Michigan Senator-Elect Plans Historic Oath on Quran
Translated & summarized from Cursorinfo by baba
Michigan's Abdul El-Sayed plans to be the first U.S. Senator sworn in on the Quran in January. He is considering using either Thomas Jefferson's Quran or an ancient copy from the University of Michigan. El-Sayed, elected on November 3, will take office on January 3, 2027, with Vice President Jay D. Vance administering the oath. He previously called for an end to U.S. arms sales to Israel.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Michigan Senator-elect Abdul El-Sayed will be the first to swear on the Quran.
- El-Sayed is choosing between Thomas Jefferson's Quran and a Michigan university copy.
- Keith Ellison previously used Jefferson's Quran for his oath in 2007.
- El-Sayed defeated Republican Mike Rogers in the November 3 election.
- Vice President Jay D. Vance will administer the oath on January 3, 2027.
- El-Sayed previously supported halting arms sales to Israel.
Michigan's newly elected Senator, Abdul El-Sayed, intends to take his oath of office on the Quran in January, a move that would make him the first U.S. Senator to swear on Islam's holy book. El-Sayed revealed his plans in a November 12 interview with NPR, stating he is choosing between two potential copies of the Quran. One option is a Quran that once belonged to former U.S. President Thomas Jefferson, which has previously been used for oaths by Keith Ellison, the first Muslim elected to the U.S. Congress, in 2007. The other option is an ancient Quran from the University of Michigan, described as the first Quran to appear in the state.
El-Sayed, 42, a former epidemiologist, defeated Republican candidate Mike Rogers in the November 3 election. If he uses Jefferson's Quran, his oath would echo Ellison's ceremony but in the Senate. Opting for the University of Michigan copy would emphasize his connection to his home state. The oath is scheduled to be administered by Vice President Jay D. Vance on January 3, 2027.
Previously, El-Sayed has advocated for halting arms shipments to Israel, supporting a hypothetical decision by Donald Trump to stop military aid to Israel by the end of 2026 and urging Washington to cease all arms sales to the country.