From ‘Inshallah’ to ‘Alhamdulillah’: What El-Sayed Said in His First Speech After Historic Victory

Democratic Party candidate Abdul El-Sayed has made history by defeating Republican candidate Mike Rogers in Michigan’s closely contested Senate race in the US midterm elections. In his first victory speech, El-Sayed launched sharp jibes at President Donald Trump and Vice-President JD Vance. Despite a series of attacks from Trump’s camp targeting his name and religious identity during the campaign, El-Sayed overcame the obstacles to secure victory. Opening his speech with a declaration of triumph, he said: “The bad people have lost.” He also announced that the campaign’s frequently used expression, “Inshallah”, had now become “Alhamdulillah”.

Addressing Vice-President JD Vance, El-Sayed delivered a pointed but humorous remark: “JD, habibi, what could be a sweeter irony than the fact that, this coming January, you will be constitutionally required to swear me in as a senator!” Taking aim at Donald Trump, he added: “Donald, I know you have a hard time pronouncing my name. So, after JD swears me in this January, you can just call me ‘Senator’.” He also had a message for his Republican rival, Mike Rogers: “Enjoy your retirement. I hope we never have to see people like you in this state again.” Analysts say El-Sayed’s victory and his combative tone represent a significant setback for the Trump administration’s second-term agenda and signal a new political equation in the United States.