Zohran Mamdani takes oath as New York mayor with historic Quran

Zohran Mahmoud Mamdani on Thursday became the first New York City mayor to be sworn in using a Quran.

The first Muslim and South Asian mayor of the United States’ biggest metropolis, Mamdani used his grandfather’s Quran and a 200-year-old copy on loan from the New York Public Library (NYPL) for the private swearing-in event held at a disused subway station under Times Square.

New York Attorney General Letitia James administered the oath alongside Mamdani’s family ahead of a public ceremony on Thursday afternoon to be led by Senator Bernie Sanders.

“This is truly the honor and the privilege of a lifetime,” Mamdani declared, emphasizing public transit’s role in the city’s vitality.

Mamdani, 34, is also the first African-born person to serve as New York City’s mayor. He was born in Uganda to Indian immigrant parents.

He won the mayoral race in November 4 elections, defeating former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo and Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa in a historic victory for the Democratic Party’s progressive wing.

A democratic socialist, Mamdani ran a campaign focused on affordability and expanded social services, pledging free buses, universal childcare, city-run grocery stores, expanded rent-stabilised housing and raising the minimum wage to $30 per hour by 2030.

And while he has focused heavily on the issue of affordability during his campaign, Mamdani was outspoken about his Muslim faith. He frequently appeared at mosques across the five boroughs as he built a base of support that included many first-time South Asian and Muslim voters.

The meteoric rise of a Muslim democratic socialist also brought a surge of Islamophobic rhetoric, amplified by national attention on the race.

In an emotional speech days before the election, Mamdani said the hostility had only strengthened his resolve to be visible about his faith.

"I will not change who I am, how I eat, or the faith that I'm proud to call my own," he said. "I will no longer look for myself in the shadows. I will find myself in the light."

The historic Quran, borrowed from the library, once belonged to Arturo Schomburg, a Black historian and writer who sold his collection of 4,000 books to the NYPL in 1926. His collection became the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture.

The library praised Mamdani’s decision to use Schomburg’s Quran because of its connection to one of New York’s “most groundbreaking scholars and for its simple, functional qualities”.

The small size of the Quran and its black and red ink suggest it was designed for everyday use, the library said. The edition is neither signed nor dated, but its “minute naskh script and its binding, featuring a gilt-stamped medallion filled with a floral composition, suggest it was produced in Ottoman Syria in the 18th or 19th century”, the library added.

“The significance of this Quran extends far beyond the beauty of its pages,” said Hiba Abid, curator of Middle Eastern and Islamic studies. “It is a Quran close to the people, not only because of its simple craftsmanship, but also because it is part of the collections of the nation’s largest public library system.”

Following Mamdani's inauguration, the Quran will go on public display at the New York Public Library

Mamdani’s faith and his background as a Ugandan-born American of South Asian descent were front and centre during his campaign, which focused on celebrating the diversity of New York.

Mamdani has also been a firm critic of Israel’s policies towards Palestinians and its genocidal war on Gaza.