Felix Yanwar Siauw, born January 31, 1984, is an ethnic Chinese-Indonesian Ustaz, preacher, and writer. He underwent a conversion to Islam during his college years and became associated with the banned organization, Hizbut Tahrir Indonesia (HTI). Widely recognized for his presence on social media, Felix is known for his conservative stances, openly criticizing various ideologies including democracy, nationalism, capitalism, socialism, feminism, and secularism.
Brief Background:
Felix Siauw, raised in a Catholic environment, embraced Islam in 2002 during his third semester at the Bogor Agricultural Institute. His encounter with an HTI activist played a pivotal role in his conversion. In 2006, he completed his studies at the Horticulture Study Program, Department of Agricultural Cultivation, Faculty of Agriculture (A), achieving a GPA of 3.42.
In 2006, Felix Siauw entered matrimony, and the union has since blessed him with four children: Alila Shaffiya Asy-Syarifah (2008), Shifr Muhammad Al-Fatih 1453 (2010), Ghazi Muhammad Al-Fatih 1453 (2011), and Aia Shaffiya Asy-Syarifah (2013).
Literary Contributions:
Felix Siauw has authored numerous books that delve into perspectives associated with Hizbut Tahrir Indonesia [6]. Notable works include “Beyond The Inspiration,” “Muhammad Al-Fatih 1453,” “How To Master Your Habits,” “Just Break Up,” “Come on, wear the hijab,” “The Chronicles of Ghazi: Rise Of The Ottomans,” “Khilafah” (withdrawn from circulation), “Caliphate Remake,” and “The Guardians of The Earth.”
Career and Following:
A popular Islamic preacher, Felix boasts a combined Twitter and Instagram following exceeding 3.2 million individuals. In addition to his preaching, he is a prolific writer, addressing topics closely aligned with the perspectives of HTI. However, this group’s viewpoint has faced criticism for its historical inaccuracies. In June 2017, Felix criticized the government’s decision to disband HTI, claiming it weakened Islam.
Controversies:
Felix stirred controversy in 2015 with a series of tweets denouncing selfies as detrimental and indicative of a mental disorder. This perspective garnered criticism from netizens. In May 2017, a university event featuring Felix in East Java was shut down by police following opposition from mainstream Muslims and nationalists.
