America's first Muslim senator, Abdul El-Sayed, has said he will swear in on the Quran.
In an interview given to NPR, El-Sayed said: "I will likely swear in on the Quran." El-Sayed was elected from Michigan in the midterm polls, the results of which were declared in early November.
El-Sayed reminded that fellow Democrat Keith Ellison had sworn-in to the US House of Representatives on a copy of the Quran, which was in the possession of Thomas Jefferson, one of the founding fathers of the US and its third President.
"Which Quran? We're not sure," El-Sayed said, "The University of Michigan holds the first Quran in the state of Michigan; it is very, very old. And that might be the choice. So, I don't know. But I'll swear-in on the Quran."
Despite being a trailblazer, El-Sayed said it was less about him than what it means for his country. "Everybody has the experience of being told they are less than or they are excluded, or they don't belong, and that can be for a lot of different reasons.
“For me, for obvious reasons. But I hope when people see that there is this sense that America really is big enough for you, and it really doesn't matter what your name is and how you pray," El-Sayed said.
The doctor-turned-politician, who was born and raised in Michigan, is known for his eloquence and proud endorsement of his religious beliefs. His remark, 'JD, Habibi', while addressing a crowd in Michigan after his victory was confirmed, has become an internet slang term.
The 2026 US midterms delivered a major defeat for Donald Trump's Republican Party, with the Democrats winning control of both the House and Senate. The outcome has weakened the president's political influence in his final two years in office. The swearing-in will happen in January.