El-Sayed-Linked Imam Praises Graham’s Death, Prays for Trump’s Next

As one of my favorite poems warns: You can tell a man who boozes by the company he chooses … and the pig got up and slowly walked away. That applies in politics as well as boozing. The question in this case will be whether – and how many – pigs end up walking away. 

MEMRI has a clip of a Dearborn imam preaching of his happiness at the news of the death of Lindsey Graham. Mohammed Qazwini declared that Allah had taken Graham to hell, and that he prayed that Allah would do the same very soon for Allah to do the same to Donald Trump. And if that’s not bad enough, guess who recently lay down by Qazwini’s side? We’ll get to that in a moment:

Dearborn Heights Shiite Scholar Mohammad Qazwini Celebrates Lindsey Graham’s Death: Allah Slapped Him and Took His Soul to Hell; Says Graham Told His Friend President Trump That He Had More Plans to Finish His Job, Let’s Ask Allah to Also Take Graham’s Friend pic.twitter.com/1hlsximjbW

— MEMRI (@MEMRIReports) August 7, 2026

The Jerusalem Post reported on MEMRI’s clip, and provided the midterm political context as well:

He blamed Graham for what he called the “genocide in Gaza” and for the deaths of civilians in Lebanon, and described the senator’s death as “a slap” from Allah that Graham had not anticipated.

Qazwini then turned to Trump.

He asked worshippers to raise their hands and pray that Allah would also take “the friend of Lindsey Graham,” referring to the president, according to the footage. Qazwini said Allah could bring about sudden miracles and ended the passage by calling for victory for Islam and Muslims.

Qazwini endorsed Abdul El-Sayed in the primary, telling his followers that voting for El-Sayed was both a “moral responsibility” and a “religious duty.” In a separate sermon, Qazwini urged his congregation to deal a blow to Zionists by voting against Haley Stevens. The Free Beacon also reported on this earlier in the week, but hadn’t yet seen the clip about praying for Trump’s death. 

Both the Free Beacon and the Jerusalem Post note, however, that the endorsements have been bidirectional. Less than three months ago, El-Sayed attended the opening of Qazwini’s mosque, praising the facility and Qazwini’s leadership:

Qazwini—the head of the Islamic Institute of America who has been accused by socialist Sen. Bernie Sanders (I., Vt.) of “spreading antisemitic conspiracy theories”—encouraged congregants in sermons on July 24 and July 31 to support El-Sayed over primary opponent Haley Stevens. His sermons are part of an 11th-hour push on behalf of El-Sayed that makes clear the imam views Israel as the central issue in the Senate race.

The support is mutual. El-Sayed headlined the grand opening of the Islamic Institute of America on June 6, offering “hearty congratulations” to Qazwini and praising his “incredible masjid,” a 67,000-square-foot facility that features five golden domes.

In a July 24 sermon, Qazwini called Stevens, a pro-Israel moderate, a “puppet” of Israel and invoked tropes about Jewish influence and money, while framing a vote for El-Sayed as both a “moral responsibility” and a “religious duty.”

“Israel cares about its own interest and the money, the cash the U.S. pays it, because Israel and the pro-Israeli lobby, all they see in America … is a cash cow,” said Qazwini, whose father was appointed to Iran’s judiciary by Iran’s first supreme leader, Ayatollah Khomeini.

The Jerusalem Post offered a few more details about El-Sayed’s remarks at the opening, as well as Rashida Tlaib’s participation in it:

El-Sayed attended the June 6 dedication of the Islamic Institute’s new campus in Dearborn Heights, joining Rep. Rashida Tlaib, Dearborn Mayor Abdullah Hammoud, Dearborn Heights Mayor Mo Baydoun and other political and religious figures.

Local Arab-American media reported that El-Sayed spoke about the responsibility of mosques to feed the hungry, assist vulnerable people, promote justice and strengthen their communities.

This may not be El-Sayed’s mosque and imam, but it’s a mosque and imam that El-Sayed explicitly endorsed. Qazwini returned the favor in spades later, but it’s El-Sayed’s judgment and inclinations that matter. 

Will El-Sayed get up and slowly walk away? Barack Obama had to do that with Jeremiah Wright, eventually, as his pastor’s insane rhetoric threatened to expose Obama as a radical Leftist in moderate sheep’s clothing. Wright kept it more generally focused on the country as a whole, too; he didn’t pray for the death of an American president or a Senator. This rhetoric is far more specific, and much more closely linked to foreign influences than was the case with Wright. 

At the very least, the media should start asking El-Sayed why he endorsed a cleric that urged people to pray for the death of a sitting US president, and whether his endorsement of Qazwini should be withdrawn. Since the Protection Racket Media isn’t likely to ask that question, Mike Rogers should start asking it directly – and asking Michigan voters if this is who they see themselves to be. 

Editor’s Note: The 2026 Midterms will determine the fate of President Trump’s America First agenda. Republicans must maintain control of both chambers of Congress.

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