One of the great living Sufi figures of our era, Zaid Shakir is an esteemed educator who offers courses in Arabic, law, history, and Islamic spirituality. Born on May 24, 1956, Zaid Shakir, previously known as Ricky Daryl Mitchell, is an American Muslim scholar and one of the co-founders of Zaytuna College in Berkeley, California.
Shakir serves as the co-founder and chairman of United For Change, with the primary aim of harnessing the rich diversity of the Muslim and interfaith community to tackle divisive challenges. Additionally, in 2015, he endorsed the official Memorandum of Understanding between Zaytuna College and Hartford Seminary in Connecticut.[19] Notably, he is also among the signatories of A Common Word Between Us and You, an open letter penned by Islamic scholars to Christian leaders, advocating for peace and mutual understanding.
From 2020 to 2022, Shakir took on the leadership role within the Muslim Alliance in North America (MANA). MANA is a diverse coalition of Muslims dedicated to advocating for justice and advancing the principles they believe embody the life-giving truth of Islam. Shakir’s influence extends to his inclusion in The Muslim 500, an annual publication by the Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Centre in Amman, Jordan, which recognizes the 500 most influential Muslims globally.
Moved by the desire to collaborate with religious communities for sustainable development and environmental conservation, he has actively participated in the “action for the earth” initiative alongside Green Faith. The organization is dedicated to motivating, informing, coordinating, and rallying individuals from various religious and spiritual backgrounds worldwide to take part in environmental efforts.
Zaid Shakir joined other religious leaders from around the world in presenting a declaration to the UN Secretary General in support of the Paris Climate Agreement.
About Author:
Shah Medu
is a Practicing Sufi, Freelance Journalist, CEO & Chief Coordinator of the WorldSufiMedia Dot Com.
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