Hanny Kristianto has revealed that Syekh Ahmad Al Misry, whose real name is Ahmed Abdel Wakeel, was previously an ordinary person who worked as a translator and lived in his in-laws' house in Tebet. The disclosure comes amid allegations of sexual harassment involving him.
Hanny Kristianto made the statements in a post on his Instagram account on Sunday, May 17, 2026. He said that Syekh Ahmad Al Misry was initially nobody and only worked as a translator before becoming known as a religious figure.
"SAM was originally nobody. In Indonesia he lived in his in-laws' house in Tebet," Hanny Kristianto said. He added that many people who knew him were surprised by the rapid change in status.
Hanny Kristianto criticized Syekh Ahmad Al Misry's reported attempt to renounce Indonesian citizenship through the Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia in Egypt. According to him, the move showed a lack of gratitude toward Indonesia, which had provided him a place to live.