Arabs Celebrate Abdul El-Sayed's Senate Victory and the Joy of Arabic in U.S. Politics
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Abdul El-Sayed's win as the first Muslim American U.S. senator sparked jubilant celebrations across Arab communities, with many embracing his use of the Arabic words “habibi” and “inshallah” as a rare, humanizing break from the usual exclusionary tone of American politics.
Arabs from the United States to the Middle East praised Abdul El-Sayed after his election to the U.S. Senate, celebrating not only his victory but also his introduction of Arabic expressions such as “habibi” and “inshallah” into American political discourse. The Michigan-born candidate, the son of Egyptian immigrants, became the first Muslim American senator and used his victory speech to directly address Vice President JD Vance, saying, "JD, habibi," and pointing to the irony of Vance’s constitutional duty to swear him in in January.
"Habibi" translates to “my beloved” but is commonly used as a warm, familiar term meaning “buddy” or “pal,” and supporters proudly displayed shirts reading “Habibi for Abdul.” El-Sayed also said his campaign transformed the phrase "inshallah" ("God willing") into "hamdulillah" ("thank God"), turning a phrase of uncertainty into one of relief and triumph.
Social media users in Arab countries shared music videos and memes referencing the term, including a clip of Egyptian singer Shireen Abd El-Wahab and a humorous film scene. Egyptian academic Khalil al-Anani praised the word on X, calling it "the sweetest word" and thanking the senator-elect for bringing joy to Egyptians.
The celebration comes after President Donald Trump had previously labeled El-Sayed a "jihadist" and misnamed him during the campaign, a smear that many saw as part of the same crude politics El-Sayed has now turned on its head. In response, El-Sayed joked in his speech, "Donald, look, I know you've struggled with my name. So after JD swears me in in January, you can just go on and call me 'senator.'"