Category: Muhammad Ali

This essay will show the long-lasting impact that Muhammad Ali had on the United States through analyzation of his actions that impacted sports, politics and, culture. Ali was born on January 17th, 1942 as Cassius Clay , later changing his name due to his conversion to Islam Faith. Ali was a world class fighter, fighting legendary boxers on his path to greatness, he would go onto win 56 professional fights during his career. Outside of the ring, Ali would proceed to change the landscape of the United States. Ali showed that he is unwilling to disregard his beliefs under any circumstances or pressure. He has faced many obstacles throughout his journey, he endured constant criticism from many places including news papers and the competition. His toughest obstacle outside the ring was his battle for religious freedom where he would go up against the United States government in a precedent setting case. The proceeding paragraphs will show how Muhammad Ali rose to the top and detail the influence he had on the United States, during and after his career was over. [1: Andres F. Quintana. MUHAMMAD ALI: THE GREATEST IN COURT. Marquette Sports Law Review, 18, 171–437. Retrieved from https://advance-lexis-com.proxy1.lib.trentu.ca/api/document?collection=analytical-materials&id=urn:contentItem:4RKV-TTX0-02C9-C099-00000-00&context=1516831. (2007) (Accessed February 14th)] [2: Townsend, W et al. Remembering the rejection of Muhammad Ali: identity, civil rights and social memory. Sport in History, 38(3), 267–288. Routledge. (2018) (Accessed February 14th)] [3: Gorsevski, et al,. Muhammad Ali’s Fighting Words: The Paradox of Violence in Nonviolent Rhetoric. Quarterly Journal of Speech, 97(1), 50–73. Taylor & Francis Group. (2011) (Accessed February 14th)]

Religion, Race and Criticism

In the fallout of defeating Sony Liston for the heavyweight title with Malcom X in his corner, then Cassius Clay, was bombarded with questions regarding his affiliation to Islam and, NoI as well as, connection to Malcom X. Ali stood his ground, confirming his Islam faith along with his new name given to him by leader of NoI, Elijah Muhammad. Muhammad Ali would not shy away from questioning, about his name explaining that his old name belonged to a slave, exercising his freedom he chooses to go by Muhammad Ali. At the time, United States reacted to the news of Muhammad Ali with great shock, and criticism. Ali would be a target not only in the eyes of the press, the public along with other competitors have taken jabs at Ali. After Ali changed his name from Clay, many newspapers refused to refer to Muhammad Ali by his preferred name, continuing to call him by his given name, Cassius Clay. Many of the newspapers painted Ali in a negative light, running false narratives and, some resorting to name calling. The criticism followed Ali into the ring, with many taunting Ali. For example, Floyd Patterson made comments regarding no Muslim should be world champion. In the fight, Ali made Patterson pay for the comments he made by delivering a ruthless beating on him. Muhammad Ali’s words and beliefs were as equally powerful as his fists, whether it was in the ring or on the microphone, Ali had the ability to deliver clear messages that still resonate in minds of people today. [4: Amid Saeed. What’s in a Name? Muhammad Ali and the Politics of Cultural Identity, Sport in Society, 5:3, 52-72, Retrieved from DOI: 10.1080/911094214 (2002) (Accessed February 14th)] [5: Harrison, B. T., THE MUHAMMAD ALI DRAFT CASE AND PUBLIC DEBATE ON THE VIETNAM WAR. Peace Research, 33(2), 69–86. The Canadian Journal of Peace Studies, (2001) (Accessed February 14th)]

Freedom of Religion

Ali would fight for his religious freedoms when he was drafted for the Vietnam War in 1966. Shortly after selection, Muhammad Ali stated that he refuses to take part in the war due to his Islam beliefs that forbid him from participating in war. These actions were not taken lightly from the United States government, who took Ali to court until 1971. Ali was also barred from boxing competition as a result of his decision not to participate in the Vietnam War. Ali lost his first trial in 1967 due to suspicion of using religion to avoid being drafted. Ali was sentenced to 5 years in prison along with a $10,000 fine. Ali would make significant process in 1970, the decision to bar Ali from competition was over turned due to the New York State Athletic commission was deemed guilty of breaching 14th Amendment Rights Equal Protection Clause. Before taking the battle back to the courtroom, Ali returned to the ring, his first fight back against Jerry Quarry, the influence and status of Ali after his trials, resulted in many international fans showing support for Ali during the fight. After an additional victory, Ali went to fight Joe Frazier in 1971. Ali ultimately lost the fight in 15 rounds through decision. Although a loss, the fight was considered one of the greatest fights of all time. His in ring success and recognition helped bring awareness to his beliefs and, was crucial in giving him such a large platform to deliver his message. Shortly after his in ring return, Ali would go back to court against the United States in the Supreme Court. The government stood strong on their stance of having doubt of sincerity of Ali’s religion. Muhammad Ali would finally win the legal batle against the United States government on June 28th, 1971 when Justice William O.Douglas ruled in favor of Ali. With the judge ruling that Ali’s First Amendment Rights were breached, this case sets precedent and, protects all Americans from unjust treatment. [6: BOWMAN, W, Feat of Clay: Muhammad Ali’s Legal Fight against the Vietnam Draft. J. Supreme Court Hist., 44: 307-324. Retrieved from, doi:10.1111/jsch.12221 (2020) (Accessed February 14th)] [7: Michael Meltsner. ME AND MUHAMMAD. Marquette Sports Law Review, 12, 583–885. (2002) (Accessed February 14th)] [8: Reed, T. L. . Peace profile: Muhammad Ali. Peace Review, 16(1), 107–111. Taylor and Francis Ltd. (2004) (Accessed February 14th)]

