NEW YORK, Nov. 11, 2026 (FFN) — A prominent New York cleric and community organizer has issued a statement urging American Muslim institutions to refocus on domestic priorities, saying a rising group of patriotic Muslim intellectuals, scholars, community leaders and professionals is pushing back on ideologies that use Islam for political ends.

The statement was issued by Sheikh Musa Drammeh, Chairman of the Muslim Advisory Council, and shared on Facebook. It closes with the Pledge of Allegiance and the sign-off “Peace and patriotism.”

A long and diverse American Muslim history

The statement begins with history. Historical accounts indicate that Muslims have been present in the Americas since the early 1500s, it notes, and that their communities have grown more diverse over the centuries. They include Africans brought through the transatlantic slave trade, later immigrants and native-born converts.

That diversity, it argues, means no single organisation can speak authoritatively for all Muslims. Some groups nonetheless present themselves as national representative bodies, and the statement says their positions, priorities and political engagements do not necessarily reflect the views of every American Muslim.

From domestic rights to foreign causes?

Historically, the statement says, many Muslim organisations and leaders concentrated on racial inequality, prejudice, religious discrimination, civil liberties and equal opportunity. Their aim was to secure the rights, dignity and full participation of Muslims in American life.

It then raises a concern: that some contemporary organisations, particularly those with substantial immigrant and first-generation memberships, have shifted toward divisive foreign political conflicts. That, it says, raises questions about whether national interests and local community welfare come first, and about the use of religious identity and Islamic institutions to advance agendas that originate outside the United States.

“When religion becomes an instrument for promoting divisive foreign interests, it risks deepening political and social divisions, undermining public confidence and alienating ordinary Americans, including Muslims themselves.”From the statement by Sheikh Musa Drammeh

Public perception and “creeping Sharia” debates

One consequence, the statement says, is a perception among parts of the American public that Islam is incompatible with the Constitution, democratic principles and the American way of life. It links that perception to political debates over the alleged threat of “creeping Sharia” and to legislative efforts in several states to restrict foreign or religious law in American courts. Those developments, it adds, have intensified concerns about religious freedom, constitutional protections and the place of Muslims in American society.

“Patriotic Muslim Americans” respond

Against this backdrop, the statement describes an emerging group of Muslim American intellectuals, scholars, community leaders and professionals who challenge ideologies that exploit Islam for political extremism, intolerance and foreign political objectives. Their position, it says, is that loyalty to the Constitution, respect for democratic institutions, religious freedom and peaceful coexistence are fully compatible with Islamic principles.

The group works through intellectual engagement, public advocacy and collaboration with elected representatives and civic institutions. Explore its stated approach below.

About the Muslim Advisory Council

Drammeh was born in The Gambia, raised in Senegal and settled in New York City in the mid-1980s, according to his public biography. He has served as an imam and educator in the Bronx and founded Muslim Media Corporation, which publishes several New York-focused community outlets. His professional profile also lists work in education, health equity, public safety and peacebuilding. The Council has hosted interfaith and intrafaith iftars during Ramadan, according to a LinkedIn post.