Did NY's Muslim mayor just use the Quran to fight Trump's migration policy? Neo-Islamic conquest and how compassion became our weakness and their strength – Prof Mordechai Kedar episode artwork

EPISODE · Feb 11, 2026 · 1H 5M

Did NY's Muslim mayor just use the Quran to fight Trump's migration policy? Neo-Islamic conquest and how compassion became our weakness and their strength – Prof Mordechai Kedar

from I'm Jonathan Sacerdoti · host Jonathan Sacerdoti

Please donate to support these conversations: https://jonathansacerdoti.com/donateWhen 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 fault lines, and whether decentralisation offers a more stable future than imposed unity.This is a conversation about power, legitimacy, and the operating systems beneath public rhetoric.👁‍🗨 Watch if you want to understand what Mamdani’s Hijrah reference signifies within Islamic history — and how migration narratives intersect with political authority in the West and the Middle East.💬 We Discuss:🕌 What the Hijrah represents in Islamic political development🏙️ How religious narrative can function as a framework for public authority⚖️ The boundary between personal religious practice and political Islam🔥 What makes Israel alarmed about the Trump plan for Gaza🏛️ The case for clan based emirates over ideological nationalist movements🌍 Why heterogenous Middle Eastern states struggle for legitimacy🛢️ Whether Iran is truly afraid of Trump's threats🧭 The argument for decentralisation as a path to stability🔔 Subscribe for more serious conversations on Israel, political Islam, geopolitics, and Western institutions.📲 Follow JonathanOn X: https://x.com/jonsacOn Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jonathansacerdoti/On Substack: https://jonsac.substack.com👇 Comment below — when political leaders invoke sacred history, should voters hear metaphor, or doctrine with institutional consequences?

Episode metadata supplied by the publisher feed · Published Feb 11, 2026

Embed this episode

Ready to play

Did NY's Muslim mayor just use the Quran to fight Trump's migration policy? Neo-Islamic conquest and how compassion became our weakness and their strength – Prof Mordechai Kedar

0:00 1:05:38

No transcript for this episode yet

We transcribe on demand. Request one and we'll notify you when it's ready — usually under 10 minutes.

No similar episodes found.

No similar podcasts found.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is this episode of I'm Jonathan Sacerdoti?

This episode is 1 hour and 5 minutes long.

When was this I'm Jonathan Sacerdoti episode published?

This episode was published on February 11, 2026.

Can I download this I'm Jonathan Sacerdoti episode?

Yes. Use the download control on the episode player to save the publisher-provided media file.
URL copied to clipboard!