The Steady Drip

'JD, Habibi.' Arabs Celebrate El-Sayed's Use of a Term of Affection to Mock His Foes (Connecting the Dots: Abdul El-Sayed, The Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowships for New Americans, Khalil al-Anani, The Muslim Brotherhood & The Carnegie/Soros Network)

Newsmax.com

Thursday, 05 November 2026 01:00 PM EST

https://1drv.ms/w/c/833c260fd769e061/IQDGc1ZFCa_iQIupSfT2VMI7Af5ydlAfei4wsvjiihxeIFA?e=XhcwDp&nav=eyJoIjoiMTU3NzE3MzY1NCJ9

BEIRUT (AP) — From Michigan to the Middle East, Arabs are celebrating Abdul El-Sayed’s Senate win and delighting in his introduction of Arabic terms like “habibi” and “inshallah” to the American political lexicon.

After being the target of Islamophobic rhetoric on the campaign trail, the rising political star who will be the first Muslim American U.S. senator has mocked his critics on the right while championing the Palestinian cause and leaning into his faith and Egyptian heritage.

“JD, habibi,” El-Sayed said in his victory speech, addressing U.S. Vice President JD Vance, who had warned that the candidate would lead rioters in burning down Detroit. “There is this delicious irony in the fact that you’re constitutionally obligated to swear me in in January.”

“Habibi” literally translates to “my beloved” and is peppered through Arab pop songs. In everyday speech, it often means “buddy,” “pal,” or “bro.” El-Sayed's supporters have sported shirts reading “Habibi for Abdul.”

El-Sayed, the son of Egyptian immigrants, said his campaign had turned “inshallah” — “God willing” — into “hamdulillah,” which means “thank God.”

Arabs thrilled to the gentle ribbing of the vice president, with many posting music video clips featuring “habibi” to social media. It was a rare outpouring of joy in a region traumatized by past and present conflicts — which have also fueled negative stereotypes in the West.

One user on X posted a video of Egyptian diva Shireen Abd El-Wahab dancing to one of her most popular songs, joking that El-Sayed would make it the new national anthem.

Egyptians are renowned in the Arab world for their sense of humor and are known for cracking jokes in the face of life's difficulties, a spirit that has been popularized in films and by famous comedic actors.

Riffing off El-Sayed's victory speech, some shared a meme from an Egyptian film in which a man attends a funeral while high and is unable to stop laughing. “I came here to crack jokes,” read the caption, quoting a line from the film.

An Egyptian academic, Khalil al-Anani, praised El-Sayed on X, saying: "'Habibi' is the sweetest word.” He thanked the senator-elect for bringing joy to Egyptians.

Arab and Muslim Americans have faced prejudice for decades, with popular films depicting them as terrorists and politicians on the right fanning baseless fears about the imposition of sharia, or Islamic law.

During the campaign, U.S. President Donald Trump referred to El-Sayed as a “jihadist,” evoked the Sept. 11 attacks and deliberately misstated the candidate's name.

On social media, users responded to such attacks by posting light-hearted videos, including of Lebanese diva Haifa Wehbe belly dancing and young veiled women breakdancing in the streets.

“Donald, look, I know you've struggled with my name,” El-Sayed said in his victory speech. “So after JD swears me in in January, you can just go on and call me ‘senator.'”

Khalil al-Anani

https://search.uis.georgetown.edu/?sitesearch=https%3A%2F%2Facmcu.georgetown.edu&sitename=ACMCU&q=Khalil+al-Anani+

Professor Khalil al-Anani is a Senior Fellow at the ACMCU at the Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University.

Khalil al-Anani Senior Fellow

Expertise

International Studies

Middle East Politics

Political Science

ka558@georgetown.edu

https://acmcu.georgetown.edu/profiles/khalil-al-anani/

Professor Khalil al-Anani is a Senior Fellow at the ACMCU at the Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University. Prof. Al-Anani has taught at several esteemed universities including Georgetown University, Johns Hopkins University, George Washington University, and George Mason University.

Prof. al-Anani’s teaching and research focuses on Political Science and International Relations with a particular interest in authoritarianism and democratization, religion and politics, state violence, social movements, Middle East politics, and migration and exile politics. He is a leading academic expert on Islamism particularly the Muslim Brotherhood and Salafism where he spent the last two decades researching them.

