About this episode

The episode discusses the implications of NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani's reference to Islamic teachings in relation to migration policy, featuring insights from Prof Mordechai Kedar.

Please donate to support these conversations: https://jonathansacerdoti.com/donate When NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani referenced Islamic teachings and invoked the Hijrah in his speech at a multi-faith event, was he offering a message of spiritual resilience — or signalling something more political? In this conversation, Prof Mordechai Kedar unpacks what that reference really means, explaining how Hijrah is not simply a story of exile and refuge, marking the transition from marginalisation to sovereignty, from preaching to governing. We explore how a modern political leader drawing directly on that narrative deserves our urgent attention. Mordechai Kedar, one of Israel's most experienced scholars of Islamic culture, Arabic society, and political Islam, draws on decades of study, to explain how migration functions within Islamic tradition, how theology becomes statecraft, and why historical precedent matters in contemporary politics. We also assess Gaza after October 7th, Israel’s determination that Hamas does not return to power, and the argument for clan based emirates rather than nationalist or Islamist governance. Finally, we analyse Iran: credible threat, regime survival, ethnic…

People in this episode

Host: Jonathan Sacerdoti

Guest: Prof Mordechai Kedar

Topics covered

• Islamic teachings
• migration policy
• political Islam
• Hijrah
• Gaza
• Iran
• statecraft

Keywords

• Hijrah
• migration
• Islamic culture
• political leadership
• Gaza
• Hamas
• Iran
• statecraft

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Hamas

Places: Gaza, Israel, Iran

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