Most politicians hit the campaign trail looking for votes at town halls, diners and neighborhood gatherings. Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed took his pitch somewhere else in March when he was running in the Democratic primary: the Islamic Center of Detroit, where worshippers had gathered for Ramadan prayers.
And he wasn’t just offering a few friendly greetings. He wanted ballot signatures, voter turnout and, ultimately, a seat in the United States Senate.
A Little Prayer, a Little Politics
On March 13, 2026, during the 25th night of Ramadan Taraweeh prayers, El-Sayed addressed a congregation of men after being introduced as “our beloved brother Dr. Abdulrahman.” His full name is Abdulrahman Mohamed El-Sayed.
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The speech blended religious references, Arabic phrases and campaign messaging. El-Sayed recalled visiting the mosque as a 12-year-old in 1996, praised its development and spoke about his family’s Egyptian heritage. He also criticized American spending on overseas military operations, arguing that taxpayer money should instead support health care, education and other domestic needs.
He accused the United States of spending money abroad to “subsidize genocide” and said Americans should question why their taxes fund bombs in countries including Iran, Yemen and Syria.
Then came the campaign pitch.
“I have to get on the ballot to be able to get your vote, inshaAllah,” El-Sayed told worshippers, using the Arabic expression meaning God willing.
“So my team is here in the back. You’ll see us on the outside,” he continued. He urged registered
Michigan voters to sign his nominating petitions, adding, “Please don’t leave here without doing that.”
From Religious Responsibility to Election Day
El-Sayed also urged congregants to register, organize their families and vote in the August 4 Democratic primary. He complained that only 18% of Arab and Muslim voters had participated during his unsuccessful 2018 gubernatorial campaign, calling for greater turnout. His stated goal was to elect the first Muslim American to the U.S. Senate.
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Throughout the speech, El-Sayed incorporated Islamic religious language, including references to Allah, Ramadan prayers and the responsibilities of Muslims.
The available recording shows a male congregation and doesn’t establish whether women were present elsewhere in the facility.
A Closing Prayer Against Zionists
The political appearance was not the only controversial part of the mosque’s March 13 livestream. Approximately 70 minutes after El-Sayed’s remarks, a closing prayer in Arabic called upon God to punish “the Zionists.”
According to a translation of the mosque’s video included in research compiled by the Middle East Forum, the prayer declared:
“They killed our brothers and sisters, so take the worst revenge upon them.” The prayer also asked that their plans be thwarted.
There is no evidence in the supplied material that El-Sayed participated in that prayer or was still present when it was delivered.
Other Mosques, Other Controversies
The March appearance was part of a broader series of mosque-related campaign activities which has been recently reported on by Just the New [3]s and Michigan News Source [4]. That includes an event at the Islamic House of Wisdom in Dearborn Heights, where Imam Mohammad Ali Elahi publicly declared in May that he intended to vote for El-Sayed and accused Israel of wanting to have “domination over Congress and White House.”
Additionally, in July, Sayed Saleh Qazwini, speaking at the Muslim Educational Community Center of America in Canton, claimed that AIPAC and Zionists controlled American politics before discussing El- Sayed’s Senate candidacy and encouraging turnout.
When Does a Mosque Become a Campaign Venue?
The Islamic Center of Detroit is a nonprofit religious organization. Under federal tax law, 501(c)(3) organizations, including churches and mosques, are prohibited from intervening in political campaigns on behalf of candidates. During his March appearance, El-Sayed’s March remarks went beyond a discussion of public policy. He directly solicited signatures, identified campaign workers and sought electoral support. The unanswered question is whether the mosque merely permitted his appearance or crossed the line into prohibited campaign participation.
So far, the El-Sayed campaign has not responded to requests for comment from the media regarding the videos or the concerns raised about his campaign activities at a mosque where anti-Israel and anti-American rhetoric has been openly expressed.