Opinions on Mamdani Split Amongst Muslim Voters
The head of a mosque endorsed Cuomo, but worshippers don't feel the same way
By: Shivangi Sen with video by Gustave Muckensturm
At Masjid Aqsa-Salam, a mosque in Harlem, election day revealed a striking split among Muslim voters. The head Imam, or prayer leader at the mosque, announced his support for former Governor Andrew Cuomo, while a majority of worshippers pledged their support to the Democratic candidate, Zohran Mamdani.
Mamdani has said that he is a Shia Muslim, but was raised in an interfaith family. He has previously said that his mother’s side of the family is Hindu.
Imam Souleimane Konate, spiritual leader at Aqsa-Salam mosque, publicly endorsed Cuomo on Oct. 30, describing him as a “leader who brings people together” who has “always listened to the concerns of the Muslim communities.”
For Imam Konate, Cuomo represents stability and experience at a time when the city feels increasingly fractured.
But many of the worshippers leaving the afternoon prayers had a different opinion.
Muhammad Ali, a voter from Queens who frequents the mosque, said that he had already cast his vote for Mamdani. He feels Mamdani is the only politician who can truly understand the “problem of the people.”
“Mamdani may not be able to solve all our problems, but will at least try,” Ali said.
The difference in opinion between the head of the mosque and its worshippers, captures a broader dynamic playing out across New York.
When asked about Imam Konate endorsing Cuomo, Ali said, “This can be his thinking but not everyone’s. What he’s saying is not in the Quran so we don’t have to follow it. Maybe he likes Cuomo, I don’t”.
Bilam Hussain, a taxi driver leaving the mosque this afternoon, said that he also cast his vote for Mamdani. He said that he feels that the Democratic candidate is sincere, and that this will mark “the beginning of honest people entering politics.”
“Mamdani has sincerity and honesty. He may not be able to fulfill all of his promises but that is okay because it is just the beginning,” Hussain, 55, said, adding, “People will follow his footsteps and our city will be happier.”
“He’s not a good practicing Muslim but he will get good people here,” he added.
These sentiments were echoed by other congregants.
Many said their support for Mamdani stems from frustration with establishment politics and a desire for new leadership that reflects lived realities.
Mamdou Kamara, who also voted for Mamdani, said that he didn’t want his family to vote for Cuomo: “He’s a politician. His work proves why members in my family shouldn’t have voted for him.”
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