Abdul El-Sayed, the Democratic nominee for the U.S. Senate in Michigan, is facing renewed scrutiny after a resurfaced video from a 2018 gubernatorial forum drew widespread attention.
The clip shows El-Sayed responding sharply to accusations from then-rival Patrick Colbeck regarding alleged ties to the Muslim Brotherhood, a group that advocates for implementing Sharia law as a legal framework.
“Now, you may not hate Muslims,” El-Sayed said at the forum. “But I’ll tell you, Muslims definitely hate you.”
The remark came directly in response to questioning from Colbeck, a Michigan lawmaker who was also running for governor at the time, about El-Sayed’s religious affiliations and organizational connections.
Colbeck alleged during the panel that El-Sayed had ties to the Muslim Students Association, a group listed in a strategy memorandum for North America written by Muslim Brotherhood member Mohamad Akram.
El-Sayed served as vice president of the MSA chapter at the University of Michigan during his senior year in 2007, according to College Fix, though Fox News Digital has not uncovered any direct tie between El-Sayed and the Muslim Brotherhood itself.
The memorandum cited by Colbeck lists a wide range of organizations, from the Islamic Book Service to the Association of Muslim Scientists and Engineers, groups that do not maintain formal relationships with the Muslim Brotherhood.
“This is very serious stuff, guys. This is about civilization jihad,” Colbeck said during the 2018 forum, escalating the confrontation before the moderator intervened.
The moderator turned to El-Sayed directly, asking: “Is Sharia Law instituted here in the state of Michigan a real concern?”
El-Sayed used the moment to firmly reject the premise, pledging to uphold the Constitution if elected and defending his right to practice his faith freely under it.
“I solemnly swear to uphold the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of this state — that’s the oath that if any one of us is elected, we will swear. I take that oath particularly seriously because it guarantees me the right to pray as I choose to pray,” El-Sayed said.
“Sharia law is not in question in this state,” he added, drawing a clear line between his personal religious practice and governance.
Fox News Digital is not aware of any proposals from El-Sayed to implement facets of Sharia law, and his campaign has been explicit on the matter when pressed.
“Abdul believes in the separation of church and state. While he personally lives by the rules of his faith, as many Americans of various faiths do, Abdul opposes any effort by any religious community to write their faith laws into the laws of our country,” an El-Sayed campaign spokesperson told the Washington Free Beacon.
The Muslim Brotherhood, while not designated a terrorist organization by the United States, has been banned by Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Russia, citing the group’s history of armed activity.
The organization renounced violence in the 1970s but has continued advocating for codifying Muslim religious beliefs in legal systems around the world, stating in a 2012 document that Sharia “is the most important issue that preoccupies us.”
Concerns over Sharia law in the American political landscape have been voiced by figures including Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, who warned in a 2025 press release that “America is facing a threat that directly attacks our Constitution and our Western values: the spread of Sharia law.”
The broader debate intersects with demographic shifts in places like Dearborn, Michigan, where, according to the 2020 U.S. Census, roughly 54.5% of residents reported Middle Eastern or North African ancestry.
Pastor Lorenzo Sewell of 180 Church drew national attention after declaring at a Dearborn town council meeting: “America, we have lost this city. This is a city that is no longer up under American laws; we are up under Sharia law.”
The resurfaced video adds another layer of controversy to El-Sayed’s Senate campaign as he heads into a closely watched Michigan race that has drawn national attention from both parties.
