The Muslim Oath Project thumbnail

The Muslim Oath Project

By Dr. Stephen M. Kirby, PhD

“It’s more than just about having three Muslims in Congress.  I think symbolically it has great value, but I won’t rest until 2020 we have five more members of Congress; 2022 and 24, we have ten more Muslims in Congress.  In 2030 we may have about 30, 35 Muslims in Congress.  Then we’re talking about Madame Chair Rashida.  We’re talking about Madame Chair Ilhan.  Hell, we could be saying Speaker of the House Ilhan, Speaker of the House Rashida, Senator Rashida, Governor Ilhan, President Fatima, Vice President Aziza, Inshah’ Allah…Each and every one of us has a directive to represent Islam, in all of our imperfections, but to represent Islam and let the world know that Muslims are here to stay, and Muslims are a part of America.  And we will, we will have a Muslim caucus that is sizable, that is formidable, and that is there for you.” – U.S. Congressman Andre Carson at the CAIR Community Congressional Reception, January 10, 2019


People in public office in the United States at the local, state, and federal levels are required to take an oath of office that requires them to swear, or affirm, to support the U.S. Constitution.  This is based on Article 6, Clause 3 of that Constitution (the “Oaths Clause”).

The 2019 elections saw an increase in the number of Muslims re-elected and newly elected to public office across the United States, and as part of their oaths of office they each must swear to support the U.S. Constitution.  The upcoming 2020 elections have seen an increase in the number of Muslim candidates running for public office.  If elected, these candidates will have to take an oath of office in which they swear to support the U.S. Constitution.

However, as I showed in my latest book Islamic Doctrine versus the U.S. Constitution: The Dilemma for Muslim Public Officials, there are many core tenets of Islam that are irreconcilably in conflict with much of that Constitution.

It is only natural then to ask a Muslim running for office, or one currently in office, how they personally resolve the irreconcilable conflict between laws in the U.S. Constitution and core tenets of Islamic Doctrine.

So, I decided to ask.

On December 9th and 16th of 2019 I sent four questions to 80 Muslim public officials across the United States, asking them to choose between the U.S. Constitution or Islamic Doctrine.

On February 10, 2020 I sent these same four questions to 36 Muslim candidates running for public office across the United States.  On February 17, 2020 I sent the same questions again to those Muslim candidates who had not responded.

I have detailed this in these two articles:

Since February 2020, I have contacted over 100 additional Muslim public officials and candidates, resulting in a total of over 200 having been contacted.  Some responded to the four questions without expressing support for the U.S. Constitution over Islamic Doctrine.  Others responded by expressing support for the U.S. Constitution.  Those expressing that support are identified at the beginning of the list below.  However, most of the Muslim public officials and candidates have not expressed support for the U.S Constitution or simply not responded, and they are listed below by State.  More names will be added to the list as additional Muslim public officials and candidates are identified.


Interesting Replies

Multiple replies from Pious Ali – City Council of Portland, Maine:

  • The Inquisition ended in 1834… Where are you located again?  I have taking [sic] that oath three times, It [sic] never says I should answer to bigots who live outside my jurisdiction, I hope your week is going well…I will not answer any of your racist anti-Muslim questions.

Zainab Baloch – Former Candidate, Mayor of Raleigh, North Carolina:

  • I didn’t miss it [my first e-mail]. If I have time to respond to your harassing questions, I will. Have a great week!

Shahana Hanif – Candidate New York City Council, tweeted:

  • Just in case you’re wondering what it’s like to be a Muslim woman from Brooklyn running for office: [followed by the Muslim Oath Project questions]
  • Numerous comments from her supporters followed, none of which the candidate disavowed: “crap”, “POS”, “ridiculous”, “shameful”, “vile and ignorant”, “white privelaged male” [sic], “known bigot”, etc., etc.
  • Dr. Kirby replied: “We did have 14 Muslim public officials/candidates who were willing to express support for the U.S. Constitution. I’m sorry you were not one of them.”

