Daniel Haqiqatjou

Daniel Reza Haqiqatjou (Farsi: دانیال رضا حقیقت جو; born c. 1980s) is an American Muslim polemic, writer, public speaker, debater, philosopher, and Da'i. 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. Haqiqatjou's conservative interpretation of Islam, his views on subjects such as gender roles and geopolitics, and his critiques of certain Islamic scholars deemed as Modernist and liberalised make him a controversial figure.

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. Haqiqatjou grew up in Houston, where he is still based in. Haqiqatjou studied Physics with a minor in Philosophy at Harvard University and completed a master's degree in philosophy at Tufts University. Haqiqatjou also studys the traditional Islamic sciences with Islamic scholars part-time.

Career
Haqiqatjou was a writer for the online magazine Muslim Matters from 2014 till 2017. Around 2015–2016, Haqiqatjou created the YouTube Channel Muslim Skeptic and also created a website with the same name, both providing Muslim news, research, and opinion outlet, particularly on interfaith critique, Modernism, current events, family, and accountability reports on figures perceived as attempting to change Islam from within. Haqiqatjou along with his wife have also founded the Alasna Institute, a learning institute dedicated to providing an Islamically orientated education and overcome doubts about Islam. Haqiqatjou is known for his online debates on YouTube, mosyt notably with Apostate Prophet, David Wood, Vaush, and Destiny.

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.

In March 2024, the Anti-Defamation League accused Haqiqatjou of anti-Semitism, terrorism, and pushing extremist, prejudiced, and conspiratorial ideas.

Personal life
Haqiqatjou has been married since 2009 to Umm Khalid, who was born in Egypt but moved to the US as a child and also attented Harvard (where she and Haqiqatjou met), and has four children. Haqiqatjou lives in the Suburbs of Houston. While being born into a nominally and secular Shia family, Haqiqatjou has converted into Sunni Islam and identifies as an orthodox Sunni Muslim, in spite of perceptions of Haqiqatjou as being aligned and connected with the Salafi and Deobandi movements and figures from within those movements.

Haqiqatjou's sister, Donna aged 19, went missing in California during a party and disappeared with convicted sex offender John Steven Burgress, who drugged, murdered, and discarded her body, in 2007.

Publications

 * The Modernist Menace to Islam