Keith Ellison (D-Minn.) became the first Muslim to be elected to the Congress by winning a Minnesota seat in the House of Representatives on Nov. 7 and he wants to make history again at his swearing-in ceremony.
He wants to take the oath of office with his hand on the Koran, not the Bible.
There is no word if his request will be honored, but with Democrats holding majorities in both the House and Senate, the request could become a first-time reality.
Ellison, who overcame personal attacks emphasising his past association with Louis Farrakhan, leader of the Nation of Islam, won by winning over black and white voters in a heavily Democratic district.
The 43-year-old lawyer sought to play down the issue of his religion and ran on a populist platform.
He has called for the immediate withdrawal of US troops from Iraq.
On the campaign trail, he also urged a greater reliance on renewable fuels and the establishment of a government-funded universal healthcare system.
Ellison, who converted to Islam as a 19-year-old college student in his native Detroit, won with the help of Muslims among a coalition of liberal, anti-war voters.
“We were able to bring in Muslims, Christians, Jews, Buddhists,” he said. “We brought in everybody.”
