Zohran Mamdani will be first New York City mayor to be sworn in on Quran

Incoming Mayor Zohran Mamdani will take his oath of office on the Quran, marking the first time a mayor of New York City has used Islam's holy book to be sworn in. (Photo/AP)

Incoming Mayor Zohran Mamdani will take his oath of office on the Quran, marking the first time a mayor of New York City has used Islam's holy book to be sworn in and underscoring a series of historic firsts for the city.

When the 34-year-old Democrat becomes mayor shortly after midnight in a long-closed subway station beneath City Hall, he'll be the first Muslim, first South Asian and first African-born person to hold that position.

These milestones — as well as the historical Qurans he will use for the ceremony — reflect the longstanding and vibrant Muslim population in the nation's most populous city, according to a scholar who helped Mamdani's wife, Rama Duwaji, select one of the books.

Most of Mamdani's predecessors were sworn in on a Bible, although the oath to uphold the federal, state and city constitutions does not require the use of any religious text.

And while he has focused heavily on the issue of affordability during his campaign, Mamdani was outspoken about his Muslim faith. He frequently appeared at mosques across the five boroughs as he built a base of support that included many first-time South Asian and Muslim voters.

A look at the Quran, Mamdani will place his hand on two Qurans during the subway ceremony, and a third during a subsequent ceremony at City Hall on the first day of the year. Two belonged to his grandfather and grandmother. The third is a pocket-sized manuscript dating to the late 18th or early 19th century that is part of the New York Public Library’s Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture collection.

A photo of the Schomburg Quran that Mamdani will use.

The manuscript was acquired by Arturo Schomburg, a Black Puerto Rican historian whose collection documented the global contributions of people of African descent. While it is unclear how Schomburg came into possession of the Quran, scholars believe it reflected his interest in the historical relationship between Islam and Black cultures in the United States and across Africa.

Modest design

Unlike ornate religious manuscripts associated with royalty or elites, the copy of the Quran that Mamdani will use is modest in design. It has a deep red binding with a simple floral medallion and is written in black and red ink.

The script is plain and readable, suggesting it was created for everyday use rather than ceremonial display.

Because the manuscript is undated and unsigned, scholars relied on its binding and script to estimate when it was produced, placing it sometime in the late 18th or early 19th century during the Ottoman period in a region that includes what is now Syria, Lebanon, Palestine and Jordan.

The meteoric rise of a Muslim democratic socialist also brought a surge of Islamophobic rhetoric, amplified by national attention on the race.

In an emotional speech days before the election, Mamdani said the hostility had only strengthened his resolve to be visible about his faith.

"I will not change who I am, how I eat, or the faith that I'm proud to call my own," he said. "I will no longer look for myself in the shadows. I will find myself in the light."

Conservative backlash

The decision to use a Quran has drawn fresh criticism from some conservatives. US Senator Tommy Tuberville of Alabama wrote on social media, "The enemy is inside the gates," in response to a news article about Mamdani's inauguration.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations, a civil-rights group, has designated Tuberville as an anti-Muslim extremist based on past statements.

Such backlash is not new. In 2006, Keith Ellison, the first Muslim elected to Congress, faced condemnation from conservatives after he chose to use a Quran for his ceremonial oath.

While the use of the Bible to take an oath is a common tradition that makes it seem like a rule, there is no law that requires officials to use a specific religious text for taking an oath.

Former US president Theodore Roosevelt didn't swear on the Bible when taking the oath. Even current President Donald Trump himself didn't place his hand on the Bible during his inauguration.

Following Mamdani's inauguration, the Quran will go on public display at the New York Public Library.

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Source: TRT