Cleric Tied to Muslim Brotherhood Calls Rise of NYC Mayor‑Elect Mamdani and Senate Hopeful El‑Sayed ‘Blessings’ of Oct. 7 Attack

During an August gathering in Turkey, a well‑known Islamic scholar let slip a comment that’s now making the rounds in U.S. media. Ali al‑Qaradaghi – who runs the Qatar‑based International Union for Muslim Scholars (IUMS) – said the political rise of New York City’s newly elected mayor, Zohran Mamdani, and Michigan Senate hopeful Dr. Abdul El‑Sayed were, in his words, “the blessings” of the Oct. 7 attack.

Qaradaghi’s remarks, captured in a MEMRI TV report, linked the so‑called “Al‑Aqsa Flood” – Hamas’s own code name for the Oct. 7 onslaught that killed more than 1,200 Israeli civilians – to a wave of anti‑Israel sentiment that he says is reshaping politics in Europe and America.

He told the audience, “If not for the Al‑Aqsa Flood and if the Zionists were not put to shame, what is happening in Europe and America would not be happening.” A stark claim, especially when you consider the IUMS’s long‑standing ties to the Muslim Brotherhood.

The IUMS was founded by Yusuf Al‑Qaradawi, a scholar widely regarded as the Brotherhood’s spiritual mentor for decades. Governments in Egypt, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and the UAE have even accused the group in 2017 of cloaking terrorist activity in religious rhetoric.

Back to the United States: Mamdani rode a surge of criticism toward Israel to win the mayoral race in New York, even promising – then later back‑pedalling – that he could arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu if he had the authority. He also refused to denounce the chant “globalize the intifada,” a slogan linked to decades‑long Palestinian attacks on civilians.

El‑Sayed, the Democratic Senate contender in Michigan, has positioned himself as a staunch opponent of Israeli policy, pledging to pull U.S. military aid if elected. His campaign, which reportedly has $73 million behind it, has leaned heavily on anti‑Israel rhetoric as well.

Qaradaghi suggested both men wouldn’t be where they are today without Hamas’s October attack. “Mamdani would not have become governor of New York State and Abdulrahman El‑Sayed would not have defeated a campaign worth $73 million,” he said, adding that these outcomes are “the blessings of the Al‑Aqsa flood.”

The IUMS quickly distanced itself from the controversy, denying any endorsement of violence and insisting the comments were taken out of context. Still, the episode underscores how the fallout from a single day of bloodshed continues to echo in political corridors far beyond the Middle East.