At an April 10, 2024 Eid Al-Fitr sermon at the Dearborn Hadi Youth Community Center, Michigan Imam Usama Abdulghani spoke about the April 5 Quds Day rally in Dearborn at which protestors chanted "Death to America."[1] He said that "we were all quite surprised" at the "Death to America" chant, and that "Allah teaches us not to say words that can be used by the enemy to hurt the cause." He added that it was "a mistake" – that although "we are all upset... with Biden's hands being up to his elbows in the blood of the Palestinians," the "second point is more for the enemies. You see there is something more sinister at play."
At the April 5 rally, Abdulghani had said that "the people of the world now know" that "Israel is ISIS, they are Nazis, they are fascists, they are racists. The people of the world now know this."
In October 2023, Abdulghani had said that "those Zionist soldiers, who are trying to go into Gaza... they are walking into a buzz saw. Literally, they are going to be putting their hands into a blender if they go inside there."[2] About the Hamas October 7 attack, he said that "the operation Al-Aqsa Flood, that day when it took place, was definitely what we call 'one of the days of God.'" About "those lions," the Hamas fighters, he said that they "are defending not just Palestine, but they are fighting on behalf of the entire nation of Muhammad the Messenger... The way that your youth have chosen, the way that your honorable soldiers have chosen is the only path to victory."[3]
In June 2022, Abdulghani praised the IRGC and Hizbullah leaders, saying: "Individuals like Shahid [IRGC Qods Force commander] Qassem Soleimani, Shahid Abu Mahdi Al-Muhandis [who was killed together with Soleimani in a U.S. airstrike in January 2020] – these people were the true miracle of Imam [Ayatollah Ruhollah] Khomeini... The students of Imam Khomeini – one of them [Hizbullah secretary-general] Hassan Nasrallah... trained people to become giant killers."[4] The previous month, he referred to Zionists as "animals" and "baby killers."[5]
Abdulghani's April 10 sermon was streamed live on Light of Guidance on YouTube.
Click here or below to watch the clip of Usama Abdulghani on MEMRI TV.
Below is the transcript of the clip:
"We Were All Quite Surprised When In The Al-Quds Day Rally, Someone Who Was In The Rally Started Chanting: 'Death To America!'"
Imam Usama Abdulghani: "We were all quite surprised when in the Al-Quds Day rally, someone who was in the rally started chanting: 'Death to America!' That was a surprise to all of us.
[...]
"By the way, before I start my explanation, this isn't going to be me throwing a Muslim under the bus because I'm scared of Fox News.
[...]
"This is Biden's war. Now, in light of that, just for context... So tempers were high... People around the world are upset. But you and I, we are talking about another question – should that brother have said 'death to America?'
[...]
"Is it good to say it?
[...]
"Allah teaches us not to say words that can be used by the enemy to hurt the cause."
[...]
"Was He Wrong For Being Against The American Oppression? No. Does He Not Have The Right To Stand Up And Be Upset?"
"It was a mistake for that brother to say that. Was he wrong for being against the American oppression? No. Does he not have the right to stand up and be upset? And do the rest of us... Because all of us are upset with the American president, with Biden's hands being up to his elbows in the blood of the Palestinians. We are all upset with American foreign policy. We get to [be]. That is when I am going to say something else I have to say.
"The second point is more for the enemies. You see there is something more sinister at play. Saying 'Death to America!' here in America, where the masses have gone all out... You and I, our own neighbors, our coworkers, they've had more protests than we have.
[...]
"The people of conscience in this country are protesting. They are going outside the Israeli embassy, they are standing on ships, they are stopping traffic.
[...]
"Everybody in America, the majority of people are against this war."
[...]
"They Said Loudly: 'From The River To The Sea, Palestine Will Be Free. When People Are Occupied, Resistance Is Justified.' I Was There In Washington, They Had [Qassam Brigades' Spokesman] Abu Ubeida Flags In Washington, Next To Biden"
"They said loudly: 'From the River to the Sea, Palestine will be free. When people are occupied, resistance is justified.' I was there in Washington, they had [Qassam Brigades' spokesman] Abu Ubeida flags in Washington, next to Biden. Why did they single you out? The enemies, they think you Muslims are second-class citizens."
[1] See MEMRI Clip No. 11004, At International Al-Quds Day Rally In Dearborn, Michigan Protesters Chant 'Death To America!'; Speakers Say: America Is One Of The 'Rottenest Countries' On Earth; Israel Is ISIS, Nazi, A Cancer, April 5, 2024.
[2] See MEMRI Special Dispatch No. 10913, Michigan Imam Usama Abdulghani: If The Zionist Soldiers Of The Devil Enter Gaza It Will Be Like Walking Into A Buzz Saw, Putting Their Hands In A Blender, October 27, 2023.
[3] See MEMRI Clip No. 10861, At Dearborn, Michigan Pro-Hamas Rally Praising The October 7 Attack, Held In Front Of Henry Ford Centennial Library, Imam Abdulghani Says: October 7 Was A Day Of God, A Miracle, October 14, 2023.
[4] See MEMRI TV Clip No. 9616, Michigan Islamic Scholar Usama Abdulghani: Khomeini Trained The Youth To Be 'Giant Killers,' Like Soleimani, Nasrallah, Al-Muhandis; Islam Is Supreme, June 3, 2022.
[5] See MEMRI TV Clip No. 9602, Michigan Islamic Scholar Usama Abdulghani: Israel Wants To Take Over The World; The Zionists Are Animals, Baby-Killers – The Palestinians Have A Right To Stand Up To Them, May 13, 2022.
