Imam in Chicago Mosque Calls to Kill All Zionists in Friday Sermon

An imam at the Furqan Mosque in Chicago delivered a Friday sermon in which he called for the killing of Zionists and Israelis, according to footage published by the MEMRI Institute. During the sermon, Zaid Muhammad prayed, "O Allah, destroy the criminal Zionists and their supporters. Count the Zionists and expose them one by one and kill them all, leaving not a single one alive." He also prayed for healing of believers' hearts and the removal of anger from their hearts. The sermon has not been reported by U.S. media outlets, and no official actions have been announced in response.

The Furqan Mosque, located in the suburb of Bolingbrook near Chicago, is linked to the Furqan Foundation, an extremist Islamic religious institution reportedly funded and directed by Qatar. The mosque previously drew attention in 2014 when a worshipper was arrested at Chicago O'Hare International Airport on suspicion of attempting to leave the U.S. to join the terrorist group ISIS. The arrested individual, 19-year-old Muhammad Haza Khan, was described by a mosque member as a kind and calm person who was a teacher at the mosque, making the arrest unexpected.

This recent sermon highlights ongoing concerns about extremist rhetoric in some U.S. religious institutions, though authorities have yet to respond publicly to the latest incident.