A video of the sermon given at the As-Sabiqun mosque in Washington, D.C., on September 11, 2026, was initially streamed online through the organization’s official channels. Due to the remarks made during the sermon, the video sparked public attention and scrutiny. Archived footage and transcripts of the sermon are now accessible on the website of the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI).
The mosque’s imam stated, “Our goal is to [establish] the Islamic State of North America by 2050.”
Notably, by 2050, projections from the Pew Research Center indicate that the global Muslim population will be almost equal to, but not quite exceed, the number of Christians. Islam is expected to surpass Christianity later in the century, around 2070.
This ambitious vision aligns with broader demographic trends, as projections from the Pew Research Center indicate that by 2050, the global Muslim population will be almost equal to, but not quite exceed, the number of Christians. In fact, Islam is anticipated to surpass Christianity later in the century, around 2070.
Notably, the imam also referred to the 9/11 attacks as a “joke” and “a tool to go after the Muslims” aimed at destabilizing and dividing the Muslim community to prevent them from posing a threat to Western security. “This is what 9/11 was. It was a false flag.”
“… So at this time, let us build the buildup of the Islamic movement, and invite America to Islam. This is our mission.”
The controversial nature of these statements did not stand alone on the heels of 9/11; just two weeks later, on September 25, the Hadi Institute Shiite Islamic Center in Dearborn, Michigan, further fueled the Islamic discourse by hosting a memorial service to honor the late Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah.
During the event, an unidentified community member delivered a eulogy, expressing that “the streets of Beirut and all over Lebanon” mourn the loss of Nasrallah, who was killed on September 27, 2024.
“…yes, we do definitely miss our dear Sayyid, but we tell our dear Sayyid that the martyred Sayyid Hassan Nasrallah is even stronger and his message lives on forever,” the speaker stated.
Addressing critics who label Nasrallah a terrorist or view his supporters as sympathizers, he asserted, “We are not scared of you … We know who the true terrorists are. The terrorists are the ones who bomb children. The terrorists are the ones who commit a genocide. And we are not scared, and we are proud to say Hassan Nasrallah is our leader and the person we look up to because he was the one who stood up for the oppressed.”
Moments before Usama Abdulghani, the imam of the Hadi Institute, began to deliver his remarks, the speaker said, “… it is our duty and our responsibility and our honor to say that [Hassan Nasrallah] is our leader. And we are not scared.”
This declaration echoed in a city with one of the largest Muslim populations in the nation, making it no surprise that support for Nasrallah in Dearborn is strong, but who exactly was Nasrallah?
Throughout his 32-year tenure as the Secretary-General of Hezbollah, Nasrallah was linked to numerous acts of terrorism. His leadership has seen the organization engage in explosive attacks, military provocations, and cross-border rocket strikes targeting civilian populations.
As a result of these actions, Nasrallah was officially designated a Specially Designated Global Terrorist by the United States, while Hezbollah continues to be designated as a terrorist organization by several entities, including the U.S. Department of State, Israel, the European Union, and member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council.
This designation was largely influenced by a series of heinous acts orchestrated under his command, one of the most devastating being a catastrophic event in 1994 when Hezbollah’s covert external operations unit executed a suicide bombing at the Asociación Mutual Israelita Argentina (AMIA) Jewish community center in Buenos Aires. This attack resulted in the deaths of 85 individuals and injuries to over 300, making it the deadliest terrorist act in Argentina’s history.
Intelligence reports also established connections between Nasrallah’s command network and various plots aimed at Israelis, Westerners, and Jewish institutions across Europe, Asia, and South America. Notable disruptions occurred in countries such as Thailand, India, and Bulgaria.
In 2006, Nasrallah’s authorization of a surprise cross-border raid into Israel to abduct soldiers directly instigated the Second Lebanon War. This conflict led to the indiscriminate firing of thousands of rockets into Israeli civilian areas.
Further extending his influence, Nasrallah deployed thousands of Hezbollah terrorists into Syria beginning in 2012 to support the regime of Bashar al-Assad. Western authorities accused his forces of involvement in operations that resulted in the massacre, siege, and displacement of Syrian civilians.
Most recently, from October 8, 2023, Nasrallah was aligned with Hamas and initiated a year-long assault on northern Israel, launching more than 6,000 rockets, missiles, and explosive drones into Israeli territory. This offensive resulted in the deaths of dozens of civilians and the displacement of over 60,000 individuals.
After drawing international attention and condemnation, the violent campaign was brought to an abrupt end when Nasrallah was killed in a targeted Israeli airstrike on September 27, 2024.
Although Nasrallah has been labeled a Specially Designated Global Terrorist by the United States, it is not surprising that the Dearborn Shiite Islamic center is marking the two-year anniversary of his death.
The Detroit suburb boasts a predominantly Arab population, with an estimated Muslim demographic ranging from 45% to 54%, making it the U.S. city with the highest percentage of Arab and Muslim residents. The city is governed by influential Muslim officials, particularly Abdullah Hammoud, who is recognized as the first Arab-American and Muslim mayor.
Appointed by Mayor Hammoud and assuming his role in January 2022, Police Chief Issa Shahin is the first Muslim to head the Dearborn Police Department. He also serves as the vice chair of the Michigan Commission on Law Enforcement Standards (MCOLES). Dearborn’s seven-member City Council also showcases significant representation from the Arab-American and Muslim communities.
The events surrounding the sermon at the As-Sabiqun mosque and the subsequent memorial for Hassan Nasrallah highlight the complex dynamics within the Muslim community in America, where strong emotions and diverse perspectives exist alongside a burgeoning Muslim faith…but is this type of rhetoric welcome in America?
The post A Controversial Sermon and the Vision for the Islamic State of North America by 2050, and the Commemoration of a Dead Terrorist Leader appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
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