Yahya Hassan was a Danish-Palestinian poet who has attracted attention and stirred debate about Islam's place in Denmark based on poetry he wrote which was critical of Islam.
His parents came to Denmark in the 80s as refugees from Palestine. He grew up with his parents and four sibling in Gellerupparken in Aarhus, an area which has been described as an immigrant ghetto. He grew up in a religious environment but has since abandoned religion.
At 13 he was transferred to an institution for children with problem behaviour due to difficulties adapting to school, and petty crime. He dropped out of school at thirteen.
He developed a keen interest in reading, litterature, and began writing poetry.

One professor of literature, Tue Nexo Andersen, described Hassan’s longer works as “almost Walt Whitman-like.”
Hassan has mentioned Dostoyevsky, Michael Strunge, and Karl Ove Knausgård as sources of inspiration.

His first poetry collection "Digte" ("Poems") is highly autobiographical and tells of violence, betrayal, and crime; and attracted much attention even before it was published by Gyldendal in October 2013.
In December the same year the poetry collection approximated 100 000 copies.

He has particularly criticised parts of his parents's generation and immigrant enviroment for misuse of social security, their reluctance and mistrust in Danish society, and religious hypocrisy.
His work has sparked criticism from some in the Islamic community and death threats. He was attacked in a train station by a convicted terrorist. The attacker was charged with assault.
He now lives at a secret address in Copenhagen and has 24-hour protection from two bodyguard because of the death threats and attacks he has received as a result of the publishing of his poetry collection.
In September 2013 he was admitted at Forfatterskolen in Copehagen.