Trump inauguration will reportedly include Muslim cleric who refused to condemn Hezbollah as terror org

Husham Al-Husainy is a well-known Iraqi-American imam in Michigan, overseeing the Karbalaa Islamic Education Center in Dearborn. Al-Husainy was among a swath of Muslim voters in Michigan who indicated ahead of Election Day that they would support Trump instead of the Democratic Party's ticket in November.  

Before he indicated support for the former and upcoming president, Al-Husainy reportedly made a series of questionable comments. A Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit, the Middle East Media and Research Institute, for example, reported this week that the Muslim cleric praised Iran in a 2022 interview.

In 2007, Al-Husainy joined Fox News' Sean Hannity on the "Hannity & Colmes" program, where he was pressed on whether he considers Hezbollah a terrorist organization. The cleric joined the program following his invitation to the DNC's winter meeting that year to deliver the invocation. 

"I'll ask you again. Is Hezbollah - this is a yes or no question. Is Hezbollah a terrorist organization? Yes or no?" Hannity asked the imam. 

"Now if - I give you a time to ask me a question. Now give me time to answer it, please," Al-Husainy said. 

"Yes or no?" Hannity continued. 

"First of all - first of all, Hezbollah is a Lebanese organization. And I've got nothing to do with that. But there is a biblical meaning of Hezbollah. It is in Judaism and Christianity and Islam meaning people of God and that means yes," the imam responded. 

Later in the segment, Hannity again asked if Hezbollah is a terrorist organization. 

The State Department has recognized Hezbollah as a terrorist organization since 1997. 

Matt Foldi, the former congressional candidate and current editor-in-chief of the Washington Reporter, shared a photo on X this week reportedly showing the official program of Inauguration Day, including that Al-Husainy, a Catholic priest, the Rev. Frank Mann, Rabbi Ari Berman and a Detroit pastor, Lorenzo Sewell, are slated to deliver benedictions. 

Fox News Digital also attempted to reach Al-Husainy via the Karbalaa Islamic Education Center, but did not immediately receive a reply. 

Arab American voters in Dearborn said following the election that they voted for Trump over Harris in protest of her stance on the Israel-Hamas war. 

Fox News Digital's Michael Lee contributed to this report.