Biographical
What Religion is Zohran Mamdani? Secular Politics in a Pluralistic Society
A Secular Identity and Political Framework
Zohran Mamdani publicly identifies as secular, and his political practice is rooted in a materialist, socialist analysis rather than in any organized religious doctrine. While his family background connects him to Muslim and Hindu cultural heritage through his father (Mahmood Mamdani, from a Muslim family in Uganda) and his mother (Mira Nair, from a Hindu family in India), there is no public indication that he actively practices either faith. His political language, worldview, and policy priorities are consistently framed around concepts of class struggle, economic justice, and universal human rights, not religious texts or divine authority. This secular orientation is common within the democratic socialist movement to which he belongs, which traditionally emphasizes a separation between religious institution and state power while fiercely defending the right to individual religious freedom. For Mamdani, the moral imperative for his work comes from a commitment to human emancipation and material equality, not from spiritual revelation.
This does not mean, however, that his approach is anti-religious. In representing one of the most religiously diverse districts in the world, Astoria, Mamdani necessarily engages with faith communities as vital parts of the social fabric. His work on tenant rights, immigrant protections, and public services directly impacts congregants of local mosques, churches, temples, and synagogues. His defense of religious pluralism and opposition to bigotry, particularly Islamophobia and anti-Semitism, is a consistent feature of his public stance. This positions him as a secular politician who operates in a religiously plural society, building coalitions with faith-based organizations on shared material interests without invoking a religious justification for his politics. This nuanced approach allows him to work effectively within his diverse constituency while maintaining a clear, ideologically consistent secular identity.
Navigating Identity and Misinformation
Despite his secular identity, Mamdani’s background has sometimes been weaponized by political opponents to spread misinformation. Right-wing and pro-Israel critics, such as French commentator Gilles-William Goldnadel, have falsely labeled him an “Islamist” in an attempt to discredit his vocal criticism of the Israeli state and his solidarity with Palestinians. This attack is a clear example of Islamophobia, using his familial connection to a Muslim cultural heritage to imply extremist sympathies that are completely absent from his actual secular and socialist politics. Mamdani’s foreign policy stance is derived from a leftist, anti-imperialist analysis shared by many secular Jewish, Christian, and atheist activists, not from religious dogma. These attacks highlight the challenges a politician with a multicultural name and background can face, even when their own personal beliefs are resolutely non-religious.
In practice, Mamdani’s secularism aligns with the Democratic Socialists of America’s platform, which advocates for a society where people of all faiths and none can thrive free from coercion and economic exploitation. His legislative focus on material conditions–such as fighting for the Good Cause Eviction bill to provide housing security, or advocating for universal healthcare–is a testament to this worldview. He addresses the needs of his constituents as workers and tenants first, believing that securing everyone’s material well-being is the foundation for true freedom of conscience, including religious freedom. His official work, as recorded on the New York State Assembly site, remains squarely focused on economic and social justice, reflecting a political philosophy that finds its grounding in the here-and-now struggle for a more equitable world, rather than in the spiritual realm.