Physical Address
304 North Cardinal St.
Dorchester Center, MA 02124
A Muslim cleric who has praised Iran and refused to name Hezbollah a terrorist organization was selected to give a blessing to The inauguration of President-elect Trump.
Husham Al-Husainy is a well-known Iraqi-American imam in Michigan, who oversees the Karbalaa Islamic Education Center in Dearborn. Al-Husainy was among a swath of Muslim voters in Michigan who indicated before Election Day that they would support Trump over the Democratic Party ticket in November.
“I lean toward Mr. Trump because I found him closer the Bible, the Torah and the Koran. Because I support peace, not war,” he said in October, Fox News Digital reported at the time. He added that the country “deserves to have a strong leader where he can bring peace to this world.”
Before indicating his support for the former president and the future, Al-Husainy allegedly made a series of questionable comments. The Washington, DC-based nonprofit Middle East Media and Research Institute, for example, reported this week that the Muslim cleric praised Iran in a 2022 interview.
DEM LEADERS TRADITIONALLY IN KEY MICHIGAN VOTING BLOCK DITCH HARRIS, ENDORSE TRUMP
Husham Al-Husainy prepares to vote at Maples Elementary School, November 2, 2004, in Dearborn, Michigan. (Farah Nosh/Getty Images)
“Thank God we have the Islamic Republic of Iran; its light goes to Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, Yemen and everywhere,” he said in the interview. the non-profit organization published in X.
The conservative non-profit The Middle East Forum described the cleric as a “radical anti-Semitic, pro-Hezbollah Shia imam” who reportedly organized a 2015 rally in Dearborn where he “wished death on Saudi Arabia” amid the Saudi-led intervention Saudi Arabia in the Yemeni civil war.
ABANDON BIDEN CAMPAIGN RELAUNCHES, OBJECTS HARRIS IN KEY SWING STATES
In 2007, Al-Husainy joined Fox News’ Sean Hannity on the “Hannity & Colmes” show, where he was asked if he considered Hezbollah a terrorist organization. The clergyman joined the program following his invitation to that year’s DNC Winter Meeting to deliver the invocation.
“I’ll ask you again. Is it Hezbollah? That’s a yes or no question. Is Hezbollah a terrorist organization? Yes or no?” Hannity asked the imam.
“Now if… I’m giving you some time to ask me a question. Now give me some time to answer it, please,” Al-Husainy said.
“Yes or no?” Hannity continued.
Imam Husham Al-Husainy on June 19, 2007 in Dearborn, Michigan. (Mary Chapman/AFP via Getty Images)
“First of all, first of all, Hezbollah is a Lebanese organization. And I have nothing to do with it. But there is a biblical meaning of Hezbollah. It is in Judaism and Christianity and Islam means people of God and that means yes,” replied the imam.
WALZ PICK DOES LITTLE TO PERSUADE ANTI-BIDEN/HARRIS VOTERS IN DEARBORN
Later in the segment, Hannity again asked if Hezbollah is a terrorist organization.
“This is your idea of a politician or… you know what Hezbollah means? I support God’s people,” Al-Husainy said.
The State Department has recognized Hezbollah as a terrorist organization since 1997.
Fox News Digital reached out the Trump transition team regarding Al-Husainy’s previous invitation and comments, but received no response.
Matt Foldi, the former congressional candidate and current editor-in-chief of the Washington Reporter, shared a photo on X this week showing the official Inauguration Day program, including that Al-Husany, a Catholic priest, the Rev. Frank Mann. , Rabbi Ari Berman and a Detroit pastor, Lorenzo Sewell, are scheduled to deliver blessings.
IMAM AL-HUSAINY REACTS TO DNC FLAP
Fox News Digital also attempted to reach Al-Husainy through the Karbalaa Islamic Education Center, but did not immediately receive a response.
Dearborn, Michigan, is home to America’s proportionally largest Muslim population and became the birthplace of the “Abandon Biden” movement last year when Arab voters spoke out over the handling of the Gaza conflict by the administration The move morphed into “abandoning” Vice President Kamala Harris after Biden dropped out of the race in July, and eventually endorsed Trump on Election Day.
Former President Trump speaks at a campaign event at Macomb Community College on Sept. 27, 2024, in Warren, Michigan. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
Overall, Muslim voters favored Harris by 32 percentage points in the 2024 election. Trump won 32% of their voteswhile Harris won 63%. By 2020, Biden had won 64% of the Muslim vote and Trump 35%. Trump faced mixed support from Muslim and Arab American voters, but in swing states like Michigan, their support became especially crucial.
Arab American voters in Dearborn said after the election that they voted for Trump over Harris in protest of his stance on the Israel-Hamas war.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
“They didn’t vote for Trump because they think Trump is the best candidate,” said Osama Siblani, editor of Arab American News. he told Politico in november “No, they voted for Trump because they want to punish the Democrats and Harris.”
Fox News Digital’s Michael Lee contributed to this report.
