When Zohran Mamdani is sworn in on Jan. 1, he will begin not only a new mayoralty, but also a series of unprecedented firsts in New York’s civic history. Mamdani, a millennial, South Asian and Muslim leader, will become the city’s first Muslim mayor – and the first to swear on the Koran.
The inauguration will take place in two distinct ceremonies, mixing symbolism, faith and the city’s layered history. A private midnight swearing-in will take place in a disused subway station below City Hall, followed by a public ceremony on the steps of City Hall later in the day.
The oath on the Koran is a historical first
During both ceremonies, Zohran Mamdani will place his hand on the Koran, Islam’s holiest text, becoming the first New York mayor to do so. According to chief adviser Zara Rahim, he is expected to use at least three different Qurans during the ceremonies.
For a private swearing-in early Thursday, Mamdani will use her grandfather’s Koran and another that once belonged to Arturo Schomburg, the black Afro-Latin intellectual whose work helped shape the Harlem Renaissance. Schomburg’s Koran was lent by the New York Public Library. For the public ceremony, Mamdani will use the Korans that belonged to his grandfather and grandmother.
The inclusion of Schomburg’s Koran is deeply symbolic. Although not Muslim, Schomburg collected the text as part of his lifelong effort to document the full range of black cultural, artistic, and religious life.
“It’s a highly symbolic choice because we’re going to have a Muslim mayor who swears by the Koran, but also a mayor who was born on the African continent, in Uganda,” said Hiba Abid, curator of Middle Eastern and Islamic studies at the library. “It really brings together elements of New York’s faith, identity and history here.”
A Koran with deep roots in black history
This photo provided by The New York Public Library shows the Schomburg Koran on Dec. 16, 2025 in New York City. (Jonathan Blanc/The New York Public Library via AP)(AP)
Schomburg’s Koran, recovered from Ottoman Syria and intended for everyday use, will be on public display for the first time as part of a special exhibition at the New York Public Library.
The exhibit will coincide with the Schomburg Center for Black Cultural Research’s year-long centennial celebration, which will begin the Tuesday after Mamdani’s inauguration.
This photo provided by The New York Public Library shows the Schomburg Koran on Dec. 16, 2025 in New York City. (Jonathan Blanc/The New York Public Library via AP)(AP)
Schomburg sold his collection — more than 4,000 items — to the library in 1926, laying the groundwork for the center. His decision to include the Koran was in part a rebuttal to a childhood teacher who once told him that blacks lacked history or notable figures.
Abid said the exhibit is intended not only to highlight Schomburg’s legacy, but also to deepen public understanding of Muslim life in New York.
Faith, politics and public life
Although it is customary for elected officials to swear an oath with their hands on a religious text, there is no legal requirement that they do so—or that they use any book at all. Most of New York’s past mayors swore on the Bible.
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Mamdani’s aides said that because of his faith, which was a defining feature of his campaign and a frequent target of political hostility, it was especially important to incorporate both family heirlooms and historically significant texts into the ceremony.
In a statement, Rahim said Mamdani’s decision would address the “long-delayed absence” of Muslims in the city’s civic life.
“This moment will mark a turning point in New York’s civic history, and it belongs to every New Yorker whose lives have quietly shaped this city without ever being reflected back at them,” she said.
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Mamdani joins a small group of US elected officials who have used the Koran during their swearing-in, including Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison and Representative Ilhan Omar. In New York, City Councilwoman Shahana Hanif took the oath of office on a family Koran in 2022.
Midnight oath in an abandoned subway station
Opened in 1904 and decommissioned in 1945, the station once served as one of the city’s original subway stops and now functions as a turnaround for the 5 train.(Architectural)
As tens of thousands of New Yorkers gather in Times Square to welcome 2026, New York Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani will take his private oath of office at midnight in an abandoned subway station beneath City Hall, an architectural relic of the Gilded Age.
Opened in 1904 and decommissioned in 1945, the station once served as one of the city’s original subway stops and now functions as a turnaround for the 5 train.
It was designated a New York City landmark in 1979 and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2004.
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Mamdani described the site as symbolically resonating “the beginning of a new era”.
“It was a physical monument to a city that dared to be beautiful while building great things that would change the lives of working people,” he said.
“That ambition need not be a memory confined to our past, nor isolated to the tunnels beneath City Hall: it will be the purpose of an administration fortunate enough to serve New Yorkers from the building above.”
He added that he was “humbled by the opportunity to lead millions of New Yorkers into a new era of opportunity and honored to continue our city’s legacy of greatness.”
Political figures and tensions
New York Attorney General Letitia James will administer the midnight oath, with a second public ceremony later in the day led by Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, followed by a block party along Broadway.
James said the subway setup reflects the city’s shared civic life. “For all our strengths and weaknesses as individuals, we take the train together to places far and wide,” she said.
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Only former mayor Bill de Blasio confirmed attendance. Former mayors Michael Bloomberg and Rudy Giuliani have not commented publicly, while outgoing Mayor Eric Adams said he would make a decision after speaking with Mamdani.
“It’s a very important historic day and it’s unfortunate that there is a group of some of his supporters, some of them who are more against everything,” Adams said. “If he’s fine, I’m fine.” Mamdani later said that his predecessor was “still welcome at my inauguration”.
Early Clashes and Leadership Symbolism
Even before taking office, Mamdani faced criticism from high-ranking figures. Tech billionaire Elon Musk criticized Mamdani’s decision to appoint Lillian Bonsignore, an experienced emergency medical services executive, to head the city’s fire department.
“Proven experience is important when lives are at stake,” Musk wrote on X. Mamdani responded, “Experience matters, which is why I appointed a person who has spent 30+ years in EMS. You know, the workforce that addresses at least 70% of all calls coming into FDNY?”
