{{short description|Canadian Muslim activist and writer (born 1972)}} {{BLP sources|date=September 2013}}
'''Muhammad Robert Heft''' (born November 4, 1972, in Winnipeg, Manitoba) is a Canadian Muslim activist.
==Biography== Coming from a German and Irish background, Heft spent his childhood and majority of his life in a small town outside of Toronto. Raised as a nominal Protestant Christian,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.islamreligion.com/videos/2465/|title = Robert, Former Christian, Canada}}</ref> Heft converted to Islam in 1998 after which he studied Islam with qualified scholars{{which|date=September 2013}} for over 7 years. He began his community involvement in 2003, and since then, has gone on to take part in a variety of government and community initiatives.
==Involvement==
In 2007 Heft was made a representative for the Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Humanitarian and Charity Est. for all of Canada, and he holds this position today.<ref name="first">[http://www.dihad.org/program.php Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Humanitarian and Charity Est.] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110829222656/http://www.dihad.org/program.php |date=August 29, 2011 }}</ref>
In 2008 he started the Stop Terrorism cause, which is a global and online cause which claims to have 20,000 members.<ref name="second">[https://www.causes.com/causes/17191-stop-terrorism-now Stop Terrorism cause]</ref>{{failed verification|date=September 2013}}
In 2009 Heft formally started working with “youth at risk” and designed a 3-step "de-radicalization" program for Muslim Canadians. Through this program he has helped many youth who have turned towards radicalization and brought them away from that destructive state.{{citation needed|date=September 2013}}
Judge Dawson court approved Heft in 2010 as a de-radicalization counsellor in for Steven Vikash Chand, one of the “Toronto 18” arrested for involvement in the 2006 Ontario terrorism plot.<ref name="third">[https://web.archive.org/web/20160304215203/http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/how-a-devout-hindu-teen-became-a-stranger-to-his-parents-on-trial-in-an-alleged-terror-plot/article701763/singlepage/ Toronto 18]</ref>
Heft continues to support government agencies on efforts of de-radicalization and is also supported by former MPs of the federal government, Derek Lee and Dan McTeague.<ref name="fourth">{{Cite web |url=http://www.cablegatesearch.net/cable.php?id=09TORONTO151 |title=Supported by former MPs |access-date=2011-12-17 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111114181456/http://www.cablegatesearch.net/cable.php?id=09TORONTO151 |archive-date=2011-11-14 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
== References == <references />
==External links==
===Media appearances=== * CBC: http://www.cbc.ca/fifth/torontoterror/heft.html * Toronto Star: https://www.thestar.com/news/article/903269--toronto-youth-brainwashed-with-extremist-views-of-islam-report-says * Canada.com: https://web.archive.org/web/20100527072648/http://www.canada.com/globaltv/edmonton/news/story.html?id=3c3b7df7-99b6-4800-8dbb-8fb0d699712e&k=91808 * Globe and Mail: https://web.archive.org/web/20111111100939/http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/article701763.ece * Diplomat and International Canada: http://www.diplomatonline.com/pdf_files/Diplomat_JAN_10_final.pdf * ABC News: https://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/anwar-al-awlaki-admired-gangster-youth-including-toronto/story?id=9078179 * CTV: [https://web.archive.org/web/20201109032315/https://www.ctvnews.ca/toronto-mosque-offers-detox-for-islamic-radicals-1.369242] * National Post: https://web.archive.org/web/20111111134758/http://www.nationalpost.com/related/topics/index.html?subject=Ahlus+Sunnah+Foundation+of+Canada+and+Mohammad+Robert+Heft&type=Organization * The Washington Post: [https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/on-faith/muslim-mortgages-in-limbo-after-bank-collapse/2011/10/24/gIQAlitBDM_story.html]{{dead link|date=January 2025|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} * Rob Breakenridge (CHQR Calgary): http://emedia.newstalk770.com/Podcasts/1022/robbreakenridgepodcastapr25-11351282048.mp3{{dead link|date=September 2013}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Heft, Muhammad Robert}} Category:1972 births Category:Living people Category:Activists from Manitoba Category:Canadian activists Category:Canadian Muslim activists Category:Canadian former Christians Category:Canadian Muslims Category:Converts to Islam from Protestantism Category:People from Winnipeg