1. Imam Shamsi Ali is a prominent Indonesian Muslim Scholar known for promoting interfaith dialogues among Abrahamic Religions in United States and the Chairman of the Al-Hikmah Mosque and the Director of Jamaica Muslim Center in Jamaica, Queens, New York City.
Shamsi Ali's parents were a couple with farming background, Ali Kadrun and Inong Tippangrom.
Shamsi Ali's parents were not religious, but they wanted him to learn how to read the Koran, so they sent him to Daarul Arqam Islamic boarding school.
Shamsi Ali was one time detained for hitting a student named Mustafa, breaking his nose and sending him to the hospital.
Shamsi Ali's name was changed from Utteng to Shamsi when he and his father met with the Daarul Arqam school headmaster, Abdul Jabbar Asyiri.
Shamsi Ali received a scholarship offer from Rabithah Alam Islami to study at the International Islamic University, Islamabad, Pakistan.
Shamsi Ali completed his undergraduate in Tafseer in 1992 and continued his master at the same university in the field of Comparative Religion in 1994.
In 1996 Hajj season, Shamsi Ali got a mandate to speak at the Consulate General of Indonesia in Jeddah.
Shamsi Ali accepted the offer and moved to New York in early 1997.
Besides Indonesian as his Native Language and Buginese language as his mother-tongue, Shamsi Ali is fluent in Arabic, English, and Urdu.
Shamsi Ali saved money to fund his hajj and wedding.
Shamsi Ali is the chairman of the board of trustees for the ASEAN Muslim Federation of North America.
Shamsi Ali serves as the vice president of the Asian-American Coalition USA and its UN representative and as an advisory board member to numerous interfaith organizations, including the Tanenbaum Center and Federation for Middle East Peace.
In interfaith organizations, Imam Shamsi Ali serves as a board member for the Partnership of Faith in NY, and co-founder of the UNCC.
In 2002, Shamsi Ali was appointed "Ambassador for Peace" by the International Religious Federation, and a recipient of ICLI Interfaith Award in 2008.
Shamsi Ali was chosen as one of the seven most influential religious leaders in New York City by New York Magazine in 2006.
Shamsi Ali represented the Muslim community at an interfaith discussion on Religions and Sustainable Development in the White House 2007, and took part in the Transatlantic Interfaith Dialogue in Frankfurt, Germany 2008.
Shamsi Ali is the president of Nusantara Foundation, a community based operating and non-profit organization in New York that is established, publicly supported, operated by, and for the benefit of Indonesian culture.
Shamsi Ali was accused by some people of Islamic Cultural Center of New York of misconduct during his time as the Imam.
Shamsi Ali left his position at ICC of New York in 2011.
Shamsi Ali continues his position as the director of the Jamaica Muslim Center in Jamaica, Queens since 2004 and as the chairman of Al-Hikmah mosque since 1996.
In September 2015 Shamsi Ali sharply criticized Chairman of the DPR of Indonesia, Setya Novanto and its Deputy Speaker Fadli Zon for attending Donald Trump's press conference.
Shamsi Ali said the meeting had humiliated Indonesian state leaders and was full of political interests.
Shamsi Ali said it was obvious that the press conference was part of a campaign event.
Shamsi Ali further said the presence of Setya and Fadli, who stood behind Trump as the US business tycoon delivered a speech, was deplorable.
Shamsi Ali has written many articles, given speeches and initiated dialogues with various religious leaders about the importance of dialogues among Muslims, Christians, Jews and other religious groups toward peace.
Shamsi Ali has made countless appearances on TV to condemn terrorism, radicalism, anti-Semitism and to promote peaceful Islam.
Shamsi Ali has authored four books: Dai muda di New York City, The True Love in America; 29 Kisah Mualaf Amerika, Menebar Damai di Bumi Barat.
Imam Shamsi Ali was appointed "Ambassador for Peace" by the International Religious Federation in 2002, and a recipient of the 2008 ICLI Interfaith Award.
Shamsi Ali is one of 100 recipients of the 2009 Ellis Island Medal of Honor Award.
On September 18,2010, Shamsi Ali was granted Hall of Fame Award by AACUSA Inc The award honored Shamsi Ali as one of the seven outstanding individuals within their respective Asian communities.
Shamsi Ali was chosen as one of The 500 Most Influential Muslims in the world in 2009,2010, and 2011 by the Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Center in Jordan and Georgetown University.