Abdul El-Sayed Faces Criticism Over Participation in ISNA Convention
Abdul El-Sayed, a Democratic Michigan Senate candidate, has come under scrutiny for his participation at an Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) event in Detroit. The controversy arose after ISNA removed Pakistani cleric Mufti Tariq Masood from its speaking lineup due to his past remarks about Hitler, Jews, and jihad.
Masood had initially been scheduled to speak at ISNA’s annual convention alongside El-Sayed. The removal came after backlash from comments Masood made, including those appearing to praise Hitler’s persecution of the Jews and defend child marriage. Dr. Andrew Bostom reviewed Masood’s sermon, revealing that the cleric had suggested the Quran foreshadowed Hitler’s actions 1,400 years ago.
“Masood is a racist, Jew-hate-mongering, anti-American, anti-British, conspiracy-promoting, murder- and terror-inciter,” wrote Morton Klein, ZOA National President, in a letter requesting the review or denial of any visa to Masood.
The Zionist Organization of America (ZOA) has asked Secretary of State Marco Rubio to review or deny any visa issued to Masood. There is uncertainty regarding whether Masood has entered the U.S. or planned to attend despite being removed from the speaker list.
El-Sayed’s participation at the ISNA conference involved a panel discussion with Cenk Uygur, founder of the Young Turks, and Zaid Shakir, a cleric with controversial views. The panel was titled “Cultivating God Awareness in a Turmoiled America.” The session aimed to provide actionable guidance, equipping participants to thrive in various aspects of life.
Both Uygur and Shakir have made headlines for their controversial opinions. Uygur expressed doubts about the official 9/11 story on social media, while Shakir has identified as “extremely anti-American” and has promoted “extrasystemic political action.” Their involvement was highlighted as the conference took place near the 25th anniversary of 9/11.
El-Sayed himself faced criticism over past remarks regarding 9/11. In a tweet from 2021, he mourned the lives lost in the attacks while simultaneously criticizing America. “Today, I mourn the 3K lives, 6K injuries, & infrastructural devastation in NYC… Tomorrow, I’ll mourn ~1M lives, millions of injuries, & infrastructural devastation in 3 countries…”
he wrote.
Despite these controversies, while speaking at the conference, El-Sayed reportedly focused on issues of anti-Muslim hate. He highlighted challenges faced by Muslim Americans regarding their identity and belonging in the country.
El-Sayed previously faced backlash for campaigning alongside the controversial Twitch streamer Hasan Piker. Piker, known for statements such as “America deserved 9/11,” has since apologized.
Fox News Digital attempted to reach out to El-Sayed and ISNA for comments on the matter.