10-08-2025
NJ Imam Mohammad Al-Qatanani in Paterson Friday Sermon: Life in Gaza Was Normal and Beautiful before All This, This Could Happen to Any Nation, Anywhere; Instead of Thanking Allah for Saving Them from
Imam Mohammad Al-Qatanani of the Islamic Center of Passaic County (ICPC) in Paterson, NJ said in his August 1, 2025 Friday sermon that Hitler and the Nazis committed crimes and massacres against the Jews, and that Allah relieved the Jews from that oppression and from European oppression. However, instead of showing gratitude, the Jews have inflicted oppression on the Palestinians. He added that the people of Gaza lived a 'normal, beautiful, and happy life' prior to recent events and that what happened to them could have happened to any other nation. In December 2017, Qatanani spoke at a NYC demonstration organized by Within Our Lifetime, alongside Nerdeen Kiswani, urging Palestinians to reject peace agreements with Israel and launch an Intifada. Qatanani was convicted by an Israeli military court in 1993 for supporting Hamas, did not disclose this conviction on his U.S. immigration application, and has family ties to a Hamas military leader. Despite this, he remains in the U.S. following a 2025 U.S. Court of Appeals ruling that prevented the Department of Homeland Security from revoking his green card due to missed procedural deadlines.
