Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) on Thanksgiving posted a flashback of her reciting an Islamic prayer at St Peter’s Catholic Church in Washington, DC, as part of a service she attended in January.
Omar attended what was described as a “multi-faith” gathering which drew a number of high profile attendees like House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL), Rep. Donna Shalala (D-FL), and many more:
Attended a Bipartisan Multi faith prayer service for 116th Congress at St Peter’s Catholic Church in DC with Rep Ilham Omar -MN, Raja Krishnamoorti-IL, Rep Donna Edna Shalala- FL, Speaker Nancy Pelosi- CA and over 2 dozen other members of Congress followed by celebration events. pic.twitter.com/ZqqrzFpSnE
— Azhar Azeez (@ISNAVI) January 4, 2019
On Thanksgiving, Omar posted a flashback video, featuring the freshman lawmaker reciting an Islamic prayer at the service.
“Alhamdullilah [praise be to Allah] for the opportunity to serve my constituents, to care for my children and have a wonderful love in my life,” Omar tweeted alongside the video.
“This is a prayer a read on the start of Congress and feel grounded in its blessings,” she continued. “Thank you all for standing with me and for our progressive movement!”:
Alhamdullilah for the opportunity to serve my constituents, to care for my children and have a wonderful love in my life.
This is a prayer a read on the start of Congress and feel grounded in its blessings.
Thank you all for standing with me and for our progressive movement! pic.twitter.com/Npzemjz00Q
— Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) November 28, 2019
“There is a prayer in Islam that says, ‘Allah, put courage into my heart, and take away all that might hinder serving you,’” Omar stated in the video. “Free my tongue to proclaim your goodness, that all may understand me.”
“Give me friends to advise and help me, that by working together our efforts may bear abundant fruit,” she continued. “And, above all, let me constantly remember that my actions are worthless, unless they are guided by your hand.”
“Allah, may everything that I do start well and finish well. Sustain me with your power,” she continued.
The full text of her prayer is as follows:
Allah, put courage into my heart, and take away all that may hinder me in serving you. Free my tongue to proclaim your goodness, that all may understand me.
Give me friends to advise and help me, that by working together our efforts may bear abundant fruit. And, above all, let me constantly remember that my actions are worthless unless they are guided by your hand.
Allah, may everything that I do start well and finish well. Sustain me with your power. And in your power let me drive away (all falsehood, ensuring that truth may always triumph.)
Omar has come under fire in recent years over a now-deleted antisemitic tweet from 2012, in which she proclaimed, “Israel has hypnotized the world” and asked that “Allah awaken the people and help them see the evil doings of Israel.”
Omar has since attributed her remarks to ignorance:
Hi @bariweiss,
You are correct when you say,
“Perhaps Ms. Omar is sincerely befuddled and not simply deflecting”
In all sincerity, it was after my CNN interview that I heard from Jewish orgs. that my use of the word “Hypnotize” and the ugly sentiment it holds was offensive. pic.twitter.com/IxPScaSzGw
— Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) January 22, 2019
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