Center for the Study of Islam and Democracy

The Center for the Study of Islam and Democracy (CSID) is "a non-profit organization, based in Washington DC, dedicated to studying Islamic and democratic political thought and merging them into a modern Islamic democratic discourse," its website states.

"The organization was founded in March 1999 by a diverse group of academicians, professionals, and activists--both Muslim and non-Muslim--from around the USA who agree on the need for the study of and dissemination of reliable information on this complex topic." 

CSID program officer Aly Abuzakuk was a founding member of the National Front for the Salvation of Libya, a group dedicated to assassinating Muammar Gaddafi and overthrowing his regime. 

Lobbying for Bombing
On March 21, 2011, Enver Masud reported:


 * "On March 16, 2011, I received a letter from Radwan A. Masmoudi, President, Center for the Study of Islam & Democracy (CSID), asking me to sign a letter urging President Obama:


 * . . . that with the recent unanimous vote of the League of Arab States, numerous calls for such action from states within the region, as well as wider calls from traditional American allies such as France and Britain for such action, legitimate sanction for the speedy imposition of a no-fly zone now exists and we call upon you now to assume a leading role in halting the horrific violence being perpetrated by Colonel Gaddafi's forces


 * . . . to create a coalition that will impose as quickly as possible a no-fly zone for all Libyan military aircraft over the full extent of northern Libyan airspace.


 * "The letter was signed by hundreds of "scholars" first among whom were Larry Diamond, Director, Center on Democracy, Development, and the Rule of Law, Stanford University; John L. Esposito, Director, Al-Waleed Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding, Georgetown University; Akbar Ahmed, Ibn Khaldun Chair of Islamic Studies, American University; Francis Fukuyama, Institute for International Studies, Stanford University; Michele Dunne, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.


 * "I did not sign it, and informed Masmoudi that I oppose the no-fly zone."

Staff
The CSID Executive Committee meets regularly to oversee CSID's operations and is made up of the individuals from the CSID Board of Directors (though non-Board members can and have served on the EC on a case by case basis). CSID's day-to-day operations are run by the following individuals:


 * Radwan Masmoudi, President
 * Aly Abuzakuk, Program Officer for the Middle East and North Africa
 * Sami Bawasla, Program Assistant
 * Zahir Janmohamed, Administrative Associate

Ex-staff

 * Dr. Abdulwahab Alkebsi went from his position as Executive Director of the Center for the Study of Islam and Democracy to become the Program Director for the Middle East and North Africa at the National Endowment for Democracy.

Board
Accessed April 2010:


 * Asma Afsaruddin, Chair
 * Antony Sullivan, Vice Chair
 * Radwan Masmoudi - President
 * Robert Schadler - Secretary
 * Akbar Ahmed
 * Saad Eddin Ibrahim
 * Peter Mandaville
 * Ali Nawaz Memon
 * Abdallah Schleifer
 * Tamara Sonn
 * Radwan Ziadeh

Executive Committee
Accessed April 2010:


 * Asma Afsaruddin - Chair
 * Tony Sullivan - Vice-Chair
 * Radwan Masmoudi - President
 * Robert Schadler - Secretary,
 * Aly R. Abuzakuk - Treasurer, alyabuzakuk@gmail.com

Board of Directors (2006)

 * Antony Sullivan, Acting Chair (1999 - )
 * Radwan Masmoudi, President (1999 - )
 * Akbar S. Ahmed (2003 - )
 * Asma Afsaruddin (2003 - )
 * Asma Barlas (2003 - )
 * Yahya Basha (2005 - )
 * Irvin Borowsky (2005 - )
 * Najib Ghadbian (2005-)
 * Joseph Montville (4/2003 - )
 * Abdulaziz Sachedina (2001 - )
 * Louay Safi (1999 - )
 * Robert Schadler (2003 - )

Past Directors
See CSID Board of Directors.
 * Sana Abed-Kotob (1999 - 2000)
 * Taha Jaber Al-Alwani (1999 - 52003)
 * Abdulwahab Alkebsi (2000 - 2003)
 * Nimat Hafez Barazangi (2001 - 2004)
 * Jamal Barazanji (1999 - 2003)
 * Charles Butterworth (3/1999 - )
 * Louis J. Cantori (1999 - 2004)
 * John Entelis (1999 - 2001)
 * John L. Esposito (1999 - 2004)
 * M. A. Muqtedar Khan (1999 - 2003)
 * Laila al-Marayati (1999 - 2001)
 * Ali A. Mazrui (1999 - 2004 )
 * Ali Memon (1999 - 2001)
 * Fathi Osman (1999 - 2001)
 * Hesham Reda (1999 - 2000)
 * Tamara Sonn (1999 - 2003)
 * Svend White (12/2001 - 2004 )

Executive Committee
See CSID Executive Committee.

Contact
1625 Massachusetts Avenue, NW Suite 601 Washington, DC 20036 Phone: 202 265-1200 Fax: 202 265-1222 Email: feedback AT islam-democracy.org Website: http://www.csidonline.org/