Zohran Mamdani sworn in as first Muslim mayor of New York City Submitted by Maysa Mustafa on Thu, 01/01/2026 - 11:30 The 34-year-old, who is also New York's first mayor of South Asian descent, was also sworn in copies of the Quran Zohran Mamdani is sworn in as the mayor of New York City, flanked by his wife Rama Duwaji (R) and New York Attorney General Letitia James (L), at Old City Hall Station, New York, on 1 January 2026 (Amir Hamja/Reuters) Off Zohran Mamdani was sworn in as the first Muslim mayor of New York City on Thursday during a private ceremony where he took his oath using his grandfather's Quran and a 200-year-old copy of the Quran on loan from the New York Public Library. Mamdani's wife, the artist Rama Duwaji, could be seen holding out the copies of the Quran over which Mamdani took his oath of office. Also in attendance at the midnight ceremony was Eric Adams, his predecessor, who served a single term as mayor and was known for his frequent visits and defence of Israel . "This is truly the honour and the privilege of a lifetime," Mamdani told reporters at the low-key event which was held at a disused subway station under Times Square. "I cannot wait to see everyone tomorrow as we begin our term," he said. "After just having taken my oath to become the mayor of the city of New York, I do so also here in the old City Hall subway station - a testament to the importance of public transit to the vitality, the health, the legacy of our city," he added. Mamdani will be sworn in later again on Thursday, in grander style, at a public ceremony at City Hall at 1pm (18:00 GMT) by US Senator Bernie Sanders. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Middle East Eye (@middleeasteye) The 34-year-old, who is also New York's first mayor of South Asian descent and the first to be born in Africa, is among only a handful of US politicians to be sworn in with the Quran. From hope and hunger strikes to City Hall: The rise of Zohran Mamdani Read More » New York City does not require mayors to take the oath of office with their hand on a religious text, but many past mayors have used a copy of the Bible. Mamdani's decision to be sworn in on the Islamic religious text, however, drew renewed criticism from some conservatives. US Senator Tommy Tuberville of Alabama wrote that "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 previously designated Tuberville as an anti-Muslim extremist based on earlier statements. The Dutch politician Geert Wilders also weighed in on social media with a post that read: "Invalid oath. No Quran. USA is not Islamic. Yet. Wake up America". Faith and ethnicity were front and centre Mamdani’s faith and his ethnic background were front and centre during his campaign, where he focused on celebrating the diversity of New York. In several social media videos, Mamdani spoke about the effects of the 9/11 attacks on New York and the subsequent rise in Islamophobia. Other videos featured the experiences of everyday New Yorkers, including many of its Muslim and immigrant communities. During the campaign trail, he ran an avowedly left-wing campaign, mobilising thousands of volunteers where he promised rent control and free bus travel - a platform funded by a proposed increase in taxes on the wealthiest residents of New York City. More than 100 groups urge Mamdani to drop controversial police commissioner Jessica Tisch Read More » He was also unapologetically pro- Palestinian in a city that was convulsed by protests against Israel's war on Gaza . At one point he said that he would arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu - per the International Criminal Court arrest warrant - if he visited New York. He later walked back that claim. During the mayoral race, US President Donald Trump, who backed both Adams and disgraced former Governor Andrew Cuomo, threatened to withhold federal funding from the city if Mamdani won. Later, the US president surprised his supporters when he invited him for a cordial meeting to the White House. "I'll be cheering for him," Trump said after the meeting, with the US president even coming to Mamdani's rescue when he was questioned by two addressed reporters. When a journalist asked Mamdani if he continued to view Trump as a fascist, the president stepped in. "That's ok. You can just say it. That's easier," Trump told Mamdani. "It's easier than explaining it. I don't mind". Following the meeting, Mamdani said he still believed Trump is a fascist. "That's something that I've said in the past; I say it today," Mamdani said. US Politics New York City News Post Date Override 1 Update Date Mon, 05/04/2020 - 21:19 Update Date Override 0