In a historic first for New York City, incoming Mayor Zohran Mamdani will take his oath of office on centuries-old Qurans, marking a significant cultural milestone for America’s largest city. The 34-year-old Democrat will become the first Muslim, first South Asian, and first African-born person to lead the metropolis of 8.8 million people.

Mamdani’s midnight swearing-in ceremony will take place in a long-closed subway station beneath City Hall, where he will place his hand on two Qurans that belonged to his grandparents. Later, during a New Year’s Day ceremony at City Hall, he will use a third Quran—a pocket-sized manuscript dating to the late 18th or early 19th century from the New York Public Library’s Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture.

Most of Mamdani’s predecessors were sworn in on a Bible, though the oath to uphold federal, state, and city constitutions does not require any religious text. The decision reflects New York City’s diverse Muslim population, which has deep roots in the metropolitan area.

“It’s a small Quran, but it brings together elements of faith and identity in New York City history,” said Hiba Abid, curator for Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies at the New York Public Library.

The historic manuscript comes from the collection of Arturo Schomburg, a Black Puerto Rican historian who documented global contributions of people of African descent. Scholars believe Schomburg acquired the Quran as part of his interest in the historical relationship between Islam and Black cultures across the United States and Africa.

Unlike ornate religious texts often associated with royalty, this particular Quran is modest in design, featuring a deep red binding with a simple floral medallion. Its plain, readable script suggests it was created for everyday use rather than ceremonial display—a quality that Abid described as central to its meaning.

“The importance of this Quran lies not in luxury, but in accessibility,” she noted.

Scholars have estimated the manuscript’s origins to the late 18th or early 19th century during the Ottoman period in a region that now includes Syria, Lebanon, Israel, the Palestinian territories, and Jordan. The manuscript’s journey to New York parallels Mamdani’s own multicultural background as a South Asian New Yorker born in Uganda. His wife, Rama Duwaji, is American-Syrian and helped select one of the books for the ceremony.

Throughout his campaign, Mamdani was outspoken about his Muslim faith while focusing primarily on affordability issues facing New Yorkers. He frequently appeared at mosques across the five boroughs, building support among many first-time South Asian and Muslim voters who helped propel him to victory.

However, his rise as a Muslim democratic socialist has not been without controversy. Mamdani’s campaign faced a surge of Islamophobic rhetoric, amplified by national attention on the mayoral race. Days before the election, he delivered an emotional speech addressing this hostility.

“I will not change who I am, how I eat, or the faith that I’m proud to call my own,” Mamdani declared. “I will no longer look for myself in the shadows. I will find myself in the light.”

The decision to use a Quran has drawn fresh criticism from some conservatives. U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville of Alabama wrote on social media, “The enemy is inside the gates,” in response to news about Mamdani’s inauguration plans. The Council on American-Islamic Relations has previously designated Tuberville as an anti-Muslim extremist based on past statements.

Such backlash echoes controversy from 2006 when Keith Ellison, the first Muslim elected to Congress, faced condemnation after choosing to use a Quran for his ceremonial oath.

Following the inauguration, the historic Quran will go on public display at the New York Public Library. Abid hopes the attention surrounding the ceremony will encourage more people to explore the library’s collections documenting Islamic life in New York, from early 20th century Armenian and Arabic music recorded in the city to firsthand accounts of Islamophobia after the September 11 attacks.

“This manuscript was meant to be used by ordinary readers when it was produced,” Abid said. “Today it lives in a public library where anyone can encounter it.”