Zohran Mamdani’s campaign for New York City mayor has come under scrutiny over his support for decriminalizing prostitution, a position that conflicts with Islam. On Friday, September 12th, Mayor Eric Adams campaigned at the Islamic Cultural Center of the Bronx, directly addressing Mamdani’s stance before the congregants.
“Now, I know you have a Muslim who’s running for mayor, and so there’s a natural desire to say they’ll understand your concerns as Muslims,” Adams explained. “But as Muslims, you don’t believe in prostitution. This candidate does. As Muslims, you believe in family. This candidate does not.” He recalled his efforts defending Muslim communities after the September 11th attacks: “After 9/11, Muslims were criticized, mosques were infiltrated, they were attacked. I stood up in 2001 and stood with my Muslim brothers and sisters. One anti-Muslim senator wanted to desecrate the Koran on the Senate floor, and I told him if he did, I would knock him out.”
Adams’ remarks drew attention to Mamdani’s religious and community engagement. Critics note that Mamdani, while identifying as Muslim, does not regularly attend Friday prayers at a local mosque. Some argue that his outreach to African communities only intensified after launching his mayoral campaign, presenting himself differently depending on the audience—as a Muslim in mosques and as an African Muslim at community gatherings.
Mamdani has long advocated decriminalizing prostitution, arguing it would improve public safety by focusing law enforcement on traffickers rather than sex workers. Opponents counter that such policies could worsen conditions, citing increases in open-air sex markets in Queens and Brooklyn and related criminal activity.
Drawing on his law enforcement background, Adams emphasized that legalizing prostitution could ignore the violence, abuse, and exploitation faced by those in the sex trade. Former Governor Andrew Cuomo, also a mayoral candidate, warned that failing to enforce prostitution laws effectively repeals them, creating opportunities for gangs and organized crime to thrive.
The debate highlights a broader tension within New York’s Muslim electorate: many voters question whether Mamdani can maintain his identity as a Muslim candidate while advancing policies that are against Islamic teachings.