Prof. al-Anani has published several books (in English and Arabic) including Islamism and Revolutions Across the Middle East (Bloomsbury & I.B.Tauris, 2022), After the Arab Revolutions: Decentring Democratic Transition Theory (Edinburgh University Press, 2022), Inside the Muslim Brotherhood: Religion, Identity, and Politics (Oxford University Press, 2016), Elections and Democratization in the Middle East (Palgrave MacMillan, 2014), and The Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt: Gerontocracy Fighting against Time? (in Arabic) (Cairo: Shorouk Press, 2007). He also published several peer-reviewed articles and book reviews at various academic journals such as Democratization, Politics and Religion, The Middle East Journal, Middle East Law & Governance, Sociology of Islam, Perspectives on Politics, and Digest of Middle East Studies.

Prof. al-Anani holds a Doctor of Philosophy in Political Science from Durham University (UK).

Personal website is: https://www.khalilalanani.com/

Selected Publications:

Islamism and Revolutions Across the Middle East: Transformations of Ideology and Strategy After the Arab Spring (I.B.Tauris & Bloomsbury, 2022)

After the Arab Revolutions: Decentring Democratic Transition Theory (Edinburgh University Press, 2022) (co-edited)

Inside the Muslim Brotherhood: Religion, Identity, and Politics (Oxford University Press, 2016)

“Islam and Islamism” (co-author) in The Political Science of the Middle East: Theory and Research Since the Arab Uprisings, Marc Lynch, Jillian Schwedler, and Sean Yom (eds.) (Oxford University Press, 2022).

“Rethinking Religion and Democratic Transition: Lessons from the Arab World,” in After the Arab Revolutions: Decentering Democratic Transition Theory, (Edinburgh University Press, 2022)

“Muslim Brotherhood: Ideology, Organization, and Activism.”, The Wiley-Blackwell Encyclopedia of Social and Political Movements, edited by David A. Snow, Donatella Della Porta, Doug McAdam, and Bert Klandermans (2022)

“Devout Neoliberalism?! Explaining Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood’s Socio-economic Perspective and Policies,” Politics and Religion, Vol. 13, Issue 4, December 2020, pp. 748-767.

“The Inclusion-Moderation Thesis: Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt.” Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Politics, August 2019.

“Rethinking the Repression-Dissent Nexus: Assessing Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood’s Response to Repression since the Coup of 2013.” Democratization, 2019, VOL. 26, NO. 8, 1329–1341.

Some notable fellows include:

Abdul El-Sayed, author, former professor and former health commissioner of Detroit.

Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowships for New Americans

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_%26_Daisy_Soros_Fellowships_for_New_Americans

The Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowships for New Americans is a United States postgraduate fellowship for immigrants and children of immigrants.[1][2] It was founded in 1997 by Paul Soros and Daisy Soros.[3] In 2010, the couple had contributed a total of $75 million to the organization's charitable trust.[4][5]

Each fellow receives up to $90,000 in funding toward their graduate education, which can be in any field and at any university in the United States, including public policy, science, medicine, business, law, music, arts, humanities, and the social sciences. Applicants can be pursuing master's degrees, doctorates, JD, MD, MD/PhD or other joint degrees.[6] In 2021, the fellowship received 2,445 applications and awarded 30 fellowships for a selection rate of 1.2%.[1][7]

Past fellows include former United States Surgeon General Vivek Murthy (1998 Fellow), Iranian-American Ebola researcher Pardis Sabeti (2001 Fellow) and Fei-Fei Li (1999 Fellow), a Stanford professor and artificial intelligence expert.

Connecting the Dots:

Abdul El-Sayed is the first Muslim American U.S. senator, a recipient of the Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowships for New Americans, graduated Phi Beta Kappa he completed a Doctor of Medicine degree at the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons and was a University of Oxford Rhodes Scholar.

Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowships for New Americans is a United States postgraduate fellowship for immigrants and children of immigrants.

Paul Soros was the founder of the Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowships for New Americans, married to Daisy Soros and George Soros brother.

Daisy Soros is the founder of the Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowships for New Americans, George Soros sister-in-law and was married to Paul Soro.

George Soros is Paul Soro brother, Daisy Soros brother-in-law and was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Aspen Institute (think tank).