The List

Expressed Support for the U.S. Constitution:

Deedra Abboudd – Candidate Maricopa County Board of Supervisors, Arizona

Dalia Al-Aqidi – Candidate U.S. House of Representatives (MN-5)

Iman-Utopia Layjou Bah – Candidate U.S. House of Representatives (AZ-2)

Christopher Benjamin – Florida State House of Representatives Response

Nada Elmikashfi – Candidate Wisconsin State Senate  

Mohammad Iqbal – Kane County Board, Kane County, Illinois

Turan Kayaoglu – Puyallup School Board, Puyallup, WA

Rashid Malik – Candidate U.S. House of Representatives (GA-7)

Shammas Malik – City Council, Akron, OH


Ali Mazarei – Candidate California State Assembly

Imtiaz Ahmad Mohammad – Candidate U.S. House of Representatives (FL-22)

Public Official Preferred Anonymity – Eastern U.S.

Candidate for Public Office Preferred Anonymity – Eastern U.S.

Candidate for Public Office Preferred Anonymity – Central U.S.


Public Official Preferred Anonymity – Western U.S.

Public Official Preferred Anonymity – Western U.S. 


Candidate for Public Office Preferred Anonymity – Western U.S.



Would Not Express Support for the U.S Constitution (by State)



Arizona



Yassamin Ansari – Candidate, Phoenix City Council

Muhammad Arif – Candidate United States Senate Response

Muktar Sheikh – Balsz Elementary School DistrictCalifornia

Kaisar Ahmed – Candidate San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors

Waseem Ahmed – Mayor of Chowchilla

Aziz Akbari – Alameda County Water District Director

Maimona Afzal Berta – Franklin-McKinley School Board

Shahid Buttar – Candidate U.S. House of Representatives (CA-12)

Aliya Chisti – San Francisco City College Board of Trustees

Halim Dhanidina – Associate Justice for the Second District Court of Appeal

Omar Din – Sunnyvale City Council

Basim Elkarra – Twin Rivers Unified Board of Trustees

Javed I. Ellahie – Monte Sereno City Council

Hosam Haggag – Santa Clara City Clerk

Sam Hindi – Foster City, City Council


Fatima Shahnaz Iqbal-Zubair – Candidate California State Assembly

Al Jabbar – Anaheim Union High School District Board

Farrah N. Khan – Irvine City Council


Antonio Lopez – East Palo Alto City Council 

Anil Muhammed – Torrance Unified School District Board

Gregory A. Pulskamp – Judge Kern County Superior Court

Fauzia Rizvi – Western Municipal Water District (Riverside)

Ali Saleh – Mayor of the City of Bell

Cheryl Sudduth – West County Water District Board of Directors

Ali Sajjad Taj – Artesia City Council

Cenk Uygur – Candidate U.S. House of Representatives (CA-25)

Aisha Wahab – Hayward City Council

Sabina Zafar – San Ramon City Council

Colorado

Iman Jodeh – Candidate Colorado State House of Representatives

Connecticut

Saud Anwar – Connecticut State Senate

Maryam Khan -Windsor Board of Education

Delaware

Madinah Wilson-Anton – Candidate Delaware State House of Delegates

Florida

Anna Eskamani – State House of Representatives

Amira Dajani Fox – State Attorney, 20th Judicial Circuit

Noor Fawzy – Candidate Coral Springs City Commission

Saad Khan – Weston City Commission

Barbara Sharief – Broward County Commissioner 

Georgia



Amir Farokhi – Atlanta City Council

Ahmed Hassan – Clarkston City Council


Nabilah Islam – Candidate U.S. House of Representatives (GA-7)

Sheikh Rahman – Georgia State Senate

Illinois

Junaid “J” Afeef – Candidate Kane County State’s Attorney

Hadiya Afzal – Candidate DuPage County Board

Bushra Amiwala – Skokie School District 3.5 Board of Education

Sadia Covert – DuPage County Board Member

Rush Darwish – Candidate U.S. House of Representatives (IL-3)

