The Washington Post: Muslims are a rising political and demographic force in New York Mamdani

New York’s political landscape has long been the product of successive waves of immigration and ethnic and religious groups that have carved their place in the heart of the city known as the “Big Apple,” from the Irish and Italians to the Jewish and African communities.

But the 2025 elections heralded an unprecedented demographic and political shift: With the inauguration of Zohran Mamdani as the city’s first Muslim mayor of South Asian descent, the Muslim community is no longer just a number in the population, but the primary engine and backbone of municipal authority.

For decades, Muslim communities have coexisted under security surveillance after the September 11, 2001 attacks, the spread of Islamophobia, and economic marginalization.

Mamdani was sworn in on the Holy Quran in the early hours of the new year, during a special ceremony held inside the subway station of the Old City Hall, which was built in 1904 in New York City, in the presence of his family members and close associates.

In his inaugural address, Mamdani said he would lead New York boldly, adding, “We may not always succeed, but we will never be said to lack the courage to try”.

According to the Washington Post, the election of Zohran Mamdani, (34), marks a watershed moment in New York’s history.

For decades, Muslim communities – including South Asian, Arab, and African-American immigrants – coexisted under security surveillance after the September 11, 2001, attacks, the spread of Islamophobia, and economic marginalization.

According to organizations such as the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CARE), New York City is estimated to have about 1 million Muslims, about 12% of the total population.

Muslims intend to press for guarantees of the right to prayer in public schools, new controls on police conduct during protests, increased employment of Muslims in city institutions, as well as a review of New York’s relations with Israel.

In the Morris Park area of the Bronx, newly renamed “Little Yemen,” the transformation is clear.

The area, once a stronghold of Italian immigrants, is now a vibrant hub for the Yemeni community, with shops, restaurants and Arab markets thriving.

The new 32,000-square-foot Bronx Islamic Center is being built to become the largest mosque in New York State when it opens in late 2026, in a symbolic sign of the Islamic presence and the expansion of its social influence, the Washington Post reporter Tim Craig says in his report.

Election data reinforces this influence, with Muslims making up 14% of the votes cast in the 2025 elections, double their share of registered voters.

Domestically, the demographic change has played a role in reviving the economy, with Yemeni and Arab business owners contributing to better business vacancy rates than some upscale areas of Manhattan, New York’s best-known district.

The old inhabitants assert that while the cultural shift may create some frictions – such as disputes over the cultural identity of the neighborhoods – it has also brought economic stability and a renewed sense of belonging.

In his report, Craig points out that Mamdani’s victory wasn’t because of his religious affiliation, but because of his political platform, which intersects with the principles of social justice in Islam.

He explains that many voters, such as worshippers at Dar al Uloom School in Queens, New York City’s largest and most culturally diverse neighborhood, saw its socialist pillars that defend citizens’ right to food, health and shelter as a reflection of their religious values.

Even conservative-leaning immigrants, who may disagree with Mamdani on issues of policing or organizing business, have supported him as their shield against national political figures who tarnish the image of their society.

For these residents, Mamdani represents a safe haven and a leader who refuses to apologize for his identity, the report said.

However, the Mamdani era holds significant challenges and internal tensions.

The Muslim community is not a bloc; while many supports his progressive agenda, others in neighborhoods like Morris Park express a desire to increase police prefecture and preserve traditional educational values.

According to the Washington Post report, Muslim leaders say their expectations for Mamdani go beyond symbolism, as they intend to push for guarantees of the right to pray in public schools, new rules for police conduct during protests, increased employment of Muslims in city institutions, and a review of New York’s relations with Israel.

These demands have raised the concern of some Jewish leaders, who warn of the escalation of anti-Zionism and link it to the rise of anti-Semitism, which Mamdani denies and emphasizes his rejection of anti-Semitism.

With Mamdani taking the helm of City Hall, he holds the hopes of a community that has finally moved from the margins to the heart of the city’s power structures, demonstrating that New York’s only constant is change.

Ultimately, Mamdani’s rise reflects a broader shift in the status of Muslims within New York.

After decades of targeting and suspicion, they now see the city as a haven and platform for political participation.