The religious journey of Muhammad Ali
Muhammad Ali had an extraordinary life, but many American Muslims can relate to his evolution within Islam, and some are concerned about the impact of losing him in a time of heightened Islamophobia.
By Henry Gass, Staff writer
JUNE 10, 2016
Muhammad Ali was set to be laid to rest on Friday, with thousands of people flocking to Louisville, Ky., to pay their respects to the man widely regarded as the best boxer of all time.
But a Muslim service Thursday displayed another aspect to the message that has resonated worldwide since Mr. Ali's death last Friday – that he was "The Greatest" as much for his exploits outside the ring as in it. For American Muslims, the nation has not only lost one of its greatest athletes, but arguably its most famous and influential Muslim, too.
Ali's complicated relationship with Islam (he was raised Baptist) was in some respects the most ordinary thing about an extraordinary man.
His exploits in the ring, his battle to defend his religious rights before the United States Supreme Court, and his transcendent fame made him unique. But Muslims around the world can relate to Ali’s religious journey, marked by controversies and contradictions but culminating in Thursday's funeral, a celebration open to people of all faiths as "the Louisville Lip" requested personally.
http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Society/2016/0610/The-religious-journey-of-Muhammad-Ali
