About Shaykh Mateen Charbonneau

Shaykh Mateen Charbonneau

Shaykh Mateen (Joshua Adam) Charbonneau was born in 1982 in Sumter, South Carolina. He is of French Canadian and American descent. After studying a few religions, he chose to revert to Shia Islam at the age of 17 and learned Quranic Arabic in 2000.

He independently studied Islamic books full time from 1999-2007 and started studying in Islamic seminary classes (hawzah) in March, 2013 at Imam Ali Center in Springfield, Virginia. He also studied abroad in Najaf al-Ashraf and Karbala.

Shaykh Mateen studied under many scholars including Shaykh Mirza Abbas Shamsudin, Shaykh Muhammad Baghernejad, Shaykh Ibn Abbas Naqvi, Shaykh Mohammad Jafar Danesh, Sayed Baqir Imrani, Sayed Raad al-Alawi, Sayed Murtadha Modarresi, Sheikh Abul Hassan Yemaani, Shaykh Haani al-Hakim, and Sayyid Anvar Sajadi.

At 26 he moved to the Washington, DC area and has been an active part of the Muslim community. Now, he is currently continuing higher studies. Other activities include offering majalis, jumah services, and weekly youth and adult classes in various communities throughout the United States.

  • Achieved  a certificate from Harvard University in Islamic Studies
  • Filmed a documentary for al-Anwar Hussain TV entitled The Journey of the Spirit in 2011
  • Filmed a documentary for Ahlulbayt TV entitled Faith Behind Bars
  • Filmed an Autism Awareness workshop for Muslim communities
  • Authored several books entitled; The Suffering of the Ahl ul Bayt and their Followers (Shia) throughout History, Christians who defended and died for Prophet Muhammad and his Family (English, Spanish, French), Mystery of the Shia, A Study Guide for Logic, an extensive book of narrations entitled Prophetic Gems, A Commentary to the Faith of Shia Islam (Aqaed al-Imamiyya) of Allama Mudaffar, Recalling the Sacrifices of Karbala and Esteemed Women of Islam.
  • Founded an online library on Facebook in 2013 entitled; Shia Books for Free Download that now has 90,000+ members
  • Founded a nonprofit organization to send free books to prisoners in March 2014 entitled; 2nd Chance Books which within the first 7 years has sent 20,000 Shia books inside the prisons throughout more than half of the country. The program has over 2,500 American Shia converts participating.
  • Had articles about my life published in magazines in America, Iran, China, and Azerbaijan

    • Was certified at the 17th annual conference of Shia scholars of N. America and Canada for Mediation training by the Northern Virginia Mediation Service (NVMS)

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