Mamdani "wants Sharia law."

Rating

As a practicing Shia Muslim, Mamdani has been targeted for his religious beliefs both during the campaign and following his primary victory. Earlier this month, he called out an image allegedly circulated by supporters of rival Andrew Cuomo in which his appearance had been altered to give him a darker and fuller beard (see image below). "This is blatant Islamophobia," he said. Meanwhile, one social media post that accrued over 50,000 views claimed Mamdani wants to turn New York into a "Muslim paradise where jihadists are in charge" and that he "wants Sharia law to be the governing principle." Now, while various Mamdani campaign ads have referenced aspects of Muslim culture and addressed the lack of representation of Muslims in NYC and the US, DW has not found any evidence that he has ever advocated for a theocracy according to Islamic law. On the contrary: In remarks given at the Parkchester Islamic Center in the Bronx, a NYC neighborhood, he said: "I know what our community wants is what every community wants and deserves: safety, equality and respect." He added: "One of the clearest ways you win is at the ballot box." His political campaign has focused primarily on affordability and inclusivity. For instance, Mamdani has promised to fund gender-affirming care for transgender individuals, make NYC a LGBTQIA+ sanctuary city and create an office of LGBTQIA+ affairs. Because there is no central Islamic authority, positions on same-sex relations and transgender identities can vary, but many countries that rely on sharia principles persecute, criminalize or socially ostracize non-heteronormative gender relations or identities. In 2024, Mamdani was an outspoken supporter of "Proposition 1" (formerly known as the New York Equal Rights Amendment), which prevented state lawmakers from enacting policies that discriminated based on sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, pregnancy outcomes and reproductive health care. "There is one issue that we as lawmakers should have no power over: reproductive rights," wrote Mamdani, then an assemblyman for Astoria and Long Island City, in the local Daily Eagle newspaper in the New York borough of Queens.

Reviewed by Deutsche Welle ↗ · June 27, 2025