Zaid Shakir

Zaid Shakir
File:Imam's image.jpg Imam Zaid Shakir
Born	Ricky D. Mitchell May 24,1956 Berkeley, California United States
Occupation	Islamic Scholar
Title	Professor
Website	www.zaidshakir.com

Imam Zaid Shakir' (['زيد شاكر, Zaid Shākir] Error: {{Lang-xx}}: text has italic markup (help)) is an American Muslim speaker and intellectual in the United States. In 2003, he moved to Hayward, California with his family to serve as a scholar-in-residence and lecturer at Zaytuna Institute where he now teaches regular courses on Arabic, Law, History, and Islamic Spirituality. He is one of the signatories of A Common Word Between Us and You, an open letter by Islamic Scholars to Christian Leaders, calling for peace and understanding.

Early life

Born in Berkeley, California, he accepted Islam in 1977 while serving in the United States Air Force, and shortly after changed his name to Zaid Salim Shakir. He obtained a BA with honors in International Relations at American University in Washington, D.C. and later earned his MA in Political Science at Rutgers University. While at Rutgers, he led a successful campaign for disinvestment from South Africa, and co-founded a local Islamic center, Masjid al-Huda.

After a year of studying Arabic in Cairo, Egypt, he settled in New Haven, Connecticut and continued his community activism, co-founding Masjid al-Islam, the Tri-State Muslim Education Initiative, and the Connecticut Muslim Coordinating Committee. As Imam of Masjid al-Islam from 1988 to 1994 he spear-headed a community renewal and grassroots anti-drug effort, and also taught political science and Arabic at Southern Connecticut State University.

Years Abroad

Shakir then left for Syria to pursue his studies in the traditional Islamic Sciences. For seven years in Syria, and briefly in Morocco, he immersed himself in an intense study of Arabic, Islamic law, Quranic studies, and spirituality with some of the top Muslim scholars of our age. In 2001, he was the first American graduate from Syria's prestigious Abu Nour University and returned to Connecticut, serving again as the Imam of Masjid al-Islam, and writing and speaking frequently on a host of issues.

In 2003, as a scholar-in-residence at Zaytuna Institute located in Hayward, California, Shakir began to teach Arabic, Law, and Islamic Spirituality. And, in 1996, he co-founded the Berkeley, California- based Zaytuna College dedicated to the revival of Islamic Sciences and the preservation of traditional teaching methods.

He has traveled all over the world lecturing about Islam and contemporary issues. Shakir has translated several classical texts from Arabic. He has been a special quest and interviewed twice on Bill Moyers in January 18, 2002 and June 22, 2007, a prime time TV station network PBS. He is the first Islamic Scholar along with many partners to spearhead a nationwide initiative Bite The Bug passionately concerned about matters plaguing Muslims regardless of culture, geography, language or race. This mission is to raise national awareness and demonstrate that the American Muslim community is compassionate, empathetic and action-oriented about basic maladies within the world.

Zaid Shakir is amongst the most respected and influential Islamic scholars in the West. As an American Muslim who came of age during the civil rights struggles, he has brought both sensitivity about race and poverty issues and scholarly discipline to his faith-based work. He is married and has one adopted son . Shakir was born in Berkeley, California and spent his formative years in Connecticut.

He is a frequent speaker at local and national Muslim events and has emerged as one of the nation’s top Islamic Scholars and a voice of conscience for American Muslims and non-Muslims alike.

Books authored

• To Change Our Condition, (Co-authored with Sheikh Hamza Yusuf), 2007
• Scattered Pictures: A Reflection of An American Muslim

Books translated with additions

• For The Seekers of Guidance,(translation and commentary of Al-Muhasibi's Risala Al-Mustarshidin), 2008
• Heirs of the Prophets, 2000

Books which include his foreword or note

• Faith and Beauty,(Co-edited with Sheikh Hamza Yusef), 2008
• A Gathering of Voices on Caring For Creation, (contrib. article)The Zaytuna Ruku Tree, 2008
• Self: A Year In The Life of A Welfare Mother, (wrote foreword), 2006
• The Empire and The Crescent, (contributed article Jehad as Perpetual War), 2004

Papers

• Zaytuna Seasons Journal
• Caesarean Moon Births

See also

• List of Islamic scholars
• Zaid Shakir

Websites

• zaidshakir.com- Zaid Shakir's biography, articles, online store, and blog
• [1]- Resident Scholar, Author, and Lecturer
• [2]- Zaid Shakir's Press Room
• [3]- Zaid Shakir's Audio and Video lectures
• [4]- Zaid Shakir Featured Member in Yearbook of Experts
• [5]- Agenda to change our condition By Zaid Shakir
• [6]- Foundations of the Deen, by Zaid Shakir
• [7]- Zaid Shakir answers questions on religion
• [8]- Imam Zaid Shakir on Twitter
• [9]- Imam Zaid Facebook
• [10]- My Space site with Zaid Shakir
• [11]- New York Times

Articles,interviews

• AP News Zaytuna College interview with Zaid Shakir
• US Islamic College and Zaytuna Institute
• Fox News
• Times Leader interview with Zaid Shakir
• US Scholars Planning Islamic College
• Churches, Religion, and Faith
• News Flash on Zaid Shakir
• Boston Globe and Zaytuna Institute plans
• News Story with Zaid Shakir

Videos

• United For Change - Imam Zaid introduces a new organization
• Turning The Desert Green - Imam Zaid in Mali with Islamic Relief
• The Pursuit of Happiness with Zaid Shakir, Hamza Yusuf and Yusuf Islam
• Bill Moyers Interview with Zaid Shakir
• Dear Self introduction by Zaid Shakir
• Radio program interview with Hamza Yusuf & Zaid Shakir

See also

• Zaytuna Institute
• Hamza Yusuf