Zohran Mamdani Makes History by Swearing NYC Mayor Oath on the Quran
Just after midnight on New Year’s Day, Zohran Mamdani stood beneath the arches of a long-closed subway station near City Hall and quietly made history.
With his hand resting on two Qurans, Mamdani took the oath of office and officially became New York City’s mayor.
There was no spectacle. No booming crowd. Just a small gathering of family, community leaders, and supporters watching as a 34-year-old democratic socialist stepped into one of the toughest jobs in American politics. For Mamdani, it was, as he later said, “the honour and privilege of a lifetime.”
But for the city and for many watching across the country, the moment carried much deeper meaning.
A Choice Rooted in Family and History
The Qurans Mamdani chose were not ceremonial props. One belonged to his grandfather, a deeply personal connection to his family and heritage. The other once belonged to Arturo Schomburg, the Black writer and historian whose work helped preserve African and African American history.
By placing his hand on those two books, Mamdani wasn’t making a political statement as much as he was telling a story about where he comes from and whose shoulders he stands on.
In the United States, no rule requires elected officials to swear an oath on any religious text at all. Still, many politicians choose the Bible. Mamdani’s decision to use the Quran wasn’t meant to challenge that tradition it was simply honest.
This is who he is.
Faith Without Performance
Mamdani has spoken before about being advised to downplay his Muslim faith while running for office. He refused.
During the ceremony, Imam Khalid Latif led a short prayer, but it wasn’t heavy with religious language. Instead, it focused on people renters struggling to stay in their homes, families choosing between groceries and medicine, and New Yorkers trying to get by in an increasingly expensive city.
“Never let him forget that this office exists to serve the people,” Latif said, reminding the new mayor that leadership is about humility, not power.
It was a moment that felt less like a religious ritual and more like a reminder of responsibility.
Pride for Some, Fear for Others
For many New Yorkers, especially Muslim New Yorkers, the ceremony was emotional. Seeing someone who openly shares their faith step into City Hall felt long overdue.
But the moment also drew backlash.
Almost immediately, online critics resurfaced old attacks. Some social media posts attempted to link Mamdani’s faith to extremism. Others falsely suggested his leadership would bring religious law into the city government.
Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik has repeatedly labelled Mamdani a “jihadist,” a claim widely condemned as baseless and inflammatory. Conservative activist Laura Loomer warned that New York would soon be governed by sharia law, another unfounded claim.
Republican Sen. Tommy Tuberville added to the controversy with a social media post declaring, “The enemy is inside the gates.” Civil rights groups quickly pushed back, warning that such language fuels fear rather than debate.
Choosing Visibility Over Silence
Mamdani has never claimed his faith should shape policy. Instead, he has said it shapes his values compassion, fairness, and a belief that government should work for people who don’t usually have power.
By swearing his oath on the Quran, Mamdani made it clear that he wasn’t interested in hiding parts of himself to make others comfortable.
In a city as diverse as New York, he seems to believe authenticity matters more than optics.
A Moment That Felt Like New York
New York City is home to people of every religion, culture, and background imaginable. Mamdani’s inauguration reflected that reality in a way few ceremonies ever have.
It wasn’t flashy. It wasn’t confrontational. It was simply honest.
Political analysts say the moment could become one of those quiet turning points, not because it changed policy, but because it expanded the idea of who gets to lead.
The Work Begins
Now the symbolism fades, and the work begins. Mamdani inherits a city facing rising rents, strained transit systems, and deep inequality. His ambitious and controversial agenda will be tested quickly.
But for one night, at least, the focus wasn’t on policy battles or political fights. It was on a young mayor, standing where history had never placed someone like him before, choosing to be exactly who he is and asking New York to meet him there.
