Abdul El-Sayed won Michigan’s Senate race against Republican Mike Rogers, making him the first Muslim senator in US history. The 42-year-old physician will take over the seat held by Democrat Gary Peters, who is leaving office after two terms, in January.
Speaking to supporters in Detroit shortly after 2 a.m. on Wednesday, El-Sayed reflected on the Arabic phrases he had used during the campaign. He said he had answered questions about the outcome with “Inshallah,” meaning “God willing,” and that the result allowed him to say “Alhamdulillah,” or “Thank God.”
El-Sayed’s full name is Abdulrahman Mohamed El-Sayed. During the campaign, President Donald Trump repeatedly referred to him as “Mohammed” and called him a “radical jihadist.” Texas Senator Ted Cruz also accused El-Sayed of wanting to introduce Islamic law and questioned whether he should have access to sensitive information. The report says there was no evidence for these allegations.
El-Sayed also rejected claims linking him to the Muslim Brotherhood and groups supportive of Hamas, which Rogers had raised during the campaign. He accused devout Christians of weakening the separation between church and state.
Sources: Handelsblatt.