Mohammed Faheem – Candidate U.S. House of Representatives (IL-8)

Sarah Gad – Candidate U.S. House of Representatives (IL-1)

Inam Hussain – Candidate U.S. House of Representatives (IL-8)

Moon Khan – Candidate Circuit Court Clerk, DuPage County

Raabia Khan – Oak Grove School District 68 Board of Education


Karim Khoja – Village of Glenview Board of Trustees

Ameena Matthews – Candidate U.S. House of Representatives (IL-1) Response

Azam Nizamuddin – Candidate Circuit Judge, Circuit Court of DuPage County

Anisha Patel – Article Heights School District 25 Board of Education

Abdelnasser Rashid – Candidate Cook County Board of Review

Sara Sadat – Lisle Board of Trustees


Alia Sarfraz, Candidate Illinois State House of Representatives



Indiana

Andre Carson – U.S. House of Representatives (IN – 7)

Fady Qaddoura – Senator-elect, Indiana State Senate



Iowa

Ako Abdul-Samad – Iowa State House of Representatives

Mazahir Salih – Iowa City, City Council

Maine

Pious Ali – City Council of Portland Response

Deqa Dhalac, City Council, South Portland Response

Marwa Hassanien – Bangor School Board

Safiya Khalid, Lewiston City Council

Yusuf Yusuf –  Portland School Board

 Maryland



Raaheela Ahmed – Prince George’s County Board of Education

Hasan M. “Jay” Jalisi – Maryland State House of Delegates

Fazlul Kabir – College Park City Council

Saafir Rabb – Candidate U.S. House of Representatives (MD-7)

Sabina Taj – Howard County Board of Education



Massachusetts



Mehreen Butt – Wakefield Town Council 

Salina Chowdhury – Candidate Foxborough School Committee

Maya Jamaleddine – Melrose City Council

Afroz Khan – Newburyport City Council

Sarah Khatib – Vice Chair Walpole Planning Board

Ihssane Leckey – Candidate U.S. House of Representatives (MA-4)

Fatima Mezdad – Concord School Committee


Nichole Mossalam – Candidate Massachusetts State House of Representatives


Muzammil Nazir – Candidate for Massachusetts State House of Representatives

Patricia O’Brien – Burlington Town Meeting Member

Sumbul Siddiqui – Cambridge City Council

  

Michigan

Dave Abdallah – Dearborn Heights City Council

Aamina Ahmed – Policy Advisory Committee, Plymouth-Canton Community Schools

Abraham Aiyash – Candidate for Michigan State Senate

Fadel Al-Marsoumi – Hamtramck City Council

Mohammed Alsomiri – Hamtramck City Council

Sam Baydoun – Wayne County Commissioner

Bill Bazzi – Dearborn Heights City Council

Hussein Berry – Dearborn School Board

Stephanie Fakih – Bloomfield Township Trustee

Nayeem Leon Choudhury – Hamtramck City Council

Susan Dabaja – Dearborn City Council

Dima El-Gamal, Candidate for Re-election Bloomfield Hills School Board

Salwa Fawaz – Crestwood School Board Response

Abdul “Al” Haidous – Wayne County Commissioner

Abdullah Hammoud – Michigan State House of Representatives

Fadwa Hammoud – Michigan Solicitor General

Mohammed Hassan – Hamtramck City Council

Ahmed Ismail – Grosse Pointe School Board

Angela Jaffer – Northville School Board

Yameen Jaffer – Pittsfield Board of Trustees

Saima Khalil – Candidate Macomb County Prosecutor

Yasir Khogali – Plymouth District Library Board

Adel Mozip – Dearborn School Board

Solomon Rajput – Candidate U.S. House of Representatives (MI-12)

Bilal (Bill) Saad – Underground Storage Tank Authority Board

Mohammed Sabbagh – Crestwood School District Board

Eric Sabree – Wayne County Treasurer

Mike Sareini – Dearborn City Council

Rashida Tlaib – U.S. House of Representatives (MI-13)

