Imam Zaid Shakir
(b. 1956) is a leading American Islamic scholar specializing in Arabic, Islamic law, history, and spirituality. He earned a BA in International Relations from American University and an MA in Political Science from Rutgers University before undertaking advanced Islamic studies in Syria and Morocco under scholars such as Sheikh ʿAbd al-Raḥmān al-Shāghūrī and Sheikh Mustafa al-Turkmani. In 2001, he became the first American male graduate of Abu Nour University’s Islamic Sciences program.

A co-founder of Zaytuna College (2010)—the first accredited Muslim liberal arts college in the U.S.—Shakir played a pivotal role in developing its curriculum, which synthesizes classical Islamic scholarship with modern academic rigor. His earlier pilot seminary program (2004) at Zaytuna Institute laid the groundwork for this institution. His teaching focuses on Arabic linguistics, Islamic jurisprudence (fiqh), and Sufism, emphasizing the contemporary relevance of traditional scholarship.

Recognized among “The Muslim 500” and CNN’s “25 Influential American Muslims” (2018), Imam Zaid bridges classical Islamic disciplines with Western academia, ensuring rigorous traditional learning remains accessible. His intellectual leadership and contributions to Islamic education in the West have earned him the informal title “The Imam of America.”