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| ==Muslim American Society Secretary General== | ==Muslim American Society Secretary General== | ||
| Prior to becoming imam at the mosque, Elsayed was Secretary General of the ] (MAS), a Washington-based national educational, social, and religious organization that promotes community development through the development of the individual and the family.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.theamericanmuslim.org/tam.php/features/articles/elsayed_shaker/ |title=(TAM) |publisher= '']'' |date=January 10, 2005 |accessdate=November 14, 2009}}</ref><ref name="washingtontimes2005">{{cite web|url=http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2005/jul/05/20050705-102130-1010r/print/ |title=Activist imam puts politics into sermons |publisher= '']'' |date= |accessdate=November 14, 2009}}</ref><ref name="google3684">http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=r4AVAAAAIBAJ&sjid=dvADAAAAIBAJ&pg=3684,7348936&dq=shaker-elsayed&hl=en</ref> While still at MAS, in 2004 Elsayed was also on the mosque's Executive Committee.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A14497-2004Sep11?language=printer |title=Facing New Realities as Islamic Americans |publisher= ''Washington Post'' |date= |accessdate=November 14, 2009}}</ref> | Prior to becoming imam at the mosque, Elsayed was Secretary General of the ] (MAS), a Washington-based national educational, social, and religious organization that promotes community development through the development of the individual and the family.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.theamericanmuslim.org/tam.php/features/articles/elsayed_shaker/ |title=(TAM) |publisher= '']'' |date=January 10, 2005 |accessdate=November 14, 2009}}</ref><ref name="washingtontimes2005">{{cite web|url=http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2005/jul/05/20050705-102130-1010r/print/ |title=Activist imam puts politics into sermons |publisher= '']'' |date= |accessdate=November 14, 2009}}</ref><ref name="google3684">]'', July 30, 2005]</ref> While still at MAS, in 2004 Elsayed was also on the mosque's Executive Committee.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A14497-2004Sep11?language=printer |title=Facing New Realities as Islamic Americans |publisher= ''Washington Post'' |date= |accessdate=November 14, 2009}}</ref> | ||
| When federal agents raided a series of homes and offices in March 2002, looking for evidence of ]'s terrorist links and other terrorist fronts, Elsayed said: "This is becoming a war on Muslim institutions."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nysun.com/editorials/under-the-tampa-palms/77484/ |title='Under the Tampa Palms' - February 21, 2003 - The New York Sun |publisher= '']'' |date= |accessdate=November 14, 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sptimes.com/2002/03/22/Worldandnation/Muslims_denounce_raid.shtml |title=Worldandnation: Muslims denounce raids linked to Al-Arian |publisher= |
When federal agents raided a series of homes and offices in March 2002, looking for evidence of ]'s terrorist links and other terrorist fronts, Elsayed said: "This is becoming a war on Muslim institutions."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nysun.com/editorials/under-the-tampa-palms/77484/ |title='Under the Tampa Palms' - February 21, 2003 - The New York Sun |publisher= '']'' |date= |accessdate=November 14, 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sptimes.com/2002/03/22/Worldandnation/Muslims_denounce_raid.shtml |title=Worldandnation: Muslims denounce raids linked to Al-Arian |publisher= '']'' |date= |accessdate=November 14, 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=NTkwMTIyZmU4YWRhMjMyZDAyYjI1MzI2ZGVlNDM2ODI=#more |title=Sami Al-Arian Defense by Joel Mowbray on National Review Online |publisher= '']'' |date= |accessdate=November 14, 2009}}</ref> Al-Arian ultimately made a ], pleading guilty to conspiracy to help a "specially-designated terrorist" organization, the ].<ref name="Laughlin-plea"></ref> | ||
| When three defendants who were part of the ] were convicted in March 2004 of conspiring to help wage violent jihad in ] and possibly against American troops in ], Elsayed said "It is evident that Muslims should not expect justice. Muslims are besieged after 9/11, for no fault of their own."<ref>{{cite news|last=Dao |first=James |url=http://www.nytimes.com/2004/03/05/us/3-american-muslims-convicted-of-helping-wage-jihad.html |title=3 American Muslims Convicted of Helping Wage Jihad |publisher= '']'' |date=March 5, 2004 |accessdate=November 14, 2009}}</ref> | When three defendants who were part of the ] were convicted in March 2004 of conspiring to help wage violent jihad in ] and possibly against American troops in ], Elsayed said "It is evident that Muslims should not expect justice. Muslims are besieged after 9/11, for no fault of their own."<ref>{{cite news|last=Dao |first=James |url=http://www.nytimes.com/2004/03/05/us/3-american-muslims-convicted-of-helping-wage-jihad.html |title=3 American Muslims Convicted of Helping Wage Jihad |publisher= '']'' |date=March 5, 2004 |accessdate=November 14, 2009}}</ref> | ||
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Shaker Elsayed (born in Cairo, Egypt, in 1951) is a dual citizen of Egypt and the US, and has been the Imam of the Dar Al-Hijrah mosque in Falls Church, Virginia, since June 1, 2005. He is well known in the Muslim community for his political activism.