Carnegie Corporation of New York was a funder for the Aspen Institute (think tank) and a supporter for the American Society for Muslim Advancement.

Andrew Carnegie was the founder of the Carnegie Corporation of New York.

Beth A. Brooke is a trustee at the Aspen Institute (think tank) and was a director at the White House Project.

Madeleine K. Albright was a trustee at the Aspen Institute (think tank), a professor at the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service and a professor at Georgetown University.

Professor Khalil al-Anani is a Senior Fellow at the Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding (ACMCU) at the Edmund A. Walsh Georgetown University School of Foreign Service, Prof. Al-Anani has taught at several esteemed universities including Georgetown University.

Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding (ACMCU) was a center at Georgetown University.

Alwaleed bin Talal is the benefactor for the Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding (ACMCU), a member of the Breakthrough Energy Coalition and the founder of the Alwaleed Bin Talal Foundation.

George Soros is a member of the Breakthrough Energy Coalition and the founder & chairman for the Open Society Foundations.

Open Society Foundations was a funder for the Bill, Hillary & Chelsea Clinton Foundation.

US Islamic World Conference was a funder for the Bill, Hillary & Chelsea Clinton Foundation.

Alwaleed Bin Talal Foundation was a funder for the Bill, Hillary & Chelsea Clinton Foundation, the Islamic Development Bank and the Muslim Leaders of Tomorrow.

Muslim Leaders of Tomorrow is the sponsor for the American Society for Muslim Advancement.

Carnegie Corporation of New York was a supporter for the American Society for Muslim Advancement.

Andrew Carnegie was the founder of the Carnegie Corporation of New York.

Cordoba Initiative is a sister organization for the American Society for Muslim Advancement and a sponsor for the Muslim Leaders of Tomorrow.

Feisal Abdul Rauf is a co-founder for the American Society for Muslim Advancement, the founder & chairman of the Cordoba Initiative and a developer for Park51 and married to Daisy Khan.

Daisy Khan was an executive director for the American Society for Muslim Advancement, a director at the White House Project and is a developer for Park51.

Beth A. Brooke was a director at the White House Project and a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank).

Madeleine K. Albright was an honorary director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank), a professor at the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service and a professor at Georgetown University.

Carnegie Corporation of New York was a funder for the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) and a supporter for the American Society for Muslim Advancement.

Andrew Carnegie was the founder of the Carnegie Corporation of New York.

Open Society Foundations was a funder for the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank).

George Soros is the founder & chairman for the Open Society Foundations.

Gara LaMarche was a VP & director of U.S. programs for the Soros Open Society Foundations, a director at the White House Project and an associate director at the Human Rights Watch.

Open Society Foundations was a funder for the Human Rights Watch.

George Soros is the founder & chairman for the Open Society Foundations, was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society and a benefactor for the Human Rights Watch.

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Human Rights Watch and the Committee for Economic Development.

Letitia James is the chair for the Committee on Economic Development,

the Attorney General of New York and received her MPA at Columbia University.

Abdul El-Sayed completed a Doctor of Medicine degree at the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons.

Mahmood Mamdani is a Ugandan academic, author, and political commentator and The Herbert Lehman Professor of Government and a professor of anthropology, political science and African studies at Columbia University and Zohran Mamdani’s father.

Zohran Mamdani is Mahmood Mamdani’s son, the mayor of New York City, co-founded the school's chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine and a member of the Democratic Socialists of America.

Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) was founded at the University of California, Berkeley.

University of California, Berkeley is a University of California campus.

Haas School of Business is a business school at the University of California, Berkeley.

Richard C. Blum was a regent at the University of California and a board member at the Haas School of Business an honorary trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank) and married to California Senator Dianne Feinstein.

Joan E. Spero was an honorary trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank) and a trustee at Columbia University.

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Brookings Institution (think tank).

George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.

Carnegie Corporation of New York was a funder for the Brookings Institution (think tank) and a supporter for the American Society for Muslim Advancement.

Andrew Carnegie was the founder of the Carnegie Corporation of New York.

Dianne Feinstein was married to Richard C. Blum, a U.S. Senate senator and a member of the Alfalfa Club.

George H.W. Bush was a member of the Alfalfa Club and a member of the Phi Beta Kappa Society.

