Aly R. Abuzaakouk, Executive Director of the American Muslim Council (AMC), has served as an active member of the organization since its inception in 1990. He was the Program Manager of the, “Muslim American Political Awareness” conference in 1989, which lead to the foundation of AMC. He was subsequently elected to the Advisory Board of AMC in 1997 into the office of Secretary. He is also currently the Vice-President of the Minaret of Freedom Institute.
Mr. Abuzaakouk has over 25 years of experience in university teaching, publishing, journalism, public relations, writing and lecturing.
He has served as Publications Manager for Amana Publications, Director of Publications for the International Institute of Islamic Thought and as the Founder and President of New Era Publications. He also served as the Director of the International Muslim House in Ann Arbor Michigan. He has extensive experience as a faculty member and lecturer for the University of Benghazi in Libya. He has also served as an Arabic Language Instructor for Stanford University.
He is an active member and affiliate of a number of organizations such as the Middle East Studies Association (MESA), the Association of Muslim Social Scientists (AMSS), the Arab American Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC).
Among his Academic accomplishments Mr. Abuzaakouk holds two Master’s Degrees: one in Mass Communications from Stanford University, achieved in 1971; and the second in Middle Eastern Studies from the University of Michigan, achieved in 1981. He also holds a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from Cairo University in 1968 as well as two PH.D Program studies: one in Communication from the University of Iowa; the second in Middle Eastern Studies with an emphasis on Islamic Studies from the University of Michigan.
Mr. Abuzaakouk is fluent in Arabic and English with a working knowledge of German and French. He is a U.S. citizen, residing in the U.S. since 1969 and he has traveled extensively in the Middle East, Africa, the Mediterranean, Europe, Canada, and more than 40 U.S. states.
Mr. Abuzaakouk has participated in many talk show interviews in Radio and Television programs in Arabic and English. He has written and published many papers, and lectures, such as the translation of the last three chapters of the Meaning of the Qur’an in English and he occasionally writes for the Press about issues concerning Islam and Muslims in the West. One of the major lectures he has given is:“Tolerance and Forgiveness in Religion: The Islamic Perspective,” which he presented at the Foreign Service Training Institute of the U.S. State Department in 1998. Another major lecture was entitled: “Muslim Americans and the Mass Media of Communication,” which was delivered at George Washington University in 1989. In 1999 he delivered a lecture entitled: “The Islamic Principles of Participation in the American Political Process,” at the Association of Muslim Social Scientists Conference.
Mr. Abuzaakouk has also been interviewed by: ABC, CNN, BBC World Service and Odyssey.
Organizing American Muslims to become a powerful political force in mainstream American life through activities such as lobbing the U.S. Congress and the Administration on issues of concern to Muslim-Americans is among the primary goals of AMC. AMC is opposed to discrimination against Muslims and other minorities. It also serves as a resource for inter-organizational and cross-cultural cooperation.
AMC is a non-profit, socio-political organization serving the interests of the Muslim community in the United States. Supported by a grass-roots membership, AMC has been striving specifically for the political empowerment of the Muslim Community in the United States.