Minnesota



Abdullahi Abdulle – New Brighton City Council

Fartun Ahmed – Hopkins School Board Director

Safia Ahmed – Candidate Minnesota State House of Representatives

Abdisalam Adam – Fridley School Board

Leila Shukri Adan (D), Candidate U.S. House of Representatives (MN-5) Response

Siad Ali – Minneapolis Board of Education Director

Hala Asamarai – Columbia Heights School Board Response

AJ Awed – Candidate Minneapolis City Council

Abdirizak Bihi – Candidate Minneapolis City Council


Sharon Dumas El-Amin – Minneapolis Board of Education

Jeremiah Ellison – Minneapolis City Council

Keith Ellison – Minnesota State Attorney General

Omar Fateh – Candidate Minnesota State Senate

AK Hassan – Minneapolis Park Board Commissioner

Hodan Hassan – Minnesota State House of Representatives

Amir Malik – Candidate Minnesota House of Representatives

Nadia Mohamed – St. Louis Park City Council

Mohamud Noor – Minnesota State House of Representatives

Sahra Odowa – Candidate Minnesota State Senate

Suud Olat – Candidate Minneapolis City Council Response

Ilhan Omar – U.S. House of Representatives (MN-5) 

Jamal Osman – Candidate Minneapolis City Council

Saciido Shaie – Candidate Minneapolis City Council

Abdi Warsame – Executive Director/CEO Minneapolis Public Housing Authority

New Hampshire

Aboul Khan – New Hampshire State House of Representatives

New Jersey

Alaa Abdelaziz – Paterson City Council

Fahim K. Abedrabbo – Clifton Public Schools Board of Education

Tahsina Ahmed – Borough of Haledon City Council

Assad Akhtar – Passaic County Freeholder

Mussab Ali – Jersey City Board of Education

Amani Al-Khatahtbeh – Candidate U.S. House of Representatives (NJ-6)

Mounir Almaita – Borough of Haledon City Council

Mustafa Al-Mutazzim Brent – City Council of East Orange City Response

Sahar Aziz – Westfield School Board

Alp Basaran – Candidate U.S. House of Representatives (NJ-9)

Ibrahim Baycora – Chief of Police, Paterson

Jamillah Beasley – Irvington Municipal Council

Cynthia Brown – City Clerk East Orange

Adam Chaabane – Woodland Park Board of Education

Yasmin Elshami – Saddle River Board of Education

Ted Green – Mayor East Orange City

Mohammed Hameeduddin – Mayor of Teaneck

Rashon Hasan – Board Chair Roseville Board of Education

Dawn Haynes – Newark Public Schools School Board

Melinda Huerta – West Orange Board of Education

Mohammed Hussain – Prospect Park Board of Education

Smita Nadia Hussain – Bloomingdale Board of Education

Sadaf Jaffer – Mayor of Montgomery Township

Mohamed T. Khairullah – Mayor of the City of Prospect Park

Shahin Khalique – Paterson City Council

Alaa Matari – Prospect Park City Council

Alfred Mohammed – Linden City Council

MD Hossain Morshed – City Council of Atlantic City

Raghib Muhammad – Montgomery Township Board of Education

Nuran Nabi – Plainsboro Township Committee

Niaz Nadim – Prospect Park Board of Education

Salim Patel – Passaic City Council

Kamran Quraishi – Montgomery Township Committee

Mohammad Ramadan – Haledon Board of Education

Yousef Saleh – City Council of Jersey City

Denise Sanders – Teaneck Board of Education

Kaleem Shabazz – City Council of Atlantic City Response

Khizar A. Sheikh – Mountain Lakes Borough City Council

Siaka Sherif – Orange Board of Education

Dr. Nancy Uddin – Monmouth Regional High School District Board of Education

Hazim Yassin – Red Bank City Council

Adnan Zakaria – Prospect Park City Council

Esllam Zakaria – Prospect Park Board of Education

Muhammad ‘Anjum’ Zia – City Council of Atlantic City

New Mexico

Abbas Akhil – New Mexico State House of Representatives

New York

Tahanie Aboushi – Candidate Manhattan District Attorney

Shaniyat Chowdhury – Candidate U.S. House of Representatives (NY-5)

