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[31] At the weigh-in before the first Ali-Liston fight, Ali had shouted: "It is prophesied that I should win! Parkinsons syndrome severely impaired Alis motor skills and speech, but he remained active as a humanitarian and goodwill ambassador. Biography and associated logos are trademarks of A+E Networksprotected in the US and other countries around the globe. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Muhammad-Ali-boxer, Hollywood Walk of Fame - Biography of Muhammad Ali, International Boxing Hall of Fame - Biography of Muhammad Ali, Muhammad Ali - Children's Encyclopedia (Ages 8-11), Muhammad Ali - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up), Sonny Liston and Cassius Clay (Muhammad Ali). Ali has Irish roots. Muhammad Ali prays in a mosque at his former training camp in Deer Lake, Pennsylvaina, in June 1991. Press TV on Twitter asheda Ali was born in 1970 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA, to the prominent professional boxer, Muhammad Ali, and his second wife, Belinda Boyd, also known as Khalilah Camacho Ali. Ali, who died on June 3, 2016 at age 74, has offered a few different reasons for his embrace of Islam. Mohammed: A Witness for True Islam", "Muhammad Ali: Five things you never knew about the boxing legend", "Muhammad Ali: America's First Muslim Hero", "Family, faith and magic tricks: My 40-year my mum called me bombaclart Ali", "Muhammad Ali: Why the boxing legend converted to Islam and refused to serve in the Vietnam War", "Muhammad Ali's Conversion to Islam Changed the World", "Muhammad Ali: Unapologetically Black, Unapologetically Muslim", "Timothy Gianotti The Imam whose on Muhammad Ali's last days and funeral", "Prof. Gianotti plans Muhammad Ali's funeral and memorial service", The Rumble in the Jungle (Foreman vs. Ali), The Adventures of Ali and His Gang vs. Mr. Tooth Decay, I Am the Greatest: The Adventures of Muhammad Ali, Ferdie Pacheco (personal physician, cornerman), https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Religious_views_of_Muhammad_Ali&oldid=1142153372, Wikipedia introduction cleanup from June 2020, Articles covered by WikiProject Wikify from June 2020, All articles covered by WikiProject Wikify, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 28 February 2023, at 20:18. The end of his friendship with Malcolm because one of Alis greatest regrets in life, wrote Randy Roberts, the co-author of Blood Brothers: The Fatal Friendship Between Muhammad Ali and Malcolm X. Muhammad Ali's birth name was Cassius Marcellus Clay, Jr. Surprisingly, his allegiances were with supreme leader Elijah Muhammad and not the exiled Malcolm X. Ali and Malcolms friendship quickly fractured, and the two went their separate ways by that spring. They have alienated many from learning about Islam. Ali was the first fighter to win the world heavyweight championship on three separate occasions; he successfully defended this title 19 times. Wallace would go on to change the name of the Nation of Islam to, initially the World Community of al-Islam in the West, and later to the American Muslim Mission. However, the schools principal Atwood Wilson could see Clays potential and opposed this, sarcastically asking the staff, Do you think Im going to be the principal of a school that Cassius Clay didnt finish?. They are Rasheda, Jamillah, Maryum, Miya, Khaliah, Hana, and Laila. Ali also received the Presidents Award from the NAACP in 2009 for his public service efforts. It was in this fight that Ali employed a strategy once used by former boxing great Archie Moore. Muhammad ibn al-Hanafiyya - Wikipedia I sneaked into meetings, sneak in the back door, look around for the police officer, pass me in, before going in. He baited Foreman into throwing wild punches with his rope-a-dope technique, before stunning his opponent with an eighth-round knockout to reclaim the heavyweight title. Muhammad Ali was learning from Malcolm X and Elijah Muhammad that white people had been brainwashing Black people for millennia, and that the Nation offered their only hope of intellectual. One of Alis other grandsons, Jacob Ali-Wertheimer, competed in NCAA track and field at Harvard University and graduated in 2021. In addition, he was criminally indicted and, on June 20, 1967, convicted of refusing induction into the U.S. armed forces and sentenced to five years in prison. . Farrakhan continued advocating the "racial separatism" of Elijah Muhammad, and reportedly considered Wallace "a soft minded heretic. After the fight, the 39-year-old Ali retired for good with a career record of 56 wins, five losses and 37 knockouts. In his first amateur bout in 1954, he won the fight by split decision. I told him OK, I will be there. He made a statement saying: Islam is a religion of peace. A woman who can run faster than any other born must live by a superior. Articles with the HISTORY.com