Arabic

 










Following is selected media and perss coverage of Sheikh Reda Shata. Coverage by Arabic media and the Arab press can be found on the Arabic version of this page.

An appearance on Charlie Rose

Acclaimed interviewer and broadcast journalist Charlie Rose interviewed Sheikh Reda Shata and Pulitzer Prize winner Andrea Elliot on his daily show. The discussion was broadcast on 3 July 2007 on PBS. The dialogue focused on the life of Muslims in America, including the impression about Muslims that prevails in the U.S. and the impression that Muslims hold about the U.S. and its domestic and foreign policies, especially after 9/11. The discussion also covered the immigration of Muslims to the U.S. and the life of Sheikh Reda as a community leader.
To watch that interview, click here. You can also watch the whole episode in full screen mode.

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A series of news articles in the New York Times

The New York Times published an series of three expanded articles on Sheikh Reda Shata on the front page and centerfold of the issues dated March 5, 6 and 7, 2006.
The story was written by Andea Elliott, who had been following Sheikh Shata since late 2005. She presented the life and work of the Sheikh in the United States from her own perspective. According to Ms. Elliott, she chose Mr. Shata for a number of reasons including his being "on the frontlines of the struggle to balance the traditions of the Muslim world with the pressures of American Life".
Following are the three installments of the story, which is entitled: An Imam in America:
- Part 1: A Muslim Leader in Brooklyn, Reconciling 2 Worlds
- Part 2: To Leas the Faithful in a Faith Under Fire
- Part 3: Tending to Muslim Hearts and Islam's Future
The newspaper also prepared an interactive multimedia feature that accompanied the story.
Ash-Sharq Al-Awsat, one of the leading pan-Arab newspapers published excerpts of the NY Times story on March 6 and March 8, 2006.

After Sheikh Shata moved to New Jersey, the same journalist wrote a second story which was published on the front page of the NY Times issue dated January 28, 2007.
- The second article
- The interactive multimedia feature which accompanied the print story.

On 16 April 2007, Andrea Elliott was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Feature Writing for her coverage of Sheikh Shata, which the Pulitzer Prize jury described as an "intimate, richly textured portrait of an immigrant imam striving to find his way and serve his faithful in America". She has also won the Freedom Forum Writing on Diversity Prize. Watch her describe how she first got to know Sheikh Shata.

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AP story reveals Sheikh Shata was subject to NYPD spying

The Associated Press has revealed in an article published on 5 October 2011 that the New York Police Department's intelligence squad spied on NYC imams and mosques, including Sheikh Reda Shata when he was the imam of masjid Musab bin Omair in Brooklyn. In a reaction to those reports, Sheikh Shata issued a press statement, in which he expressed shock and dismay that he had been targeted in prejudiced way, reiterated his repeated condemnation of terrorism, incitement and intolerance, as well as condemned Islamophobia and called for an end to all forms of racial and religious profiling and intolerance against Muslims in the United States.

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Opinions and comments on the web

The New York Times story stirred widespread reaction. Following are some of the very diverse views about Sheikh Shata, as expressed on websites and blogs:
- A post entitled "Little Mosque in Suburbia" on Palestine Blogs
- A post entitled "NYT gets Islam in the suburbs" on GetReligion.org
- A post on Ann Althouse's blog
- An article entitled "Tarheel Jihad" on FrontPageMag
- A letter to the Editor (NY Times) by Rev. Daniel Meeter
- A letter to the Editor (NY Times) by Yehudit Barsky
- Nieman Reports (Nieman Foundation for Journalism at Harvard)

In addition, many Arabic newspapers and websites have commented about Sheikh Shata.

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A chapter in a book entitled "The United States and the World, Face to Face"

The book "United States and the World Face to Face: America's Best and Worst: Women, Men, People, Ideas, Events, News, Gossip" by Maximillien J De Lafayette included a chapter on Sheikh Reda Shata in the chapter entitled "Ideal Americans".
The author Maximillien de Lafayette is a liberal lawyer who has visited 46 countries, worked and lived in 10 and is fluent in 7 languages. He wrote numerous books on world culture, arts, entertainment, civilizations, democracy and 2 encyclopedias.
The book was published by iUniverse on 14 September 2006.

