ISNA Announces 2010 Election Results

Imam Mohamed Magid New ISNA President

Source: ISNA

(Plainfield, IN - Sept 26, 2010) ISNA is proud to share with our community at large the young and diverse new group of ISNA leaders elected to the Majlis Ash-Shura this September. A mix of American born and foreign born Muslims were elected by ISNA members with a broad range of ethnic diversity and ages.

"The diversity and youth of our new leadership point to the healthy direction ISNA is taking as it strives to lead the development of the Muslim community in America and bring new and fresh ideas to the table. ISNA members have elected a new group of leaders that more adequately represent the diversity of the American Muslim population," stated Zarzour.

The newly elected leaders join 16 current Majlis members and comprise a young and motivated segment of the community, with ISNA President Imam Mohamed Magid and ISNA Vice President Azhar Azeez both under the age of 45. Additionally, a new milestone was reached this election season as ISNA members elected the youngest person ever, Asma Mirza aged 26, to the Majlis.

Below you will find more information on our new leaders, including:

ISNA President: Imam Mohamed Magid
ISNA Vice President-USA: Azhar Azeez
ISNA Majlis Member: Asma Mirza
ISNA Majlis Member: Dr. Ihsan Bagby

ISNA Vice President-Canada: Dr. Mohamed Bekkari

ISNA President: Imam Mohamed Magid

Imam Mohamed Hagmagid Ali is a Sudanese-born American who came to the United States in 1987. He attained his religious education in various Islamic disciplines as a Resident Scholar at Al-Medina Institute. Currently serving as the Executive Director of the All Dulles Area Muslim Society (ADAMS), Imam Magid helped establish exemplary religious services for Muslim communities across the nation to emulate. He has much experience serving the nation-wide Muslim community as ISNA's East Zone representative and as ISNA Vice President prior to his election in September 2010 as ISNA President. Imam Magid has a long history of commitment to public service through organizations, such as The Peaceful Families Project, Annual Twinning of Mosques and Synagogues, Fairfax Faith Communities in Action, Interfaith Conference of Metropolitan Washington Assembly and the Buxton Interfaith Initiative.

Imam Magid strives to create and foster dialogue and increase understanding about Islam. Part of his work with the Buxton Interfaith Initiative included forging a partnership with Rabbi Robert Nosanchuk, then leader of the Northern Virginia Hebrew Congregation in Reston. Both men were recognized by the Washingtonian as "2009's Washingtonians of the Year" for building bridges between their faith communities. Imam Magid continues to provide good counsel for the Muslim community through his regular contributions to ISNA's magazine, Islamic Horizons, as well as a speaker and leader of discussions on imminent issues facing the Muslim American community. He is also well known for his family counseling expertise. Imam Magid lives in Virginia with his wife and five young daughters.

To learn more about Imam Magid, please click here. You will find a full biography, statements from interfaith, community, and government partners he has worked with and recent press coverage of the Imam and his exemplary work.

Click here to learn what he has to say about extremism, Islamaphobia, his vision for ISNA and America, and what it means to be American.

ISNA Vice President-USA: Azhar Azeez

Born in 1971 in Hyderabad, India, Azhar Azeez earned an MBA from Newport University. He currently serves as the national head of community fund development for Islamic Relief USA. Mr. Azeez has chaired various ISNA committees, including the ISNA Youth Committee, and has served as a zonal representative and member of ISNA Executive Council for the Central Zone. He is the founder and President of the Islamic Association of Carrolton and also the founder and past President of the southwest chapter of CAIR. Mr. Azeez has served the Muslim Community Center for Human Services and is known for his motivational speaking among US-based nonprofit organizations. He is also the founder and moderator of the weekly Global Newsletter and has written articles for several newspapers and magazines.

ISNA Majlis Member: Asma Yaqub Mirza

Asma Yaqub Mirza is an American born Muslim, living in Virginia, who recently earned her MBA from the University of Maryland. At the age of 26, Asma is the youngest person ever elected to a leadership position with ISNA. Asma currently works as a strategy consultant and has a track record of successful leadership in her roles as founder of the MSA Legacy Fund and as a founding member of the 'Campaign Civil Rights" at Georgetown University, where she received her BSBA in Business Management. ASMA has actively supported the positive growth of ISNA as the 2007-2009 MSA President and a previous committee member on the ISNA Majlis Youth Committee, Annual Convention Program Committee, Secretary General Search Committee (2007-2010) and as an ISNA convention and conference speaker.

ISNA Majlis Member: Ihsan Bagby

Born in 1948 in Cleveland, Ohio, Ihsan Bagby is a well respected scholar and professor of Islamic Studies who currently serves as Professor of Islamic Studies at the University of Kentucky. Bagby received his PhD in Near Eastern Studies from the University of Michigan and has numerous publications and research projects related to mosques in America. He currently leads the 2010 Mosque Study, in collaboration with leading institutions of research, education, and religion. Bagby has served the Muslim community for decades as a committed ISNA member, previous ISNA Acting Secretary General, board member of CAIR National and Secretary General for MANA. Bagby currently resides as a professor in Lexington, Kentucky and serves on the ISNA Chaplain Endorsement Board and as a member of the Fiqh Council of North America.

ISNA Vice President-Canada: Dr. Mohamed Bekkari

Dr. Mohamed Bekkari was born in Morocco in 1947 and currently resides in Ottowa, Ontario as a registered child clinical and school psychologist for the Timiskaming Child and Family Services. Dr. Bekkari has dedicated his life to education and the positive growth of the North American Muslim community, serving for more than thirty years on various ISNA committees, MSA boards, and as the current President of ISNA Canada. Dr. Bekkari is involved not only at the national level but is also actively involved in the local communities of Ottowa and Edmonton in Canada.