Editors byline have been written or edited by the HISTORY.com editors, including Amanda Onion, Missy Sullivan and Matt Mullen. But youre not bigger than Allah. His final record of 56 wins and 5 losses with 37 knockouts has been matched by others, but the quality of his opponents and his overwhelming success during his prime placed him among boxings immortals. They divorced a little more than one year later when she refused to adopt the Nation of Islam dress and customs. Meet Muhammad Ali's Parents- his mom (Odessa Grady Clay) and his dad (Cassius Marcellus Clay Sr) Growing-Up Years: . As a devout Muslim, Ali was deeply saddened by the 9/11 World Trade Center attacks in New York City and the subsequent anti-Muslim sentiment that swept the U.S. In November 2002, Ali met with Afghan President Hamid Karzai in Kabul on a three-day mission as a Messenger of Peace for the United Nations. She taught us to love people and treat everybody with kindness. His commitment to freedom of speech and of religion truly embodied the constitutional freedoms our Founding Fathers proscribed, something made even more resonant by our current political climate. It was a different time. Marital Status: Married. Alis position was especially controversial because it came at a time when most people in the United States still supported the war in Southeast Asia. The restaurant's owner . The Real Reason Muhammad Ali Converted To Islam - NDTV Biography for Kids: Muhammad Ali - Ducksters I wanted a place that would inspire people to be the best that they could be at whatever they chose to do, and to encourage them to be respectful of one another.. Since then, he has authored some 50 books on subjects ranging from professional boxing to Beethoven. At a press conference the next morning, Clay, who had been seen around Miami with controversial Nation of Islam member Malcolm X (1925-1965), confirmed the rumors of his conversion to Islam. June 9, 2016. I am a Muslim and there is nothing Islamic about killing innocent people in Paris, San Bernardino, or anywhere else in the world. In 1984 Ali spoke out publicly against the separatist doctrine of Louis Farrakhan, declaring, What he teaches is not at all what we believe in. Ali was married four times and had nine children, including two childrendaughters Miya and Khaliahhe fathered outside of marriage. He continued to attend meetings, although keeping his involvement hidden from the public. In 1966, the U.S. Army revised its 1-A classification, which made Ali qualified for the draft. He embraced Sufi Islam and followed the teachings of Hazrat Inayat Khan. Muhammad Ali: 4 Ways He Changed America - Rolling Stone But I had no intention to go to any meeting. His mother is a Muslim and his father is of Caucasian ethnicity. Discussion of the grandfather of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) comes under the heading of rulings on the people of the fatrah which, as Ibn Katheer said, refers to the interval between two Prophets, such as that between 'Eesa (peace be upon him) and Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), when there was a break in the . Born Cassius Clay Jr., Ali changed his name in 1964 after joining the Nation of Islam. He was arrested for committing a felony and almost immediately stripped of his world title and boxing license. Muhammad Ali was one of the greatest boxers in history, the first fighter to win the world heavyweight championship on three separate occasions. Muhammad Alis public conversion to Islam, in 1964, was among the most defining moments of his remarkable life. An impressive aspect of Ali's appeal to these freedom fighters is that it occurred despite Ali's membership in the Nation of Islam, led by Elijah Muhammad, which was for years the African. However, his condition differed from chronic encephalopathy, or dementia pugilistica (which is commonly referred to as punch drunk in fighters), in that he did not suffer from injury-induced intellectual deficits. Alis later years were marked by physical decline. Reigning from 656 to 661, he was the first imam (leader) of . His health and his spirituality have changed, and its not so much about being religious, but about going out and making people happy, doing charity, and supporting people and causes. He converted to two other sects within the Muslim religion over the course of his life. He went on to become an icon for American Muslims. He refused to serve in the Vietnam War, referring to himself as a conscientious objector, and was arrested. Muhammad Ali later said, "My mother is a Baptist, and when I was growing up, she taught me all she knew about God. Muhammad Ali, born Cassius Clay, Jr., passed away in the late hours of Friday night, aged 74, at a hospital in . Directed by Leon Gast, the film won an Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature. In 2011, he asked Iran to release the U.S. hikers captured. Muhammad Ali was born