New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has urged Americans to draw moral and civic inspiration from Islamic teaching.
Speaking at a recent public event, Mamdani referenced Islamic scripture and the example of the Prophet Muhammad while discussing immigration and social policy.
He described Islam as “a religion built upon a narrative of migration” and cited the Hijra — the Prophet Muhammad’s migration from Mecca to Medina — as a model for how societies should respond to newcomers.
“The story of the Hijra reminds us that Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, was a stranger too, who fled Mecca and was welcomed in Medina,” Mamdani said. He added that while the Islamic faith can provide a “moral compass,” government should supply material support and resources.
Mamdani’s comments have drawn criticism from those who view the United States as a culturally, historically, and legally Christian nation, arguing that its moral framework is rooted primarily in the Bible and the teachings of Jesus, and that public leaders should reflect that heritage when framing civic values and policy appeals.
Opponents argue that public officials should ground policy arguments in constitutional principles and shared civic ideals rather than religious doctrine outside the nation’s majority heritage.
Critics warn that invoking Islamic theology in support of policy risks deepening cultural and religious divides instead of fostering unity, noting that America’s identity and legal system developed within a predominantly Christian moral and philosophical framework and that importing other religious narratives into governance debates may further fragment an already fragmented society and alienate large segments of the population.
Mamdani was sworn in as Mayor of New York City on January 1, 2026, becoming the city’s first Muslim mayor. In a private ceremony at the decommissioned Old City Hall subway station, he placed his hand on two Qurans—one belonging to his grandfather, and a centuries-old edition on loan from the New York Public Library’s Schomburg Center.
He is the first New York City Mayor to be sworn in on a Quran.
