Zohran Mamdani sworn in as New York mayor with historic Quran

The incoming politician volition instrumentality his oath of bureau with 2 household editions of the Quran and a 19th period edition, symbolising New York City history.

Zohran Mamdani was connected Wednesday became the archetypal New York City politician to beryllium sworn successful utilizing a Quran.

The archetypal Muslim and South Asian politician of America’s biggest metropolis, Mamdani utilized his grandfather’s Quran and a 200-year-old transcript connected indebtedness from the New York Public Library (NYPL) for the backstage swearing-in lawsuit held astatine a disused subway presumption nether Times Square.

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He past plans to usage 2 copies of the Quran that belonged to his gramps and grandma for a daytime ceremonial astatine New York City Hall connected Friday.

The historical Quran, borrowed from the library, erstwhile belonged to Arturo Schomburg, a Black historiographer and writer who sold his postulation of 4,000 books to the NYPL successful 1926. His postulation became the Schomburg Center for Research successful Black Culture.

Schomburg was calved successful Puerto Rico successful the 1870s to parents of German and Afro-Caribbean descent. He aboriginal immigrated to New York and was a cardinal subordinate successful the Harlem Renaissance of the 1920s and 1930s – a play of aggravated taste and intelligence flourishing wrong New York’s Black community.

The room praised Mamdani’s determination to usage Schomburg’s Quran due to the fact that of its transportation to 1 of New York’s “most groundbreaking scholars and for its simple, functional qualities”.

This photograph provided by the New York Public Library shows the Schomburg Quran connected December 16, 2025, successful New York [Jonathan Blanc/The New York Public Library via AP Photo]

The tiny size of the Quran and its achromatic and reddish ink suggest it was designed for mundane use, the room said. The variation is neither signed nor dated, but its “minute naskh publication and its binding, featuring a gilt-stamped medallion filled with a floral composition, suggest it was produced successful Ottoman Syria successful the 19th century”, the room said.

“The value of this Quran extends acold beyond the quality of its pages,” said Hiba Abid, curator of Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies. “It is simply a Quran adjacent to the people, not lone due to the fact that of its elemental craftsmanship, but besides due to the fact that it is portion of the collections of the nation’s largest nationalist room system.”

Anthony W Marx, the library’s president and CEO, said the prime of Quran and its relation with Schomburg “symbolises a greater communicative of inclusion, representation, and civic-mindedness”.

Mamdani is 1 of lone a fistful of US politicians to beryllium sworn successful with the Quran. New York does not necessitate mayors to instrumentality the oath of bureau with their manus connected a spiritual text, but galore past mayors person utilized a transcript of the Bible.

Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg utilized a 100-year-old household Bible during 1 ceremony, portion Mayor Bill de Blasio utilized a Bible that erstwhile belonged to US President Franklin D Roosevelt. Mamdani’s predecessor, Mayor Eric Adams, besides utilized a household Bible for his oath.

This photograph provided by the New York Public Library shows the Schomburg Quran connected December 16, 2025, successful New York [Jonathan Blanc/The New York Public Library via AP Photo]

Mamdani’s religion and his inheritance arsenic a Ugandan-born American of South Asian descent were beforehand and centre during his campaign, which focused connected celebrating the diverseness of New York.

In viral societal media videos, Mamdani besides spoke candidly astir the interaction of the September 11 violent attacks connected New York and the consequent emergence successful Islamophobia successful the US. Other videos featured the experiences of mundane New Yorkers, including galore of its Muslim and migrant communities.

Mamdani has besides been a steadfast professional of Israel’s policies towards Palestinians and its genocidal warfare connected Gaza.

Critics similar New York Representative Elise Stefanik homed successful connected Mamdani’s inheritance and left-wing authorities arsenic a Democratic Socialist, calling the incoming politician a “jihadist Communist” and “terrorist” sympathiser.

Mamdani, however, pledged to ne'er fell from his inheritance during a run speech. “I volition not alteration who I am, however I eat, oregon the religion that I’m arrogant to telephone my own,” helium said during his campaign. “I volition nary longer look for myself successful the shadows. I volition find myself successful the light.”