Goodbye Muhammad Ali!

Hussein Shobokshi Muhammad Ali (nee Cassius Clay), who is no more, was one of the most influential figures in the Twentieth Century. The man was an icon of success and excellence. He met all challenges head on and overwhelmed them. His life was not just limited to the story of a unique champion in the sport of boxing, a most important personality in the history of the game, but he was the best in the contemporary sport, according to many historians and sports analysts. We have a lot to learn from Muhammad Ali’s life. He became prominent during the existence of racial hostility as he was of African origin. But his charming personality, astute leadership and extraordinary talent earned him great respect. He excelled in boxing and emerged to conquer his rivals and foes in the ring and also with his encounters in the media. He won the world heavyweight championship in a record time, and than decided to convert to Islam, which increased the degree of attack and pressure on him. Then it was his strong moral fiber when he refused to be drafted into the US army and participate in the Vietnam War. This led him to being punished, and he was asked to surrender his titles and also prevented from practicing boxing in the tender years of his life. He did not give up. He returned once again to new challenges and deservedly won the world championship again despite an acute vicious campaign on his abilities, his age and repeated stress on the strength of his rivals. Thus he received the honor of being on the top of the pyramid and became an “extraordinary star” in the world, turned into an ambassador of humanity and received many accolades and medals from his country and other countries as well. People cited his ideological position during the Vietnam War. This position had a tremendous impact on transforming the views of the American public against the war itself, turning him gradually to the great national icon, and his victory after the court returned him his rights and was selected an envoy of peace. The famous quote from the song, “he floats like a butterfly and stings like a bee”, was so influential that young people around the world sang it. He was one of the most dominant ambassadors of Islam, moderate in his views and an advocate of peace and tolerance. While some of the preachers in the Islamic world were busy trying to persuade him to “correct” his Islam and to convince him to change his name to Mohammed or Ali without his composite name, but without giving importance to his achievements. There is a well-known quote from him, “I used to hate every moment of my training but I kept saying to myself, not to surrender, take some pains now, and live like a champion for the rest of your life,” which is an very inspirational quote that affected the lives of a lot of people. He was hit by Parkinson’s disease in the last two decades of his life and this impacted his movement and speech but did not affect the status he had in the hearts of those who loved and respected him around the world. It was a very touching moment during the Atlanta Olympics, though his hands which were trembling violently because of this disease, when he lit the Olympic Flame, which will remain a vivid memory in the minds of his fans. Muhammad Ali was loved by all and perhaps this love for the great person is a divine gift granted from God; a virtue that does not believe in cultures, borders or languages. He came into this world as an amazing person and though departed will remain in people’s hearts for a very long time.