamism (FWI)". Retrieved July 20, 2024.
- ^ "Threat Alert: Islamic Cleric Daniel Haqiqatjou and his Wife are Radicalizing American Children (Videos)". rairfoundation.com. September 22, 2021. Retrieved July 20, 2024.