Democratic Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed is under scrutiny for attending an Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) convention. The organization removed a Pakistani cleric, Mufti Tariq Masood, from its lineup after reviews of his past antisemitic remarks.
Masood had initially been scheduled to present at the ISNA convention in Detroit. The Washington Free Beacon reported ISNA’s quiet removal of Masood following backlash over his comments praising Hitler and defending child marriage. Dr. Andrew Bostom noted Masood’s antisemitic themes align with views from certain Muslim scholars, highlighting Muhammad Sayyid Tantawy’s influential writings.
Zionist Organization of America (ZOA) expressed concerns, urging Secretary of State Marco Rubio to deny any visa to Masood. ZOA President Morton Klein described Masood’s remarks as inciting hate and violence.
Despite Masood’s removal, questions lingered about the conference’s speakers and El-Sayed’s involvement. El-Sayed shared a panel with Young Turks founder Cenk Uygur and cleric Zaid Shakir. Controversial statements from both have drawn attention, with Uygur questioning the official 9/11 narrative and Shakir promoting anti-American views.
The conference occurred just before the 25th anniversary of 9/11. El-Sayed’s previous tweets criticizing America’s actions post-9/11 also resurfaced, highlighting his complex stance on the attacks.
During the conference, El-Sayed addressed anti-Muslim sentiment, emphasizing challenges faced by Muslim Americans. “They want to tell us that we don’t belong,” he stated, stressing the discrimination based on faith and identity.
El-Sayed’s campaign previously attracted criticism for affiliating with controversial figures like Twitch streamer Hasan Piker, known for contentious remarks about 9/11.
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