By Sumayya
BEIRUT: From Michigan to the Middle East, Arab people are celebrating Abdul El-Sayed’s election victory and are very happy about his use of Arabic words like “habibi” and “inshallah” inside the American political vocabulary.
After being the target of anti-Muslim speech on the campaign path, the rising political star, who will turn into the very first Muslim American U.S. senator, has mocked his critics on the political right while supporting the Palestinian cause and embracing his faith and Egyptian family background.
“JD, habibi,” El-Sayed expressed in his winning speech, speaking directly to U.S. Vice President JD Vance. Vance had previously warned that the candidate would guide rioters to burn down the city of Detroit. “There is this delicious irony in the fact that you’re constitutionally obligated to swear me in in January.”
‘Habibi’ Is a Word for Affection
“Habibi” literally translates to “my beloved” and is used frequently across Arab pop songs. In normal everyday speech, it frequently means “buddy,” “pal,” or “bro.” El-Sayed’s followers have worn shirts that read “Habibi for Abdul.”
El-Sayed, who is the son of Egyptian immigrants, stated that his campaign had turned “inshallah”—which means “God willing”—into “hamdulillah,” which translates to “thank God.”
Arab people were thrilled by the gentle teasing of the vice president, with many individuals putting up music video clips that feature the word “habibi” on social media sites. It stood as a rare display of true joy in a region hurt by past and current wars, which have also fueled bad, harmful stereotypes inside the West.
One user on the app X put up a video of Egyptian singer Shireen Abd El-Wahab dancing to one of her most popular tracks, joking that El-Sayed would turn it into the new national anthem.
Egyptians are famous across the Arab world for their great sense of humor and are known for making jokes when facing life’s tough difficulties, a spirit that has been made popular in movies and by well-known funny actors.
Playing off El-Sayed’s winning speech, some individuals shared a joke meme from an Egyptian movie where a man goes to a funeral while high and cannot stop himself from laughing. “I came here to crack jokes,” read the caption text, quoting a direct line from the film.
An Egyptian university teacher, Khalil Al-Anani, praised El-Sayed on the app X, stating: “’Habibi’ is the sweetest word.” He gave his thanks to the senator-elect for bringing happiness to Egyptian people.
Signs of Shift After Decades of Dislike
Arab and Muslim Americans have faced unfair prejudice for decades, with popular movies showing them as terrorists and politicians on the political right spreading baseless fears regarding the forcing of sharia, or Islamic law.
During the election campaign, U.S. President Donald Trump spoke about El-Sayed as a “jihadist,” brought up memories of the September 11 attacks, and on purpose said the candidate’s name completely wrong.
On social media, internet users answered those attacks by putting up light-hearted videos, including clips of Lebanese star Haifa Wehbe belly dancing and young women wearing veils breakdancing in the streets.
“Donald, look, I know you’ve struggled with my name,” El-Sayed stated in his winning speech. “So after JD swears me in in January, you can just go on and call me ‘senator.’”
