Legendary American boxer Muhammad Ali has urged politicians to help promote understanding about Islam and denounced all those who use the religion to advance their interests.
In a statement, he also emphasized that inflicting violence on fellow human beings is un-Islamic.
Ali, one of the most famous sportsmen in history and arguably the greatest boxer of all time, issued a statement after Republican 2016 race contender Donald Trump stoked anti-Muslim views with inflammatory statements including a proposal to ban entry of Muslims into the United States in the wake of San Bernardino shootings.
Ali did not name Trump but headlined his statement as “Presidential Candidates Proposing to Ban Muslim Immigration to the United States.”
“I am a Muslim and there is nothing Islamic about killing innocent people in Paris, San Bernardino, or anywhere else in the world. True Muslims know that the ruthless violence of so called Islamic Jihadists goes against the very tenets of our religion,” Ali said.
The FBI is tracing through a widening probe how a Muslim couple living in San Bernardino radicalized and was able to carry out the rampage that killed 13 people.
“We as Muslims have to stand up to those who use Islam to advance their own personal agenda. They have alienated many from learning about Islam. True Muslims know or should know that it goes against our religion to try and force Islam on anybody,” Ali said.
Ali, who declined to be drafted in the U.S. military to fight the Vietnam war in 1967 and lost his heavyweight title with a suspension of license during his prime years, drew attention in this week’s statement to the importance of the role political leaders could play in fostering understanding. In 1984, Ali, who is in his peak years would “float like a butterfly and sting like a bee,” was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease Ali Center in Louisville highlights values of peace, integrity, and mutual respect.
He underscored that politicians should tell people that it is a few individual killers who have created misperceptions about Islam.
“Speaking as someone who has never been accused of political correctness, I believe that our political leaders should use their position to bring understanding about the religion of Islam and clarify that these misguided murderers have perverted people’s views on what Islam really is.”
Meanwhile, Trump has tried to walk back a little bit from his sweeping proposal to bar Muslims from entering the United States after his stance received widespread international and domestic repudiation.
But, according a CBS/ New York Times poll, a heightened feeling of concern over another terrorist attack in the United States, has helped Trump gain support among primary Republican voters.
A Times report Thursday said as per poll findings “more than four in 10 Republican primary voters say the most important quality in a candidate is strong leadership, which eclipses honesty, empathy, experience or electability. These voters heavily favor Mr. Trump.”
Trump has even refused to acknowledge any American Muslim athletes after President Barack Obama warned Americans against bigotry in all forms and praised American Muslim sportspersons.
“Muslim Americans are our friends and our neighbours, our co-workers, our sports heroes,” President Obama said.In response, Trump said, “Obama said in his speech that Muslims are our sports heroes. What sport is he talking about, and who?”
Several media outlets have noted that Trump’s statement is self-contradictory as in 2007 the businessman received an award named after Muhammad Ali.
