michigan democratic primary heats up with extremist imam's endorsement of abdul el-sayed
The Michigan Democratic primary has taken a dramatic turn with the endorsement of Abdul El-Sayed by extremist imam Hassan Qazwini. Qazwini, the head of the Islamic Institute of America, has been accused of spreading antisemitic conspiracy theories by socialist Sen. Bernie Sanders. Despite this, El-Sayed has chosen to associate himself with Qazwini, who has a history of inflammatory and antisemitic rhetoric.
In sermons on July 24 and July 31, Qazwini urged his congregants to support El-Sayed over primary opponent Haley Stevens, framing the election as an epic battle between a "clean" candidate and a "Zionist candidate." Qazwini's support for El-Sayed is mutual, as El-Sayed headlined the grand opening of the Islamic Institute of America on June 6, praising Qazwini's "incredible masjid" and offering "hearty congratulations."
Qazwini's sermons have been marked by antisemitic tropes, including claims that Israel and the pro-Israeli lobby view America as a "cash cow" and that Stevens is a "puppet" of Israel. He has also urged his followers to view their votes as a "huge and powerful weapon" to strike back at "Zionists." In a July 31 sermon, Qazwini said, "The way to deal the Zionist a bigger blow is to go and cast your vote on Tuesday, and don't allow the Zionist candidate to win."
While Qazwini's support could help El-Sayed in the primary, it could also prove to be a liability in the general election. Republicans have already cast El-Sayed as "radical" and are likely to highlight his connections to anti-Israel clerics and activists. El-Sayed has also campaigned with far-left influencers, including Hasan Piker, who said that "America deserved 9/11," and Adam Hamawy, who testified on behalf of the "Blind Sheikh," the mastermind of the 1993 World Trade Center bombing.
Qazwini's history of inflammatory and antisemitic rhetoric is well-documented. In 2020, Sanders' presidential campaign denounced Qazwini's "antisemitic conspiracy theories" and "toxic" comments after Qazwini claimed that Israel funds ISIS and that the terrorist group was "playing the role of the arm of the Zionist in the Muslim world." Qazwini has also described Sanders as an honorable man, "even though he is a Jew."
In 2024, Qazwini labeled lawmakers who supported the Antisemitism Awareness Act "stooges of Israel" and said they should be "indicted and convicted of treason." He has also publicly praised Iran and Hezbollah, the Iran-backed terrorist group in Lebanon. In a June 26 sermon, he said Iran had "stood firm" and "humiliated the most powerful man on earth." During a March 24 sermon, he prayed for Allah to "grant victory to our brothers in Iran" and "inflict defeat upon Your Zionist enemies," according to an English translation.
El-Sayed's association with Qazwini has raised questions about his own views on Israel and antisemitism. While El-Sayed is an outspoken critic of Israel, accusing the Jewish state of "genocide," he has stopped short of criticizing enemies of Israel and the United States. During a campaign strategy call in March, El-Sayed said he wanted to avoid answering questions about the death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei out of concern that it would upset Dearborn residents, a heavily Muslim and Arab enclave that makes up El-Sayed's strongest base of political support.
El-Sayed's campaign and the Islamic Institute of America did not respond to requests for comment. The endorsement by Qazwini has added a new layer of complexity to the Michigan Democratic primary, and it remains to be seen how it will impact the election.