Educational background and scholarship
Elsayed has an undergraduate degree in Economics and Independent Islamic Studies from Cairo, and has done graduate work in Educational Administration and Psychology at the University of Houston in Texas. He has written his own English translation of the Koran.
Al-Ghazly Islamic School; Principal
In 1990 he was the Principal of the Al-Ghazly Islamic School in Jersey City.
Muslim American Society Secretary General
Prior to becoming imam at the mosque, Elsayed was Secretary General of the Muslim American Society (MAS), a Washington-based national educational, social, and religious organization that promotes community development through the development of the individual and the family. While still at MAS, in 2004 Elsayed was also on the mosque's Executive Committee.
When federal agents raided a series of homes and offices in March 2002, looking for evidence of Sami Al-Arian's terrorist links and other terrorist fronts, Elsayed said: "This is becoming a war on Muslim institutions." Al-Arian ultimately made a plea agreement, pleading guilty to conspiracy to help a "specially-designated terrorist" organization, the Palestinian Islamic Jihad.
When three defendants who were part of the Virginia Jihad Network were convicted in March 2004 of conspiring to help wage violent jihad in Kashmir and possibly against American troops in Afghanistan, Elsayed said "It is evident that Muslims should not expect justice. Muslims are besieged after 9/11, for no fault of their own."
In April 2005 Ali Al-Timimi went on trial for treason for telling a group of Northern Virginia Muslims that it should train for violent jihad abroad and wage war on the US. Elsayed claimed "He is not accused of anything except talking. It's all about him saying something. If this isn't a First Amendment issue, I don't know what is." After Al-Timini's conviction, Elsayed said that "Ali never opened a weapon or fired a shot, and he is going to get life imprisonment for talking. What kind of country are we turning the United States into today?"
Dar al-Hijrah mosque
Some commentators say that Elsayed's sermons take a political tone. "Islam forbids you to give allegiance to those who kick you off your homeland, and to those who support those who kick you off your homeland," Elsayed told worshippers. "We do have license to respond with all force necessary to answer our attackers." M.A. Muqtedar Khan, an expert on Islam and a political scientist at Adrian College in Michigan, said Elsayed is not a typical American imam. "Shaker Elsayed is more like a political figure than a religious figure," said Khan, who worshipped at Dar al-Hijrah for several years. "Dar al-Hijrah is a very Arab-centric mosque, very much centered on Arab politics."
Elsayed also served as an unofficial spokesman for the family of Ahmed Omar Abu Ali, who was convicted of plotting to assassinate President Bush. Abu Ali worshipped at Dar al-Hijrah. Elsayed said the case against Abu Ali was based on a confession to Saudi authorities he termed "laughable," and accused the Justice Department of unfairly targeting Abu Ali and other young Muslims for prosecution.
References
- "IslamonLine.net". IslamonLine.net. Retrieved November 14, 2009.
- ^ "Activist imam puts politics into sermons". Washington Times. Retrieved November 14, 2009.
{{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ Barakat, Matthew, "The Religious is Political for Virginia Imam, Eugene Register-Guard, July 30, 2005
- "(TAM)". The American Muslim. January 10, 2005. Retrieved November 14, 2009.
{{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - "Facing New Realities as Islamic Americans". Washington Post. Retrieved November 14, 2009.
{{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - "'Under the Tampa Palms' - February 21, 2003 - The New York Sun". New York Sun. Retrieved November 14, 2009.
{{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - "Worldandnation: Muslims denounce raids linked to Al-Arian". St. Petersburg Times. Retrieved November 14, 2009.
{{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - "Sami Al-Arian Defense by Joel Mowbray on National Review Online". National Review. Retrieved November 14, 2009.
{{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - "In his plea deal, what did Sami Al-Arian admit to?," St. Petersburg Times
- Dao, James (March 5, 2004). "3 American Muslims Convicted of Helping Wage Jihad". The New York Times. Retrieved November 14, 2009.
{{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - "Terrorism Case Puts Words of Muslim Leader On Trial in Va". Washington Post. Retrieved November 14, 2009.
{{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - "Prosecution Called 'Overzealous'". Washington Post. Retrieved November 14, 2009.
{{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - Terry Frieden (March 14, 2005). "Man pleads innocent to al Qaeda aid in Bush plot - Mar 14, 2005". CNN. Retrieved November 14, 2009.
{{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help)
External links
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