| Bio/Wiki | |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Waseem Yousef Ahmed Shehadeh |
| Profession(s) | Preacher, YouTuber |
| Physical Stats | |
| Height (approx.) | 5' 9" (175 cm) |
| Eye Colour | Black |
| Hair Colour | Black |
| Personal Life | |
| Date of Birth | 29 June 1981 (Monday) |
| Age (as of 2025) | 44 Years |
| Birthplace | Irbid, Jordan |
| Zodiac sign | Cancer |
| Nationality | • Jordanian (1981-2014) • Emirati (2014-Present) |
| Hometown | Irbid, Jordan |
| College/University | Al- Balqa' Applied University, Jordan |
| Education Qualification(s) | • Bachelor's degree in Sharia • MA in Interpretation Qur'an (2009) |
| Religion | Islam |
| Controversies | • Accused of Plagiarism In early 2018, he was accused by Adham Sharqawi, a Palestinian writer in Qatari Al-Raya, that Yousef had stolen articles from him and used it for television programmes. In February 2021, he was accused of copying and pasting one of the tweet from Saudi researcher and writer Abdullah al-Rasheed. Abdullah found similarities with his tweet and pointed out on social media. ((The New Arab)) • Dismissed from Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque In February 2020, he was removed from his role as imam and preacher at the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi after he took legal action against 19 individuals who insulted and defamed him on Twitter over his opinion about Shahih Al Bukhari, one of the six major collections of sayings and actions of Prophet Muhammad, compiled by Imam Mohammad Al Bukhari. He had stated that not all content in Shahih Al Bukhari should be taken literally, which led to criticism from the public. ((albawaba.com)) • UAE-Israel Normalization Controversy In August 2020, after the UAE's announcement of normalisation deal with Israel, Wassem Yousef supported the agreement. He had used Quranic verses to justify the move and criticized Palestinians who opposed it. In a tweet, he claimed that Palestinians who were protesting against the deal had filthy morals and stated that the Jews were more honourable than them. These statements were not well received by the Arab World and many accused him of betraying the Palestinian cause. ((The New Arab)) |
| Social Media | • Instagram • YouTube |
| Relationships & More | |
| Marital Status | Married |
| Family | |
| Children | Son- Zayed bin Waseem bin Youssef |
| Parents | Father- Yousef Ahmed Shehada |
Some Lesser Known Facts About Wassem Yousef
- In 2012, he became influential in the Gulf region after being linked with the revolutions of the “Arab Spring.” He was one of the first sheikhs to criticise the revolutions.
- On 27 March 2019, he started his YouTube channel known as Dr. Waseem Yousef.
- In 2020, he uploaded a video in which he shared about the mistreatment and racism faced by his family in the UAE.
- Later, he was appointed as a preacher at the Sheikh Sultan bin Zayed the First Mosque.
- In May 2021, news surfaced on social media platforms that he had been physically assaulted in the United Arab Emirates and his car was set on fire. The picture shared on Twitter featured an unidentified face, which people assumed to be Wassem Yousef.
- In 2024, he was diagnosed with sarcoma, a type of cancer that develops in the bones and soft tissues.
- He is an avid lover of cats.
Wassem Yousef with his cat
- As of 2025, he has 3.3 million followers on his Instagram handle, 4.5 million followers on his Facebook page, 2.9K subscribers on his YouTube channel, and 1.5 million followers on his Twitter page.
