A Muslim cleric who issued an antisemitic prayer in 2017 was a featured speaker at the Islamic Center of St. Cloud’s 19th Annual Convention on Saturday. Also speaking at that event was a DFL state senator who represents the St. Cloud area.
“I invite everyone in St. Cloud and the surrounding communities to come and be part of this blessed gathering,” Imam Ammar Shahin wrote online about the Oct. 3 convention. “Bring your families and friends, and let’s come together around the Qur’an, knowledge, good character, and our beloved community.”
According to a post from the Islamic Center, the theme of the convention is “And Through Good Character, Nations Are Built.” Shahin was one of several “esteemed guests” that were promoted as part of the event.
However, the Muslim cleric drew national attention in 2017 after delivering a sermon at the Islamic Center of Davis in California after the Israeli government placed metal detectors at entrances to the Al-Aqsa Mosque, a prominent place of Islamic worship in Jerusalem.
According to Breitbart, Shahin’s remarks were delivered partially in English and partially in Arabic. However, Breitbart reported that a translation of Shahin’s prayer was conducted by the Middle East Media Research Institute.
“Oh Allah, support the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the rest of the Muslim lands,” the translation states. “Oh Allah, liberate the Al-Aqsa Mosque from the filth of the Jews. Oh Allah, destroy those who closed the Al-Aqsa Mosque.”
“Oh Allah, show us the black day that You inflict upon them, and the wonders of Your ability,” the translation continues. “Oh Allah, count them one by one and annihilate them down to the very last one. Do not spare any of them.”
The sermon prompted condemnation at the time, including from Democratic California Rep. John Garamendi, who called it “outrageous and unacceptable” and said, “hateful, anti-Semitic language has no place anywhere in America.”
The sermon was eventually removed from the Islamic Center of Davis’s YouTube page, and Shahin later apologized for his remarks during a press conference attended by religious and community leaders.
On Monday, Shahin posted photos of himself speaking at Saturday’s Islamic convention and thanked the Islamic Center of St. Cloud for their “great hospitality.” Photos from the one-day convention show DFL state Sen. Aric Putnam participating in a forum at the event.
According to the photos, Putnam and Shahin did not share the stage together.
Putnam is currently running for reelection to the Minnesota Senate. First elected in 2020, Putnam was most recently reelected in 2022 by almost five points. He faces Republican state Rep. Bernie Perryman in the November general election.
Alpha News reached out to Putnam’s office and campaign with questions for this story, but he did not respond to a media inquiry. Putnam will likely need support from St. Cloud’s sizeable Somali Muslim population in order to win reelection.
Currently, Democrats have a one-seat majority in the Senate and Putnam’s St. Cloud seat is one of just a few toss-up seats that could tip the Senate to the GOP.
Symone Harms
Symone Harms is a Media Production and Business Marketing student at Bethel University. She is actively involved in The Royals Investment Fund, The 25, theatre, and other leadership positions. She also cohosts Rooted, a podcast dedicated to being rooted in truth, growing in freedom, and prospering in life. A Minnesota native with a passion for storytelling and digital media, she aspires to a career in broadcasting as a news anchor and reporter.
