In a Friday sermon delivered at Masjid William Salaam in Norfolk, Virginia, Imam Ismail Saleem made inflammatory remarks about the recent assassination of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk, stating, “The world is a better place without Charlie Kirk, I don’t care about him at all; seeing his family and friends’ tears and anger makes me smile.”
The comments, captured in a video clip shared widely on social media, have drawn sharp condemnation amid the ongoing fallout from Kirk's fatal shooting on September 10, 2025, in Utah, where 22-year-old Tyler Robinson was identified as the suspect. Saleem, the imam at the mosque, is known for his lectures on Islamic teachings and community issues, including past discussions on supporting Palestinians and critiquing Christianity and Judaism.
