As President of the Muslim Students Association of USA and Canada (1980–83), he oversaw its transformation into the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA).
During his tenure AJISS switched from a twice a year to a quarterly publication, published simultaneously in Washington, D.C., Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Islamabad, Pakistan, and in Turkish from Istanbul, Turkey.
Syeed was awarded an honorary doctorate of letters by the Graduate Theological Foundation, Donaldson, Indiana on May 4, 2001, in recognition of his contribution to inter-religious understanding and harmony.
He received a Lifetime Achievement Award for distinguished service in furthering the Islamic tradition in North America and for promoting inter-religious understanding and harmony from the Cathedral Heritage Foundation, Louisville, Kentucky on November 18, 2001.
Syeed also led an interfaith delegation to Israel and Palestine and was part of the first group of Muslim leaders to visit the Holocaust sites in Auschwitz and Dachau.