Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed is facing criticism over his planned appearance at a major Islamic convention that will also feature a Pakistani cleric who has admitted to forcing his 13-year-old niece into marriage, according to a report from the Washington Free Beacon.
El-Sayed, a Democrat running for one of Michigan’s two U.S. Senate seats, is scheduled to speak at the Islamic Society of North America’s (ISNA) 63rd annual convention, held in Detroit from September 4–7, the Free Beacon reported. His remarks are set for September 5 on a panel titled “Cultivating God Awareness in a Turmoiled America,” according to an itinerary cited by the outlet.
The Free Beacon described the roster of speakers as a “rogues’ gallery,” but singled out Tariq Masood, a Pakistani cleric who will present a session titled “avoiding mental illness in youth.” According to multiple Pakistani media reports cited by the Free Beacon, Masood admitted in a 2021 sermon that he forced his 13-year-old niece into marriage and advised his followers to do the same with their young female relatives.
Masood also reportedly said it is a husband’s decision whether his wife can attend college or must remain a housewife, citing Sharia, or Islamic religious law, the Free Beacon reported. In a separate social media post highlighted by the outlet, Masood allegedly said that after a girl turns nine, a father should be cautious around his own daughter, adding that if “lust awakens” in the father’s heart or any inappropriate act occurs, then his own wife becomes “haram” (forbidden) to him.
The Free Beacon also reported that Masood has promoted antisemitic conspiracy theories, including a 2024 sermon in which he boasted about the coming “final humiliation of the Jews” and said “The Koran condemns Jews.”
El-Sayed will not share a stage directly with Masood, according to the Free Beacon. Instead, he will appear alongside Syed Imtiaz Ahmad, who will moderate Masood’s panel—a setup the outlet described as a “one degree of separation” that allows for plausible deniability.
El-Sayed’s father-in-law is a founding member of the ISNA, which the Free Beacon noted is affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood.
The American Thinker, which amplified the Free Beacon’s reporting, characterized the convention as “a cross between a Nazi rally and a Sharia revival” and argued that El-Sayed’s presence reflects a broader shift in the Democratic Party toward what the outlet called a “Marxist-Islamic nexus.” The opinion piece also noted that El-Sayed has received endorsements from high-profile Democrats, including former President Barack Obama, and that the American Association of University Professors, which has never endorsed a political candidate in its 110-year history, has backed his campaign.
Neither El-Sayed’s campaign nor the ISNA has publicly responded to the Free Beacon’s reporting as of publication time.
This is not the first time El-Sayed’s political positions have drawn scrutiny from conservative commentators, but the convention appearance has added a new layer of controversy to an already competitive Senate race in Michigan.
The Free Beacon’s report relies on Pakistani media accounts and Masood’s own sermons, which are available on YouTube. The American Thinker piece, written by Andrea Widburg, draws heavily on that reporting and adds its own editorial commentary.
El-Sayed, a former Detroit health director and 2018 gubernatorial candidate, has positioned himself as a progressive voice in the Democratic primary. His campaign has emphasized healthcare access, economic justice, and civil rights, though critics on the right have repeatedly pointed to his past affiliations and rhetoric as evidence of extremism.
The ISNA convention, held annually, draws thousands of attendees and features a wide range of religious and community sessions. The organization has historically faced scrutiny over its alleged ties to the Muslim Brotherhood, which it has denied.
As the November election approaches, El-Sayed’s campaign will likely face continued questions about this appearance and his broader relationships within the Muslim American community—a constituency that has become politically significant in Michigan, particularly in the Detroit area.
The Free Beacon’s investigation into Masood’s remarks and the convention lineup has reignited debates about the boundaries of acceptable political association, with conservative media arguing that El-Sayed’s participation signals a willingness to platform figures with extreme views.
For now, the controversy shows no sign of abating, and it remains to be seen how Michigan voters—and Democratic primary voters in particular—will weigh the revelations about the convention’s other speakers against El-Sayed’s own record and policy platform.
Source: www.americanthinker.com — https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2026/08/abdulraham-mohamed-el-sayed-pals-around-with-a-pedophile-adjacent-cleric/