About US

M. Zuhdi Jasser, Chairman, Board of Directors



M. Zuhdi Jasser, M.D. is the President and Founder of the American Islamic Forum for Democracy (AIFD). A devout Muslim, Dr. Jasser founded AIFD in the wake of the 9/11 attacks on the United States as an effort to provide an American Muslim voice advocating for the preservation of the founding principles of the United States Consitution, liberty and freedom, and the separation of mosque and state. He is leading the fight to shake the hold that the Muslim Brotherhood and their Network of American Islamist organizations and mosques have on organizxed Islam in America.

A former Lieutenant Commander in the United States Navy, Dr. Jasser served 11 years as a medical officer. His tours of duty included Medical Department Head aboard the U.S.S. El Paso which deployed to Somalia during Operation Restore Hope; Chief Resident at Bethesda Naval Hospital; and Staff Internist for the Office of the Attending Physician to the United States Congress. He is a recipient of the Meritorious Service Medal.

Dr. Jasser is a nationally recognized expert in the contest of ideas against Political Islam and American Islamist organizations. He has spoken at hundreds of national and international events including college and universities, places of worship, government venues, and many other public functions. On October 1, 2009, Dr. Jasser briefed members of Congress on the threat of Political Islam. He regularly briefs members of the House and Senate congressional anti-terror caucuses. In 2007 and 2008, Dr. Jasser lectured on Islam to deploying officers at the Joint Forces Staff College. In 2007, Dr. Jasser was part of a select group that briefed Admiral Mike Mullen on the "Contest of Ideas with the Muslim World." Dr. Jasser was presented with the 2007 Director's Community Leadership Award by the Phoenix office of the FBI and was recognized as a "Defender of the Home Front" at the annual Keeper of the Flame Dinner of the Center for Security Policy.

Dr. Jasser is a contributing writer to the newly released book The Other Muslims: Moderate and Secular (Palgrave Macmillan), edited by Hudson Institute Senior Fellow and Director of the Center for Eurasian Studies Zeyno Baran. Dr. Jasser was also recently featured in The Third Jihad, produced by PublicScope Films. Dr. Jasser narrrates this documentary about the threat of radical Islamism to the West. Dr. Jasser is also featured in the controversial PBS film, Islam v Islamists produced by ABG Films, Inc. in 2007. This film was initially banned from distribution on PBS stations as originally intended in theCrossroads program, but was then aired in a limited distribution to some affiliates.

Dr. Jasser is a respected physician currently in private practice in Phoenix, Arizona specializing in internal medicine and nuclear cardiology. He is the recent Past-President of the Arizona Medical Association.

Sid Shahid, Director of Research and Publications

Sid Shahid is Director of Research and Publications. Sid joined AIFD in 2005 because he believes in the core values of pluralism, separation of religion and state, and the spiritual practice of Islam. He became an AIFD Fellow in 2007.

He is a modern Muslim who believes in the greatness of America. He directly assists AIFD founder Dr. Jasser with the intellectual product of the organization, including research and the formulation of AIFD positions. Sid also contributes to the organization as a writer and columnist.

Sid has a distinguished twenty-year career in Federal service that has included positions in the U.S. Department of Defense and the U.S. Department of Education in the field of investigations and compliance. His highest award is the Secretary of Defense Meritorious Civilian Service Award.

Sid is an active member of the Scottsdale Muslim community. He holds a Bachelors degree in Political Science and History from the University of Denver and a Masters degree in Management from Webster University. Sid is a native of Colorado and has lived in the Phoenix Valley since 2003. He can be reached at (email: sid@aifdemocracy.org).