A Muslim cleric who has praised Iran and refused to call Hezbollah a terrorist organization was reportedly overheard 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 group of Muslim voters in Michigan who indicated ahead of Election Day that they would support Trump over the Democratic Party’s ticket in November.
“I’m leaning 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 who can bring peace to this world.”
Before voicing his support for the former and incoming president, Al-Husainy reportedly made a series of questionable comments. For example, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit, the Middle East Media and Research Institute, reported this week that the Muslim cleric praised Iran in a 2022 interview.
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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 nonprofit posted on X.
The Conservative Nonprofit The Middle East Forum described the cleric as a “radical anti-Semitic, pro-Hezbollah Shia imam” who reportedly hosted a 2015 rally in Dearborn where he “wished death to Saudi Arabia” amid the Saudi-led intervention in the Yemeni civil war.
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In 2007, Al-Husainy joined Fox News’ Sean Hannity on the program “Hannity & Colmes,” where he was asked if he considers Hezbollah a terrorist organization. The cleric joined the program following his invitation to the DNC’s winter meeting that year to deliver the invocation.
“I’ll ask you again. Is Hezbollah – this is a yes or no question. Is Hezbollah a terrorist organization? Yes or no?” Hannity asked the imam.
‘Now if I give you the time to ask me a question. Now give me time to answer him, 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 that. But there is a Biblical meaning of Hezbollah. In Judaism, Christianity and Islam it means people of God and that means yes,” the imam replied.
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Later in the segment, Hannity asked again if Hezbollah is a terrorist organization.
“This is – your idea of a political or… you know what Hezbollah means? I support the people of God,” Al-Husainy said.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has recognized Hezbollah as a terrorist organization since 1997.
Fox News Digital reached out the Trump transition team regarding the invitation and Al-Husainy’s previous comments, but received no response.
Matt Foldi, the former congressional candidate and current editor-in-chief of the Washington Reporter, shared a photo on Berman and a Detroit pastor, Lorenzo Sewell, will deliver blessings.
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Fox News Digital also tried to reach Al-Husainy through the Karbalaa Islamic Education Center, but did not immediately receive a response.
Dearborn, Michigan, is home to the proportionately largest Muslim population in the US and became the birthplace of the “Abandon Biden” movement last year, as Arab voters spoke out about the administration’s handling of the conflict in Gaza. The move turned into the “abandonment” of Vice President Kamala Harris after Biden dropped out of the race in July. supported Trump on election day.
Former President Trump speaks during a campaign event at Macomb Community College, September 27, 2024, in Warren, Michigan. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
Muslim voters overall favored Harris by 32 percentage points in the 2024 election. Trump won 32% of their voteswhile Harris won 63%. In 2020, Biden had won 64% of the Muslim vote and Trump 35%. Trump received 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 to protest her position on the war between Israel and Hamas.
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“They didn’t vote for Trump because they believe Trump is the best candidate,” said Arab American News publisher Osama Siblani 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.