on January 17, 1942, in Louisville, Kentucky. It was a blessing to be a part of that journey.. Ali would subsequently go on to attend the rallies and lectures of Malcolm X and Elijah Muhammad. Muhammad Ali sacrificed three years of his career and risked imprisonment for his faith. Identity Muhammad Ali's Conversion to Islam Changed the World For my father and many others, it. True Muslims know that the ruthless violence of so called Islamic Jihadists goes against the very tenets of our religion. I cherish the good moments. In 1999 Ali was voted the BBCs Sporting Personality of the Century, and Sports Illustrated named him Sportsman of the Century. Ali was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in a 2005 White House ceremony, and in the same year the $60 million Muhammad Ali Center, a nonprofit museum and cultural center focusing on peace and social responsibility, opened in Louisville. How the world received Muhammad Ali's conversion. - Slate Magazine Muhammad Ali: The Greatest, At Rest - ESPN I wanted more than a building to house my memorabilia. The three-time heavyweight boxing champion, who passed away on June 3 at age 74, spent 15 years as a Black Muslim (as the Nations members were often called) before converting to Sunni Islam. In his forthcoming book Ali: A Life, out in October from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, author Jonathan Eig excerpts a letter that Ali wrote to his second wife, Khalilah Camacho-Ali, who was married to the legendary fighter from 1967-1976. [14][15] According to Ali, "hearts and souls have no color", and it was wrong of Elijah Muhammad to have talked of "white devils". By the time he learned that he was not invincible, Ali had matured enough to take the lesson in his stride. After graduating high school, he traveled to Rome and won the light heavyweight gold medal in the 1960 Summer Olympics. The opponents he was besting were a mixture of veterans who were long past their prime and fighters who had never been more than mediocre. Our staff also works with freelance writers, researchers, and other contributors to produce the smart, compelling profiles and articles you see on our site. Ali became a fanatic and fanaticism greatly increased his resolve. But I've changed what I believe, and what I believe in now is true Islam. When his beloved bicycle was stolen, a tearful 12-year-old Clay reported the theft to Louisville police officer Joe Martin (1916-1996) and vowed to pummel the culprit. Some of the ministers didn't like what he was teaching. Following a brief retirement, Ali returned to the ring to face Larry Holmes on October 2, 1980, but was overmatched against the younger champion. Citing his religious beliefs, he refused military induction and was stripped of his heavyweight championship. On March 8, 1971, Ali took on Joe Frazier in what has been called the Fight of the Century. Frazier and Ali went toe-to-toe for 14 rounds before Frazier dropped Ali with a vicious left hook in the 15th. But perhaps more important, he had courage and all the other intangibles that go into making a great fighter. A Look At Tatyana Ali's Multi-Ethnic and Multi-Religious Background. Every Sunday, she dressed me up, took me and my brother to church, and taught us the way she thought was right. Without naming Mr Trump, Mr Ali said that Muslims. Ali considered his Christian upbringing empty and sought out a new spiritual home, which he found in the Nation of Islam. [3], Ali first met Malcolm X, Elijah Muhammad's chief disciple at the time in Detroit in 1962. Muhammad Ali Islam: Letter Explains His Conversion | Time Jones described the platform as "a bright light darting in the sky." Muhammad Ali said that he first heard of the Nation of Islam when he was fighting in the Golden Gloves tournament in Chicago in 1959, and attended his first Nation of Islam meeting in 1961. And the white slave master would run up behind the slave with a whip and hit the poor [slave] on the back with a whip and say, what are you doing praying in that language, you know what I told you to speak, and the slave said, yes sir, yes sir, Master. Over the years, Ali supported the Special Olympics and the Make-A-Wish Foundation, among other organizations. Shoot them for what? The three-day event, which took place in Alis hometown of Louisville, included an I Am Ali public arts festival, entertainment and educational offerings sponsored by the city, an Islamic prayer program, and a memorial service. Alis relationship with Malcolm X is explored in the fictionalized 2020 drama One Night in Miami and the 2021 documentary Blood Brothers: Malcolm X and Muhammad Ali. After the Prophet's Death: Emergence of Shi'i and Sunni Sects of Islam. Then, on April 28, 1967, citing his religious beliefs, Ali refused induction into the U.S. Army at the height of the war in Vietnam. According to the 1967 book, Black Is Best: The Riddle of Cassius Clay, by former Sports. Clay infuriated devotees of the sport as much as he impressed them. