‘JD, habibi.’ Arabs celebrate El-Sayed’s use of a term of affection to mock his foes

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’ is a term of affection

“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.

Signs of change after decades of prejudice

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.'”