TheInstitute of Contemporary Islamic Thought (ICIT) is an Islamic research and activist center. ICIT describes itself as "international intellectual center of the global Islamic movement. It consists of individual activists, journalists and academics in all parts of the world who share a common commitment to developing the social and political ideas of the Islamic movement, and promoting them as an alternative worldview to that of Western civilization. Driven by the guidance provided in the Farewell Khutbah, much of the work of ICIT is to produce publications and provide programs that cultivate the Islamic personality, uphold economic justice, and protect social justice."
It was established in 1998 by the associates ofKalim Siddiqui (1931–1996), Director ofThe Muslim Institute inLondon. Members include directorZafar Bangash ofToronto,Ontario, Canada,Muhammad al-Asi and ImamAbdul Alim Musa ofWashington, D.C., andIqbal Siddiqui ofLondon, now the editor of theCrescent International magazine.
Crescent International a monthly newsmagazine associated with the ICIT, published inCanada.[1][2] It is the continuation of a localToronto Pakistanicommunity paper founded in the early 1970s,[2] converted to an international news magazine byKalim Siddiqui in 1980.
Siddiqui acted as editor from 1975 to 1998. AnArabic edition, calledAl-Hilal Al-Dawli, was published from 1986 to 1989.
Between 1998 and 2008,Crescent International was edited by Iqbal Siddiqui. It is now managed by an editorial board consisting of Zafar Bangash, Afeef Khan and Imam Muhammad al-Asi. Other major contributors include Imam Muhammad al-Asi ofWashington, D.C., whosetafsir is being serialised, M A Shaikh in London, andPerwez Shafi in Pakistan. Former editor Iqbal Siddiqui is now a columnist.
The publication has been subject of a controversy byB'nai Brith Canada asCrescent International has published many articles referring to homophobia,antisemitism anddenying Israel'sright to exist.[3]
The newspaper is also published online, under the name "Muslimedia", and with a daily news analysis undercrescent-online.net.[4]
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