New Islamic Directions
Shorter reflections and statements on the events of the day.
Imam Zaid Shakir · July 12, 2026
“It is not the least ironic that Lindsey Graham should pass away at a time the country is celebrating its 250th anniversary. Graham represented the genocidal impulse that has stained American history. As Americans we do not like discussing the fact…
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Imam Zaid Shakir · April 22, 2026
The savage, unprovoked American/Israeli attack on Iran illustrates an old play, as far as the American side is concerned. It is amazing that the same script is rolled out for each violent, imperialist episode, yet there are still people who line up…
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Imam Zaid Shakir · January 11, 2026
Owing to a very difficult and challenging couple of months, I was unable to sit down and share my thoughts on the passing of two giants who impacted me and many others in profound ways. Those two giants are Imam Jamil al-Amin and Imam Talib Abdul…
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Imam Zaid Shakir · October 28, 2025
The following is a true story. The youth’s name has been changed. Ahmad is a normal teenage boy. He is full of life, brimming with energy, and intellectually curious. He is quick to smile and easy to please. Ahmad is not a normal teenage boy. He has…
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Imam Zaid Shakir · September 11, 2025
An assassin’s bullet ended the life of Charlie Kirk. As Muslims, we reject the misinformed, xenophobic fear-mongering Kirk engaged in against our community. We likewise deplore Kirk’s wholesale endorsement of the Zionists’ ongoing genocidal…
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Imam Zaid Shakir · June 15, 2025
The rogue state of Israel has added a massive, unprovoked attack on Iran to the list of its crimes. It is not enough to slaughter, starve, and ethnically cleanse the people of Gaza; it is not enough to bomb anything in Lebanon with wanton impunity;…
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Imam Zaid Shakir · February 18, 2025
The ongoing Israeli genocide in Gaza, coupled with the accelerating ethnic cleansing of the West Bank, is the latest act in the appalling history of European colonization of non-European lands. In Gaza, this has meant overwhelmed hospitals being…
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Imam Zaid Shakir · January 2, 2025
As we North American Muslims enter a new year it might be beneficial for us to ask ourselves some serious questions. A bit of soul searching has never harmed anyone. The type of questions I have in mind involve a set of challenges to some of the…
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Imam Zaid Shakir · November 5, 2024
As we stand on the eve of what promises to be a very consequential election, many in our community are confused and frustrated. Who should we vote for? Will our vote matter? What is the best path forward as our growing numbers potentially give us an…
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Imam Zaid Shakir · August 7, 2024
By Imam Zaid Shakir July 24, 2024 will soon be remembered as a day of infamy in the history of the United States. That is the day that the war criminal, the child murderer, the Butcher of Gaza, Benyamin Netanyahu (Bibi) derided as Iran’s “useful…
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Imam Zaid Shakir · May 12, 2024
We are not going to create any conditions on the support that we give to Israel to defend itself. Kamala Harris, US Vice President, November 2, 2023 When I first read this statement last Fall, I thought to myself that at least we can applaud the…
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Imam Zaid Shakir · April 8, 2024
One Political Team Last week, I received a call from one of the leaders in the African American Muslim Community, Salima Suswell. She is the founder of both Evolve Solutions and the Black Muslim Leadership Council. I have been in touch with Salima…
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