NEW YORK (Diya TV) — Zohran Mamdani made history as New York City’s first Muslim mayor by taking his oath of office on the Quran, marking a symbolic moment for a city shaped by immigration, faith, and diversity.
Shortly after midnight on Thursday, Mayor Zohran Mamdani placed his hand on Islam’s holiest book during his swearing-in ceremony. He became the first mayor in the city’s history to do so. For many Muslim New Yorkers, the moment reflected long-awaited representation at the highest level of city leadership.
Mamdani represents several firsts for New York City. He is South Asian, Muslim, and a millennial. He was also born on the African continent, in Uganda. Supporters say his inauguration reflected the modern face of the city.
Mamdani used two Qurans during the ceremony. One belonged to his grandfather and holds deep personal meaning. The second came from the New York Public Library’s collection and once belonged to Arturo Schomburg, a noted Black writer and historian. For a separate public ceremony at City Hall later Thursday, Mamdani planned to use his grandfather’s Quran again, along with one owned by his grandmother. His team said the choice highlighted both family heritage and the city’s shared history.
Arturo Schomburg was an Afro-Latino writer born in Puerto Rico. His work helped shape the Harlem Renaissance. Though he was not Muslim, he kept a Quran as part of his personal archive. Schomburg collected books and artifacts that reflected the full scope of Black cultural, artistic, and religious life. In 1926, he sold more than 4,000 items to the New York Public Library. That collection became the foundation of the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture.
The Quran used by Mamdani came from Ottoman Syria and was designed for everyday use. Its script and binding show signs of regular handling. Library officials say Schomburg included it to counter claims that Black people lacked history or major cultural figures.
Hiba Abid, curator for Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies at the New York Public Library, said the Quran carried deep meaning for the city. She helped Mamdani’s advisers and his wife, Rama Duwaji, select the text. She said the choice brought together faith, identity, and New York history. Abid noted that Mamdani’s background, combined with Schomburg’s legacy, reflected the city’s layered story of migration and culture.
Schomburg’s Quran will go on public display for the first time next week. The New York Public Library plans to feature it in a special exhibit marking the 100th anniversary of the Schomburg Center. The exhibit will run as part of a yearlong celebration. Library officials hope the display will help New Yorkers learn more about Islam and Muslim life in the city. They also want to encourage residents to explore the library’s vast archival resources.
Elected officials are not required by law to use a religious text during their oath of office. Many still choose to do so. Most New York City mayors have traditionally used a Bible.
In 2021, former Mayor Eric Adams placed one hand on his mother’s Bible and held a framed photo of her in the other. Former Mayor Bill de Blasio used a Bible that once belonged to President Franklin D. Roosevelt. Mamdani’s faith played a visible role in his campaign. His advisers said the use of the Quran addressed what they described as a long absence of Muslims in city leadership.