Abdul El-Sayed graduated Phi Beta Kappa Society and is the first Muslim American U.S. senator.

Elena Kagan is a member of the Phi Beta Kappa Society, a justice for the U.S. Supreme Court, and was the solicitor general for the Barack Obama administration.

Samuel Anthony Alito Jr. is a member of the Phi Beta Kappa Society, and a justice for the U.S. Supreme Court.

Stephen G. Breyer is a member of the Phi Beta Kappa Society, and a justice for the U.S. Supreme Court.

Ruth Bader Ginsburg is a member of the Phi Beta Kappa Society, and a justice for the U.S. Supreme Court.

Anthony M. Kennedy is a member of the Phi Beta Kappa Society, and a justice for the U.S. Supreme Court.

David Hackett Souter is a member of the Phi Beta Kappa Society, and was a justice for the U.S. Supreme Court.

Harry A. Blackmun was a member of the Phi Beta Kappa Society, and a justice for the U.S. Supreme Court.

Lewis F. Powell Jr. was a member of the Phi Beta Kappa Society, and a justice for the U.S. Supreme Court.

John Paul Stevens was a member of the Phi Beta Kappa Society, and a justice for the U.S. Supreme Court.

Potter Stewart was a member of the Phi Beta Kappa Society, and a justice for the U.S. Supreme Court.

Byron R. White was a member of the Phi Beta Kappa Society, and a justice for the U.S. Supreme Court.

Sandra Day O'Connor was an associate justice for the U.S. Supreme Court, the chancellor for the College of William & Mary and is the president of the Alfalfa Club.

Robert M. Gates is the chancellor for the College of William & Mary, was the defense secretary for the Barack Obama administration and the deputy national security adviser for George H.W. Bush.

George H.W. Bush was a member of the Alfalfa Club and a member of the Phi Beta Kappa Society.

Jimmy Carter is a member of the Phi Beta Kappa Society and was an honorary co-chairman for the Millennium Promise.

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Millennium Promise and the Aspen Institute (think tank).

George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.

Carnegie Corporation of New York was a funder for the Aspen Institute (think tank) and a supporter for the American Society for Muslim Advancement.

Andrew Carnegie was the founder of the Carnegie Corporation of New York.

Bloomberg Family Foundation was a funder for the Aspen Institute (think tank).

Walter Isaacson is a director at the Bloomberg Family Foundation, the president & CEO for the Aspen Institute (think tank), was the chairman & CEO for CNN and an Oxford University (AstraZeneca COVID‑19 vaccine manufacturer) Rhodes scholar.

John Brademas was a lifetime trustee at the Aspen Institute (think tank) and an Oxford University (AstraZeneca COVID‑19 vaccine manufacturer) Rhodes scholar.

Giulio Tremonti is a trustee at the Aspen Institute (think tank) and a fellow at (AstraZeneca COVID‑19 vaccine manufacturer).

James M. Manyika is a trustee at the Aspen Institute (think tank) and was a research fellow at Oxford University (AstraZeneca COVID‑19 vaccine manufacturer).

Abdul El-Sayed was an Oxford University (AstraZeneca COVID‑19 vaccine manufacturer) Rhodes Scholar and is the first Muslim American U.S. senator.

Dame Louise Richardson is the vice-chancellor of the University of Oxford (AstraZeneca COVID‑19 vaccine manufacturer), the president of the Carnegie Corporation of New York, her leadership at the University of Oxford played an important role in the successful development of a vaccine to combat COVID-19 and was the executive dean of the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study at Harvard University.

Carnegie Corporation of New York was a funder for Institute for Advanced Study, the Brookings Institution (think tank) and a supporter for the American Society for Muslim Advancement.

Andrew Carnegie was the founder of the Carnegie Corporation of New York.

Cameron F. Kerry is a fellow at the Brookings Institution (think tank), John F. Kerry’s brother and a senior counsel at Sidley Austin LLP.

Newton N. Minow was an honorary trustee at the Carnegie Corporation of New York, a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago and a senior counsel at Sidley Austin LLP.

R. Eden Martin is the president of the Commercial Club of Chicago and was counsel at Sidley Austin LLP.

Michelle Obama was a lawyer at Sidley Austin LLP.