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A documentary on New York City

The New York City episode of the documentary program "MegaCitys", which is produced by the German network ZDF a coverage of some of the aspects of the Muslim community, in particluar the activities of Sheikh Shata.
To watch that part of the program (in German), click here.

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  • After returning from Hajj, Sheikh Shata will in sha'Allah lecture at the Islamic Center of Passaic County on Friday 25 November at 7 p.m. On Saturday 26 November at 6 p.m. there will be a special event at Masjid al-Aman to celebrate the birth of the Prophet (pbuh). Weekly Saturday lectures resume the following Saturday at 8:00 p.m.

  • Sheikh Shata will perform Hajj this year in sha' Allah. He is scheduled to leave on 22 October and return on 18 November 2011.

  • Sheikh Shata invites all those planning to perform pilgrimage this year to a preparatory seminar on ritual and health issues on Saturday 15 October 2011 at 8:00 p.m. The seminar will include an educational film on Hajj rituals, and dinner will be served.

  • The Associated Press has revealed in an article published on 5 October 2011 that the New York Police Department's intelligence squad spied on NYC imams and mosques, including Sheikh Reda Shata when he was the imam of masjid Musab bin Omair in Brooklyn. In a reaction to those reports, Sheikh Shata issued a press statement, in which he expressed shock and dismay that he had been targeted in prejudiced way, reiterated his repeated condemnation of terrorism, incitement and intolerance, as well as condemned Islamophobia and called for an end to all forms of racial and religious profiling and intolerance against Muslims in the United States.

  • The evening lecture by Sheikh Shata on Saturday 2 April 2011 will be at the Islamic Enlightenment Center in Plainfield, NJ. The lecture will be at 8 p.m. and will be entitled "Realization of faith".

    Within the framework of his support of the popular Egyptian Revolution, Sheikh Shata participates in a fundraiser organized by the Egyptian American Medical Foundation, the Arab American Medical Association and the Alliance of Egyptian Americans to support the injured during the Revolution, to be held on Sunday 13 March 2011 from 4:00 to 10:00 p.m. at the Marriott Hotel at Glenpointe in Teaneck, NJ.

  • Sheikh Shata participates in an event organized by the women of the Muslim community in New York in celebration of the success of the popular revolutions in Tunisia and Egypt, to be held on Wednesday 16 March 2011 from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at Widdi Hall in Brooklyn. There, he will deliver a lecture from 1:00-2:00 p.m.

  • Since Sheikh Shata will participate in the protest to be organized in support of the Libyan people's uprising against the oppressive ruling regime, in Times Square in New York City, the evening lecture will be canceled. It is worth mentioning that the protest will start at 2:00 p.m. and that buses will depart from Al-Aman Mosque at 1:00 p.m. to transport the brothers and sisters who wish to participate.

  • All brothers and sisters are invited to Masjid Al-Aman to celebrate the Birth of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) on Friday 18 February 2011 after the Ishaa prayers (which has been postponed from Friday 11 February).

  • Sheikh Shata will be at the Islamic Center of Passaic County in Paterson for the evening lecture on Saturday 12 February 2011 in sha' Allah.

  • Due to the inclement weather conditions, Sheikh Shata regrets the cancellation of the evening lecture on Saturday 29 January 2011. Saturday lectures will resume next week in sha' Allah.

  • In response to the New Year Eve terrorist bombing of the Saints Church in Alexandria, Egypt, Sheikh Shata addresses a message to the musilms and christians of the world in his Friday sermon on 7 January 2011.

  • By the grace of Allah (swt), and after returning from Hajj, Sheikh Reda Shata starts a new series of important lectures entitled "Fiqh of Behaviour and Conduct for the Sake of the King of Kings", after ishaa prayers at 8 p.m. every Saturday. The series will be initiated on Saturday 11 December 2010. Dear brothers and sisters, do not miss this course or calling people to attend it.

  • Sheikh Shata congratulates his dear brother Mr. Ahmad Azizi on his first newborn daughter, Hidayah asking Allah (swt) to make her a blessing for her mother and father.

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