Charles Fall – New York State Assembly

Shahana Hanif – Candidate New York City Council

Mahfuzul Islam – Candidate New York State Assembly


Robert Jackson – New York State Senate

Mary Jobaida – Candidate New York State Assembly

Badrun Nahar Khan – Candidate U.S. House of Representatives (NY-14)

Zohran Kwame Mamdani – Candidate New York State Assembly


Oz Sultan – Candidate New York State Senate

North Carolina

Nida Allam – Candidate Durham County Commissioner

Zainab Baloch – Candidate Mayor of Raleigh Response

Nasif Majeed – North Carolina State House of Representatives

Mujtaba A. Mohammed – North Carolina State Senate



Ohio



Dr. N. J. Akbar – Akron Board of Education

Mohamed Al-Hamdani – Dayton Public Schools Board of Education


Mohamud Jama – Candidate Ohio State House of Representatives

Basheer Jones – Cleveland City Council

Reem Subei – Candidate Ohio State Senate

Omar Tarazi – Hilliard City Council

Oklahoma

Mauree Turner – Oklahoma State House

Oregon

Mohamed Alyajouri – Portland Community College Director

Nafisa Fai – Washington County Commissioner

Nadia Hasan – Beaverton City Council

Pennsylvania

Rochelle Bilal – Philadelphia City Sheriff

Jason Dawkins – Pennsylvania State House of Representatives

Curtis Jones Jr. – Philadelphia City Council

Nusrat Rashid – Delaware County Court of Common Pleas

Omar Sabir – Philadelphia City Commission

Sheikh Siddique – Upper Darby Township Council

Sharif Street – Pennsylvania State Senate




Tennessee

Zulfat Suara – Nashville Metropolitan Council

Texas

Salman Bhojani – Euless City Council

Rabeea Collier – Judge for the 113th Civil District Court of Harris County

Nuzhat Hye – Irving Independent School District Board of Trustees

Dalia Kasseb – Candidate for Brazoria County Municipal Utility District Board Director

Naushad Kermally – Sugar Land City Council

Letitia Plummer – Houston City Council

Shahid Shafi – Southlake City Council

Utah

Mohamed Baayd – Candidate Salt Lake City School Board

Fatima Dirie – Candidate Utah State House of Representatives

Virginia

 Naila Alam – Herndon Town Council

Hala Ayala – Virginia State House of Delegates

Buta Biberaj – Loudoun County Commonwealth’s Attorney

Ghazala Hashmi – Virginia State Senate

Haseeb Javed – Manassas Park City Council

Babur Lateef – Prince William County School Board

Harris Mahedavi – Loudon County School Board


Zainab Mohsini – Candidate U.S. House of Representatives (VA-11)

Abrar Omeish – Fairfax County School Board

Atif Qarni – Secretary of Education


Qasim Rashid – Candidate U.S. House of Representatives (VA-1)

Sam Rasoul – Virginia State House of Delegates

Ibraheem Samirah – Virginia State House of Delegates

Mohamed E. Seifeldein – Alexandria City Council

Lisa Zargarpur – Prince William County School Board

Washington

 

Zak Idan – Tukwila City Council

Riaz Khan – Mukilteo City Council

Varisha Khan – Redmond City Council

Washington DC

Marcus Goodwin – Candidate Washington DC Council At-Large

Wisconsin

Syed Abbas – Alderman of the Madison Common Council

Samba Baldeh – Alderman of the Madison Common Council

Minza Karim – Middleton-Cross Plains Board of Education

Akram Khan – Mequon School Board member

EDITORS NOTE: This Daily Skirmish -Libertato.US column is republished with permission. ©All rights reserved.