'Islam is being hijacked': Brother of Muslim first responder killed in 9/11

What the report says

The BBC reports that the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks has become entangled in political debate over whether New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani should attend the memorial ceremony. The controversy includes criticism from former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, while Mamdani has said he plans to be there and has emphasized that his focus is on the families who lost loved ones.

Against that backdrop, Zeshan Hamdani is speaking publicly about the anniversary and the wider discussion around Muslim identity in the United States. Hamdani lost his older brother, Salman Hamdani, in the North Tower. The BBC says Salman was a Muslim American New York police cadet who died in the attacks.

Hamdani’s comments reflect how the memorial has become a broader conversation about grief, belonging and the way Islam is viewed in public life. The BBC frames his reaction as part of a response to what he sees as harmful narratives surrounding Muslims, especially as the anniversary approaches.

More broadly, the article shows how remembrance of 9/11 continues to intersect with present-day politics in New York. The BBC’s report adds context to a public dispute that has drawn attention because it involves the city’s first Muslim mayor and a family personally affected by the attacks.