Mamdani, a 34-year-old Ugandan-born socialist, will be the first Muslim mayor of New York City and the first mayor to be sworn in using the Quran, the central religious text of Islam.<\/p>\n
New York Attorney General Letitia James will host a private midnight ceremony at Old City Hall Station, a historical decommissioned subway station, before he is sworn in during a public inauguration on the steps of City Hall by Sen. Bernie Sanders<\/a>, I-Vt., Thursday afternoon.<\/p>\n He will use\u00a0two\u00a0family Qurans, as well as one that belonged to writer and Puerto Rican activist Arturo Schomburg, who built the foundation for Harlem\u2019s Schomburg Center for research in Black culture.<\/p>\n New York City Democratic mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani celebrates as he takes the stage at his election night watch party at the Brooklyn Paramount on November 4, 2025, in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. Mamdani defeated Independent candidate Andrew Cuomo and Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa in the closely watched election for New York City mayor.\u00a0 (Michael M. Santiago\/Getty)<\/p>\n MAMDANI PICKS EDUCATOR WHO WORKED TO DISMANTLE GIFTED & TALENTED PROGRAM AS NYC SCHOOLS CHANCELLOR\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n Progressive Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez<\/a>, D-N.Y., is expected to deliver opening remarks at the latter event, which will be free and open to the public.<\/p>\n Mamdani defeated former Democratic New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo<\/a> and Republican gubernatorial candidate Curtis Sliwa in November, after campaigning on affordability and socialist policies including rent freezes, city-run grocery stores, and free buses and childcare.<\/p>\n Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer<\/a>, D-N.Y., refused to endorse Mamdani during his campaign, though it is unclear if the choice was tied to Mamdani’s 2023 arrest while protesting the war in Gaza outside Schumer’s Brooklyn home.<\/p>\n Democratic New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani holds hands with his wife Rama Duwaji after they voted at a polling location at Frank Sinatra School of Arts in the Queens borough of New York City on Nov. 4, 2025. (LEONARDO MUNOZ\/AFP via Getty Images)<\/p>\n NYC MAYOR-ELECT TELLS RESIDENTS HOW TO RESIST ICE AGENTS KNOCKING AT THEIR DOOR IN NEW VIDEO<\/a><\/p>\n Mamdani has openly voiced his belief that Israel\u2019s military campaign in Gaza is “genocide,” denying Israel is a Jewish state and failing to condemn the violent slogan “globalize the intifada.”<\/p>\n During his time at Bowdoin College, he founded the Students for Justice in Palestine<\/a> chapter.<\/p>\n Though he promised to protect Jewish New Yorkers, he announced on Tuesday the city’s next top attorney would be Ramzi Kassem, who defended<\/a> convicted al Qaeda terrorist Ahmed al-Darbi and Columbia student Mahmoud Khalil, who is accused of leading antisemitic demonstrations on campus.<\/p>\n Democratic mayoral nominee Zohran Mamdani supporters gather outside 30 Rock in New York City on Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025.\u00a0 (Fox News Digital\/Deirdre Heavey)<\/p>\n Al-Darbi was convicted of conspiracy in connection with the fatal 2017 al Qaeda terrorist<\/a> bombing of a French oil tanker off the coast of Yemen, and was transferred in 2018 by the Trump administration into Saudi Arabian custody. Khalil was released, but his case remains ongoing.<\/p>\n![\"Mamdani](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/mamdani-takes-stage-after-election.jpg\")
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