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Simply the one and the only "The Greatest - Muhammad Ali"
6-14-2016
An American legend known for boxing and beyond, among it, his famous quote, "Float like a butterfly, sting like bee." Indeed, the quote just about sums up his life. In life, he floated among us like a butterfly, and the news of his death stung us all like a bee. As he quietly faded away from ours and into the next world, his contribution to humanity, civil rights movements in United States and his services to defend and spreading the religion of Islam and Muslim causes will last forever, and it is his service to Allah that has become the hallmark of his life. Muhammad Ali taught all of us how to stand up for what you believe in.
Muhammad Ali's life history, his transformation from Christianity to Islam, his refusal to be drafted in Vietnam war, based on his newly discovered religious convictions, his relentless advocacy of the African Americans, his fight against injustices done to them, and him becoming a pallbearer of Islam, especially after September 11, demonstrating to the world that a person can be an American and a Muslim at the same time.
However, the question remains why, why, and why, Muhammad Ali was loved by everyone regardless of the color, creed, race or religion, everyone loved him, and we all wonder why? The answer could be found in the verses of the Holy Quran, that it is Allah who "Exalts whom he pleases, and Abase, whom he pleases" an indeed, Muhammad Ali, who stood his ground to be part of an American War against Vietnam. Refused to be drafted, for which he lost his world championship title, and everything which he had worked for, was snatched away from him for his refusal to participate in the Vietnam War.
All the newspapers, magazines, and TV outlets that vilified him in the 60's after his refusal to go to War, citing his religious excuse as a cover to avoid being drafted the same media outlets had nothing but praises for him. The most important one of all, his hometown newspaper, "For years after boxing great Cassius Clay adopted the Muslim faith and changed his name, his hometown paper refused to call him Muhammad Ali. Fifty years later, The Courier-Journal, Louisville's daily paper, apologized for continuing to call him Cassius Clay after he changed it in 1964. It did not consistently refer to him as Muhammad Ali until 1970" reported Associated Press.
Everything that was snatched away from him, while he was thrown in jail for his refusal to go to war. Few years later it all started to return back to him. He won the fight at the courts to have his championship title restored.
All the media outlets that accused him of using Islam as a cover to dodge the draft began praising him again.
That in itself is a blessing from Allah. The biggest blessing of Allah a person could ever receive in this world is that he is respected and loved by his fellow men. This was the most evident fact of life for Muhammad Ali, and Only Allah has the power to grant this, and indeed he was granted of that, and plenty of it. The evidence could be found in the Hadith of our beloved Prophet PBUH he said, "When Allah loves a slave, calls out to Jibril and says: 'I love so-and-so; so love him'. Then Jibril loves him. After that he (Jibril) announces to the inhabitants of heavens that Allah loves so- and-so; so love him; and the inhabitants of the heavens (the angels) also love him and then make people on earth love him."
Here are some Quotes from around the world after Muhammad Ali Passed Away.
“I planned to go visit to my idol, Muhammad Ali, after winning a professional bout… But now, I can only pray he is at peace in heaven, and free from illness and pain.”
—Zho Shiming, the Chinese Olympic boxer
“We lost a giant today… Boxing benefitted from Muhammad Ali’s talents but not nearly as much as mankind benefited from his humanity. Our hearts and prayers go out to the Ali family.”
—Manny Pacquiao, the Filipino boxer
“You don’t want to live in a world without Muhammad Ali,” boxer George Foreman said of his former adversary. “It’s horrible.”
“The sadness,” wrote soccer legend Pelé in an Instagram post, “is overwhelming.”
“Muhammad Ali shook up the world. And the world is better for it. We are all better for it,” President Obama said in a lengthy statement.
Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull tweeted, “Athlete, civil rights leader, humanitarian, man of faith. Rest in peace.” British Prime Minister David Cameron tweeted, “Muhammad Ali was not just a champion in the ring — he was a champion of civil rights, and a role model for so many people.”
Paul McCartney, one of few humans whose worldwide popularity could match Ali’s, wrote in a statement posted on his website, “I loved that man. . . . Besides being the greatest boxer, he was a beautiful, gentle man with a great sense of humour.”
In Louisville, the U.S. flag was lowered to half-staff at City Hall. “Muhammad Ali belongs to the world,” Mayor Greg Fischer said at a brief memorial Saturday. “But he only has one home town.”
“He sacrificed the heart of his career and money and glory for his religious beliefs about a war he thought unnecessary and unjust,” the Rev. Jesse Jackson, the civil rights leader, said in a statement. “His memory and legacy lingers on until eternity. He scarified, the nation benefited. He was a champion in the ring, but, more than that, a hero beyond the ring. When champions win, people carry them off the field on their shoulders. When heroes win, people ride on their shoulders. We rode on Muhammad Ali’s shoulders.”
Basketball Hall of Famer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar wrote in a Facebook post late Friday night, “Today we bow our heads at the loss of a man who did so much for America. Tomorrow we will raise our heads again remembering that his bravery, his outspokenness, and his sacrifice for the sake of his community and country lives on in the best part of each of us.”
"It's a huge, huge loss for boxing. I personally feel a sense of loss because he had inspired me and so many others like me. He will always be remembered for being a powerful boxer and an equally powerful personality. It's a very sad day for the sport," said Mary Kom, a five-time world champion.
Former Indian cricket captain Anil Kumble tweeted, "Greatest sportsman of all time! May his soul rest in peace."
"My heart is deeply saddened yet both appreciative and relieved that the greatest is now resting in the greatest place." - Roy Jones Jr., American and Russian professional boxer.
"Muhammad Ali was not just a boxing legend, but a civil rights champion and a towering figure of our time" - Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London.
"There will never be another Muhammad Ali. The black community all around the world, black people all around the world, needed him. He was the voice for us. He's the voice for me to be where I'm at today." - Floyd Mayweather Jr. , former American professional boxer and boxing promoter.
"God came for his champion. So long great one." - Mike Tyson, legendary American former professional boxer and former holder of the undisputed heavyweight champion title.
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