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. Ali was received by the people of Zaire as a conquering hero, and he did his part by knocking out Foreman in the eighth round to regain the heavyweight title. He was found guilty of violating Selective Service laws and sentenced to five years in prison in June 1967 but remained free while appealing his conviction. Cassius Marcellus Clay Sr. - Wikipedia The Nations founder, Elijah Muhammad, gave him the name Muhammad Ali. [20] Around 2005, Ali adopted Sufi Islam, and announced that out of all Islamic spiritual schools of thought, he felt most strongly inclined towards Sufism.[21][22][23][24][25][26]. Citing his religious beliefs, he refused military induction and was stripped of his heavyweight championship and banned from boxing for three years during the prime of his career. On one of his pilgrimages in 610, he was meditating in a cave on. ", "From the Vietnam war to Islam the key chapters in Ali's life", "W. Deen Mohammed, 74, Top U.S. Imam, Dies", "Farrakhan offers olive branch to unite Islam", "W.D. In his early bouts as a professional, Clay was more highly regarded for his charm and personality than for his ring skills. 2023 TIME USA, LLC. Ali married his fourth and final wife Yolanda, who went by Lonnie, in 1986. Seven months later, Ali defeated Spinks in a unanimous 15-round decision to reclaim the heavyweight crown and become the first fighter to win the world heavyweight boxing title three times. Banned from boxing for three years, Ali spoke out against the Vietnam War on college campuses. In his interview with Plimpton, Ali stated that Wallace Fard had prophesied that the holocaust would arrive in 1970, leveling everything, and leaving only 154,000 black survivors to "get things going again.". And [one] thing in the paper [made] me keep the paper, and that was a cartoon. By Hana Yasmeen Ali. Damage to his brain caused by blows to the head resulted in slurred speech, slowed movement, and other symptoms of Parkinson syndrome. Maryum Ali showed interest in music. Also known as: Cassius Marcellus Clay, Jr. Thomas Hauser graduated from law school in 1970 and began writing in 1977. When he got in jail for draft dodging Joe Frazier helped . His family was one of Makkah's most prominent families and belonged to the Quraysh tribe's Banu Hashim clan. Malcolm X even assigned an associate to help manage Clays day-to-day affairs. Ali won his next 10 bouts before being defeated by Ken Norton (1943-). Subsequently, he encouraged all mosques affiliated with his organization to "be independent under the leadership of the Muslim American Society, or the Ministry of W. Deen Mohammed. The dramatic period of his life from 1964 to 1974 was the basis of the film Ali (2001), in which Will Smith starred as the boxer. He has been a world soul for many decades; he has grown from separatist to universalist. FULL NAME: Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr.BORN: January 17, 1942DIED: June 3, 2016BIRTHPLACE: Louisville, KentuckySPOUSES: Sonji Roi (1964-1965), Belinda Boyd (1967-1977), Veronica Porch (1977-1986), and Yolanda Williams (1986-2016)CHILDREN: Maryum, Jamillah, Rasheda, Muhammad Jr., Miya, Khaliah, Hana, Laila Ali, and AsaadASTROLOGICAL SIGN: Capricorn. I cannot be beaten! Islam is a religion of peace. The bout (which Ali referred to as the Rumble in the Jungle) took place in the unlikely location of Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of the Congo). People say a Muslim caused this destruction. Alis outspokenness on issues of race, religion and politics made him a controversial figure during his career, and the heavyweights quips and taunts were as quick as his fists. [13], In interviews for his 1991 biography Muhammad Ali: His Life and Times, and his 1998 biography King of the World, Ali clarified that he no longer believed in the existence of the space platform or in Yakub anymore. Ali explained his reasoning at the time saying: My conscience wont let me go shoot my brother, or some darker people, or some poor hungry people in the mud for big powerful America. Ali also defeated Norton in their third meeting in a unanimous 15-round decision. Muhammad Ali converted to Islam in the '60s, but embraced a more spiritual path in his later life. In 1990, he met with Saddam Hussein to help broker the release of Americans held captive after the invasion of Kuwait. It was a red-and-white Schwinn that steered the future heavyweight champion to the sport of boxing. Many saw Ali as a draft dodger, and his popularity plummeted. Muhammad Ali Was Her First, and Greatest, Love - New York Times Alis triumph over Williams was succeeded by victories over Ernie Terrell and Zora Folley. Muhammad Ali has appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated 38 times, second only to basketball great Michael Jordan.