New York Mayor Zahran Mamdani takes oath of office on the Holy Quran

The first Muslim mayor of New York City, Zahran Mamdani, took the oath of office on the Holy Quran. At a ceremony held in New York, Zahran Mamdani took the oath by placing his hand on the Holy Quran. Zahran Mamdani is the 111th and first Muslim mayor of New York. New York City Attorney General Letitia James has sworn in Zahran Mamdani as mayor of New York City at a former airport that sits beneath the airport. Zahran Mamdani’s wife was also present on the occasion. A unique and symbolic moment occurred on January 1 in the history of New York City politics when Zahran Mamdani was sworn in as mayor. He became the first mayor of New York to use the Holy Quran as a religious text during his swearing-in ceremony. 

Zahran Mamdani has become one of the few elected officials in the United States to take the oath of office over the Quran. New York State Attorney General Letitia James administered the plea to Zahran Mamdani. Her husband Zahran Mamdani was also in attendance. At the ceremony, Zahran Mamdani administered the oath on his grandfather’s book, as well as a memoir owned by the renowned historian and author Arturo Schomberg and dedicated to the public library in New York. Interestingly, the chosen Quran was included in Arturo Schomberg’s own book, even though he was not a Muslim himself. Schomberg is considered a leading pioneer in black history, folklore, and research, and his Quran is seen as a symbol of New York’s unique and iconic culture. Hiba Abid, curator of world and Islamic studies at the New York Public Library, said she helped select the Quran for the ceremony, along with senior philanthropist Zara Rahim and Mamdani’s husband Rama Dowaji. According to him, this moment combines faith, identity, and New York history. Schomberg's Quran was presented to the public for the first time in a special exhibition. Under US law, candidates are not required to use a religious book when taking the oath. However, historically, most mayors have taken an oath on the Bible.

Zahran Mamdani said it was especially important to her to use a Quran associated with her family, as well as a copy that belonged to a prominent figure in New York history. Zara Rahim said the decision was an attempt to address the long-standing problem of underrepresentation of Muslims in public life in the city. Zara Rahim said this moment will mark a new turning point in New York’s social history and that she is with all those who played a role in shaping the city but never saw themselves reflected in her leadership. Zara Rahim has said there will be at least three different Qurans used during the swearing-in ceremonies, including family heirlooms and copies associated with New York’s historical figures. In the past, New York mayors have also used objects of cultural or historical significance during their swearing-in ceremonies. In 2021, Eric Adams took the oath with his mother’s Bible and photo, while Bill de Blasio used the Bible of former US President Franklin D. This trend was introduced in the 2007 Senate by the Minnesota Senate, after which Congresswoman Ilhan Omar also took the oath on the Quran. In New York in 2022, City Council member Shahana Hanif also took the oath on a copy of her family’s Quran. After he becomes mayor, he will move from a rent-controlled building in Astoria to the Gracie Building, but business owners are now considering how to work with him.