Habibi goes to Washington: Arab world cheers Abdul El-Sayed's Senate win

One Arabic word has just made its way into American politics. Abdul El-Sayed, the son of Egyptian immigrants, won his Michigan Senate race and told the vice president, "JD, habibi." From Michigan to the Middle East, Arabs are delighted.

What happened?

El-Sayed will become the first Muslim member of the US Senate. In his victory speech he spoke directly to Vice President JD Vance, who had warned during the campaign that he would lead protesters to burn down Detroit.

"JD, habibi... there is a delicious irony in the fact that you are constitutionally obligated to swear me in this January," he said. He also noted that his campaign had turned "inshallah" (God willing) into "alhamdulillah" (thank God).

He added that he remains committed to defending the Palestinian cause and is proud of his faith and his Egyptian roots.

Why is everyone talking about it?

The joke landed hard online. Clips set to songs repeating "habibi" (my dear) spread across social media. One user on X posted a video of Egyptian singer Sherine Abdel-Wahab dancing to one of her best-known songs, joking that El-Sayed would make it the new national anthem.

Egyptian academic Khalil al-Anani also joined in on X. "Habibi is the sweetest word," he wrote, thanking the senator-elect for bringing joy to Egyptians' hearts.

Egyptians are famous across the Arab world for their humour, and for joking their way through life's difficulties. That tradition shows up everywhere, from cinema to its biggest comedy stars.

Daha önce ne olmuştu?

El-Sayed was a target of Islamophobic rhetoric during the race. President Donald Trump called him a "jihadist", invoked the 9/11 attacks and deliberately mispronounced his name.

El-Sayed answered that too. "Donald, look, I know you struggled to say my name," he said. After he is sworn in by Vance in January, he told Trump, "you can simply call me Senator."

His win came as a record seven Muslims won seats in Congress.

What's next?

The swearing-in is set for January, with Vance presiding. Until then, expect plenty more "habibi" memes.