A Pakistani-American scholar specializing in the interface between religion and the transnational politics of the Muslim world, he has an M.A. in Comparative and Regional Studies from the School of International Service at American University, as well as an M.A. in World Politics and a Ph.D. in International Relations from the Catholic University of America. He has lectured in several forums around the world and served as Managing Editor for The American Journal of Islamic Social Sciences from 2000-2002.