Abdul El-Sayed faces backlash over remarks comparing political agenda to Jesus

Michigan Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Abdulrahman Mohamed El-Sayed is facing criticism following remarks made during an appearance on ‘The Progressive Christians Podcast’ in May.

During the discussion, the podcast hosts compared left-wing policies, such as Medicare for All and opposition to corporate influence, to the teachings of Jesus. In response to questions regarding why such positions are labeled as radical, El-Sayed stated that Jesus ‘was considered radical in his time too’ and noted the radical nature of standing forthright during times of corruption.

El-Sayed also addressed how his Muslim faith informs his political life, citing the Quranic principle that there is no compulsion in religion. While some critics have characterized his comparisons as blasphemous or an attempt to use religious figures for political purposes, others note he was drawing a parallel between the labels applied to Jesus and those applied to his own political agenda.