Hours after taking over the presidency, Joe Biden signs 17 executive orders, memoranda and proclamations that also include ending the ‘Muslim travel ban’. In 2017, implemented by Donald Trump, the Muslim ban initially restricted travel from seven Muslim-majority countries.
In the midst of this, an image showing a large group of men performing namaz in front of the American Capitol Hill is viral on social media. The statue is said to have come from the Friday prayer held at the foot of Capitol Hill after Biden became US president.
The caption to one such image in Hindi translates as: “Joe Biden’s new America in front of Capitol Hill on Friday.”
India Today Anti Fake News War Room (AFWA) found the claim misleading. This image is from an “Islam on Capitol Hill” prayer service held on September 25, 2009 in the American Capitol. According to the organizers, the prayer was intended to inspire American Muslims and non-Muslims to work together for the common good.
The archived versions of similar posts can be seen here, here and here.
AFWA investigation
Using reverse image search, we found that the image in question is more than a decade old.
We found the same image in several news reports as part of an “Islam on Capitol Hill” prayer service held on September 25, 2009 in the American Capitol. The reports attributed the image to photographer Alex Wong and the stock image website, Getty Images.
We also found the image on the Getty Images website.
The description of the image reads: ‘Muslims pray during’ Islam on Capitol Hill 2009 ‘at the West Front Lawn of the American Capitol on September 25, 2009 in Washington, DC. Thousands of Muslims gathered for the opportunity to promote the diversity of Islam. ”
More images from the same day by Getty Images can be seen here.
Islam on Capitol Hill 2009
According to a CNN report of September 25, 2009, “Islam on Capitol Hill 2009” was a day of Islamic prayer service “intended to inspire American Muslims and non-Muslims.”
The event was organized by the President of the Dar UI Islam Mosque in Elizabeth, New Jersey. According to the organizers, thousands of people from across the US, as well as from other countries, such as Britain and Canada, attended the event.
A 2009 Snopes report also said the organizers held the event, inspired by the January 2009 Barack Obama keynote address on mutual interest and mutual respect.
A video of “Islam on Capitol Hill 2009” uploaded by the verified YouTube channel – The Voice of America in 2009 – can be seen below.
We also could not find any report on a recent Islamic prayer service held at Capitol Hill after Biden became US President.
It is therefore clear that the image in question is more than ten years old and is engaged in misleading allegations on social media.
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ClaimImage shows a Friday namaz held at the foot of U.S. Capitol Hill after Joe Biden became U.S. president. ClosureThis is a 2009 image of a prayer event “Islam on Capitol Hill 2009” organized to inspire American Muslims and non-Muslims to work together for the common good.
JHOOTH BOLE KAUVA KAATE
The number of crows determines the intensity of the lie.
- 1 Crow: Half true
- 2 crows: mostly lies
- 3 crows: absolutely false
