Fact Check: Does the video show Michigan Muslims marching to demand Sharia law?
LANSING, MICHIGAN: After Abdul El-Sayed’s historic victory in the midterm election, becoming the first Muslim Senator of the United States, a video is circulating online claiming to show Muslims in Michigan taking out a march, demanding Sharia law. The claim has sparked concerns and speculation among netizens, who are calling for a fact-check of the clip.
Claim: Michigan Muslims march to demand Sharia law
The viral video shows a large group of bearded men wearing keffiyeh-style scarves and bands with Arabic writing around their heads and shoulders, marching in organised lines down a street, shouting slogans.
The footage spread on X, Facebook, and Instagram, garnering millions of views, with a caption stating, “an invasion" by Muslims.
One post stated, “Thousands of Shia Muslims marched in Dearborn demanding Sharia in Michigan and rejecting American law. Now that they have a Muslim senator, they will become more emboldened than ever."
Fact Check: The video shows Shiite Muslims observing holy day of Ashura
Although the video is authentic and does not show any signs of being generated using Artificial Intelligence, it was not taken after the midterm election, nor does it show Muslims marching and demanding Sharia law.
A reverse image search of the video's key frames reveals it shows Shiite Muslims observing the holy day of Ashura, which has nothing to do with implementing Sharia.
The video was shared by a local Dearborn news agency on Instagram on June 28 this year with the caption, “From the Annual Ashura march in Dearborn."
Moreover, details in the video indicate that the leaves on the trees are green, while Dearborn is cold and the leaves have changed color and fallen in November, meaning that it was not shot this month.
The march was covered by the local newspaper, the 'Detroit Free Press', including photographs of the same men in black shirts, green vests, and black-and-red vests.
Abdul El-Sayed becomes first Muslim Senator in the US
The video surfaced after El-Sayed made history as the first Muslim elected to the Senate, resulting in numerous claims focusing on his religious identity.
He secured the Senate seat after beating Rep. Haley Stevens in the August Democratic primary and won the race by defeating Mike Rogers, who was endorsed by President Donald Trump, while El-Sayed was endorsed by big names like Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
Along with him, seven other Muslim lawmakers claimed seats in the 2026 midterm elections, boosting Muslim voices in both the House and the Senate.
