Mission and Vision
CAIR’s vision is to be a leading advocate for justice and mutual understanding.
CAIR’s mission is to enhance understanding of Islam, protect civil rights, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
La misión de CAIR es proteger las libertades civiles, mejorar la comprensión del Islam, promover la justicia, y empoderar a los musulmanes en los Estados Unidos.
About CAIR
The Council on American-Islamic Relations Pennsylvania (CAIR PA) is a nonprofit, grassroots civil rights and advocacy group. CAIR is America’s largest Islamic civil liberties group, with regional offices nationwide and in Canada. The national headquarters is located on Capitol Hill in Washington D.C.
Since its establishment in 1994, CAIR has worked to promote a positive image of Islam and Muslims in America. Through media relations, lobbying, education and advocacy, CAIR puts forth an Islamic perspective to ensure the Muslim voice is represented. In offering this perspective, CAIR seeks to empower the American Muslim community and encourage their participation in political and social activism.
Core principles
- CAIR supports free enterprise, freedom of religion and freedom of expression.
- CAIR is committed to protecting the civil rights of all Americans, regardless of faith.
- CAIR supports domestic policies that promote civil rights, diversity and freedom of religion.
- CAIR opposes domestic policies that limit civil rights, permit racial, ethnic or religious profiling, infringe on due process, or that prevent Muslims and others from participating fully in American civic life.
- CAIR is a natural ally of groups, religious or secular, that advocate justice and human rights in America and around the world.
- CAIR supports foreign policies that help create free and equitable trade, encourage human rights and promote representative government based on socio-economic justice.
- CAIR believes the active practice of Islam strengthens the social and religious fabric of our nation.
- CAIR condemns all acts of violence against civilians by any individual, group or state.
- CAIR advocates dialogue between faith communities both in America and worldwide.
- CAIR supports equal and complementary rights and responsibilities for men and women.
CAIR-PA Pittsburgh Staff
- Christine Mohamed, Executive Director
- Volunteers
CAIR-PA Board of Directors
- Iftekhar Hussain, Chair
- Safdar Khwaja, Vice Chair
- Osama Al-Qasem, Treasurer
- Ishfaq Ahmad, Secretary
CAIR-PA Pittsburgh
Executive Committee
- Safdar Khwaja, President
- Ishfaq Ahmad, Treasurer
- Azmat Qayyum, MD, Secretary
- Noor Un Nahar, Member
- Ezz-Eldin Moukamal, MD, Member
- Burhan Mahmood, MD, Member
- Ali Abdullah, Member
No Board member or Executive Committee member is compensated for their volunteer time for CAIR-PA. All Board members and Executive Committee members are donors to CAIR-PA.Only staff members are compensated
