New York swears in first Muslim mayor as Mamdani takes oath on Quran

Zohran Mamdani was sworn in as New York City’s 111th mayor, becoming the first Muslim mayor in the city’s history and the first to take the oath of office using Islam’s holy book, the Quran.

The private ceremony was held on Wednesday shortly before the start of New Year’s Day 2026 in the decommissioned City Hall subway station beneath Lower Manhattan.

Mamdani, 34, placed his hand on two Qurans, including a family heirloom that belonged to his grandfather and a centuries-old manuscript from the New York Public Library’s Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, marking a first for the nation’s largest city.

His mayoral term officially began at 12:01 a.m. on Thursday, January 1, 2026.

Mamdani is the city’s first Muslim, first South Asian, and first African-born mayor. While most previous mayors were sworn in on a Bible, no religious text is required under the oath to uphold the federal, state, and city constitutions.

One of the Qurans used during the ceremony dates back to the late 18th or early 19th century and is part of the Schomburg Center’s collection. It was acquired by Arturo Alfonso Schomburg, a Black Puerto Rican historian whose work documented the global contributions of people of African descent.

The second Quran belonged to Mamdani’s grandfather and reflects his family’s personal history. For a subsequent public swearing-in ceremony at City Hall later on New Year’s Day, Mamdani is expected to also use a Quran that belonged to his grandmother.

Born in Uganda to immigrant parents originally from Bombay, now Mumbai, India, Mamdani moved to New York City with his family at around six years old. He attended high school in the Bronx and later studied Africana Studies at Bowdoin College, graduating in 2014.

He entered New York City politics as a campaign manager for local candidates Khader El-Yateem and Ross Barkan before being elected to the New York State Assembly in 2020.

Mamdani was reelected without opposition in 2022 and 2024. He announced his mayoral candidacy in 2024 and defeated veteran politician Andrew Cuomo in the 2025 election, winning the general vote in November.

Mamdani’s campaign centered on affordability and cost-of-living issues facing working-class New Yorkers. His policy platform includes fare-free city buses, universal public childcare, city-owned grocery stores, a rent freeze on rent-stabilized apartments, expanded affordable housing, and a $30 minimum wage by 2030.

He has also expressed support for public safety reforms and higher taxes on corporations and individuals earning more than $1 million annually.

His rapid rise and prominent expression of his Muslim identity have drawn national attention and, according to civil rights groups, coincided with a rise in Islamophobic rhetoric and campaigns in New York City following his entry into the mayoral race.

Mamdani rails against rivals’ ‘Islamophobic’ attacks as NYC mayoral race enters final stretch

New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani denounced “racist, baseless attacks” from his opponents during a speech on Friday.

Mamdani has previously acknowledged the hostility but said it reinforced his decision to be open about his faith.

New York City, a Democratic stronghold since its consolidation in 1898, is among the world’s largest metropolitan areas, with more than 20 million people in its broader region.

As mayor, Mamdani will oversee the delivery of basic municipal services, community development efforts, and policies aimed at maintaining public safety and quality of life.

A public, ceremonial swearing-in is scheduled to take place later on Thursday, where Mamdani will be joined by US Senator Bernie Sanders.

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