Barack Obama was an intern at Sidley Austin LLP, the candidate for the 2008 Barack Obama presidential campaign and a parishioner at the Trinity United Church of Christ (Chicago),

African American Religious Leadership Committee was an advisory group for the 2008 Barack Obama presidential campaign.

Jeremiah A. Wright Jr. was a member of the African American Religious Leadership Committee and is a senior pastor at the Trinity United Church of Christ (Chicago).

Trinity United Church of Christ (Chicago) is a member of the United Church of Christ.

Andrew J. Young was a member of the United Church of Christ, a United Nations U.S. ambassador, a senior director at the NAACP Legal Defense & Educational Fund and is Andrew Young III’s father.

Trumpeter Newsmagazine is a publication for the Trinity United Church of Christ (Chicago).

Louis Farrakhan was awarded the 2007 Jeremiah Wright Jr. Trumpeter award from the Trumpeter Newsmagazine, is the acting head for the Nation of Islam and Hakeem Jeffries’s uncle.

Hakeem Jeffries is Louis Farrakhan’s nephew, received his MPP from Georgetown University, an American politician and attorney who has served as House minority leader, the leader of the House Democratic Caucus since 2023 and was in private practice at the law firm Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison.

Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding (ACMCU) was a center at Georgetown University.

Madeleine K. Albright was a professor at Georgetown University and a professor at the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service.

Professor Khalil al-Anani has taught at several esteemed universities including Georgetown University, the Edmund A. Walsh Georgetown University School of Foreign Service and a Senior Fellow at the Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding (ACMCU).

David M. Rubenstein was a partner at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison, spent Thanksgiving with Joe Biden, is the president of the Economic Club of Washington and a co-chairman for the Brookings Institution (think tank).

Carnegie Corporation of New York was a funder for the Brookings Institution (think tank) and a supporter for the American Society for Muslim Advancement.

Andrew Carnegie was the founder of the Carnegie Corporation of New York.

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Brookings Institution (think tank) and the NAACP Legal Defense & Educational Fund.

George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.
Vernon E. Jordan Jr. is an honorary trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank), a senior director at the NAACP Legal Defense & Educational Fund a trustee at Howard University and was a director at the Lazard Group LLC.

Kenneth M. Jacobs is a trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank) and the chairman & CEO for the Lazard Group LLC.

Letitia James obtained her Juris Doctor degree at Howard University, is the Attorney General of New York, the chair for the Committee on Economic Development and received her MPA at Columbia University.

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Committee on Economic Development and the Brookings Institution (think tank)

George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.

Beth A. Brooke is a trustee at the Committee for Economic Development and a director at the White House Project.

Joan E. Spero was an honorary trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank) and a trustee at Columbia University.

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Brookings Institution (think tank).

George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.

Carnegie Corporation of New York was a funder for the Brookings Institution (think tank) and a supporter for the American Society for Muslim Advancement.

Andrew Carnegie was the founder of the Carnegie Corporation of New York.

Joan E. Spero was an honorary trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank) and a trustee at Columbia University.

Abdul El-Sayed completed a Doctor of Medicine degree at the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons.

Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) was founded at the University of California, Berkeley.

University of California, Berkeley is a University of California campus.

Haas School of Business is a business school at the University of California, Berkeley.

Joan E. Spero was an honorary trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank) and a trustee at Columbia University.

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Brookings Institution (think tank).

George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.

Carnegie Corporation of New York was a funder for the Brookings Institution (think tank) and a supporter for the American Society for Muslim Advancement.

Andrew Carnegie was the founder of the Carnegie Corporation of New York.

Dianne Feinstein was married to Richard C. Blum, a U.S. Senate senator and a member of the Alfalfa Club.

George H.W. Bush was a member of the Alfalfa Club and a member of the Phi Beta Kappa Society.

Abdul El-Sayed graduated Phi Beta Kappa Society, is the first Muslim American U.S. senator and a recipient of the Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowships for New Americans.

Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowships for New Americans is a United States postgraduate fellowship for immigrants and children of immigrants.

Paul Soros was the founder of the Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowships for New Americans, married to Daisy Soros and George Soros brother.

Daisy Soros is the founder of the Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowships for New Americans, George Soros sister-in-law and was married to Paul Soro.