Imam Zaid featured in Emel Magazine

Imam Zaid Shakir is, in many ways, the
quintessential American: a youth with a newspaper route, a high school
football player, a member of the United States Air Force, a student
activist at Rutgers University, a university professor, a foster father
- and a respected Islamic Scholar. Born in Berkeley, California to a
family descended from African, Irish and Native American roots, Imam
Zaid is one of the most important voices within Islam today and a
leading advocate for social change and economic justice.He talks to
Noreen A. Kassem about finding the heart of Islam, traditional
learning, ‘going it alone’ and his new book, Scattered Pictures,
Reflections of an American Muslim. “As Muslims, we are carrying the
Word of God in an increasingly secular, milit arised, and alienated
world. What it means to carry that word is not an unknowable
abstraction. We carry it by following the concrete example of our Noble
Messenger Muhammad, peace and blessings of God upon him. In carrying
the word, he endured unimaginable abuses and he persevered through them
because he was inspired by a grand vision. That vision was to see his
people saved by the life-giving, life-affirming message of Islam.”

Courtesy of Emel  Magazine



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