In an attempt to help rectify the situation, President at the time Gerald Ford offered Ali to visit the White House. This visit signifies the United States government acknowledging their wrongs and admitting that they did Muhammad Ali a great disrespect by attempting to force him to take actions that were against his personal beliefs. He was honored by having a Boxing reform act named after him aimed to provide an even playing level and bring fairness to boxing. In 2000, the “Muhammad Ali Boxing Reform Act” was passed and while only honorary, this shows the extent and major impact that Muhammad Ali has made long passed his career. [9: Scott Baglio. THE MUHAMMAD ALI BOXING REFORM ACT: THE FIRST JAB AT ESTABLISHING CREDIBILITY IN PROFESSIONAL BOXING. Fordham Law Review, 68, 2257–2543. (2000) (Accessed February 14th)]

Conclusion

In conclusion, based on evidence presented that Muhammad Ali changed the landscape of the United States. Ali’s long lasting impact is a result of his championship caliber performance in life. Ali was knocked down many times by those around him, but he always got back up. Ali fought hard for justice, through multiple trials, constant disrespect and, penalties in sport. Ali fought outside the ring using his words, fighting off critics, expressing his beliefs and, pleading his case in a successful effort to exercise his freedom of religion. Ali was an outstanding human being and was truly impactful on the United States in terms of sports, politics and culture through his soft spoken words, hard hands and, a mind that is tough as they come.

Identifying changes in Ali’s public persona is one thing historians have significantly argued throughout history. Previous historians have argued that many athletes and entertainers before Muhammad Ali adopted new names, often to make themselves more relatable or more exciting to audiences. The argument with Ali’s change resides as though he had a different effect as the magnitude of his cultural presence changed a cultural viewpoint due to him being arguably the most socially significant athlete in American history.

The argument presents itself as how Ali, was one of the first major black public figures to change his name for religious ideology shifting a cultural paradigm in the United States. Ali’s name change was significant because of his fame as his birth name and his Islamic name were intertwined with deep cultural meanings. Solidifying his commitment to the Nation of Islam just two weeks after defeating Sonny Liston Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr. “shook up the world” by changing his name. In the days before taking his new name, the boxer told a room of reporters: “I don’t have to be what you want me to be, I’m free to be who I want.” Americans were unwilling to grant Ali that freedom as they knew the man as Cassius Clay to be arrogant, abrasive, immature and unlikely to threaten order. However, Muhammad Ali was another matter as this new name signified and preached the broadcasted beliefs from a national platform, angering those who advocated more moderate approaches to the country’s racial problems. Ali was righteous, controversial, aggressive and now was a symbol.

In many accounts of Ali’s life, his two names serve important functions as historians have used them to describe his persona, and the effects it had on the American public. Although this is a common theme in the Ali literature, there are multiple thoughts as to when the effect began. In King of the World, David Remnick suggests that Muhammad Ali’s persona surpassed Cassius Clay in 1965, after his racially charged bout with Floyd Patterson. Before the fight, Patterson exclaimed to American’s that he would take back the heavyweight crown for Christian values refusing to call Ali by his Muslim name. The final chapter of Remnick’s book titled “What’s in a Name?” depicts how the refusal to use the Muslim name was the popular rejection of Ali’s controversial persona. Remnick concludes this chapter by depicting how after his defeat, “Patterson paid the champion the highest compliment he could think of. He called him by his proper name [Ali]” displaying how if Patterson could embrace Ali’s Muslim name, then the rest of the country would eventually too.

Sportswriters alike have shared their views on the pivotal influence the name change had on American culture such as where it began. Sportswriter Mike Marqusee positions Ali’s 1964 trip to Ghana as the most pivotal moment in the cultural shift surrounding his name arguing that afterwards “Cassius Clay was buried and Muhammad Ali superseded him.” Blood Brothers, written by sport historians Randy Roberts and Johnny Smith, focuses on Ali’s time with Malcolm X in 1964 and 1965, and suggests that “more than anyone else Malcolm molded Cassius Clay into Muhammad Ali.” The conclusions reached by these authors indicate a varied, and ultimately conflicted, range of possibilities about when, and under what circumstances, Cassius Clay ‘became’ Muhammad Ali.

Historians analyzing how Muhammad Ali’s names were used on the pages of American newspapers allows us to see how the public interpreted him throughout the 1960s and 1970s. Like many others, American journalists were uncomfortable with Ali’s racial and religious convictions. Ali’s new name according to Marqusee, “was a black man signaling by his name change, not a desire to integrate himself with mainstream America, but a comprehensive rejection of it.” Initially, newspapers almost entirely refused to print the name Muhammad Ali and referred to him as Cassius Clay. Attempts to determine for how long this practice continued are often vague however journalists persisted with the rejection of Ali’s Islamic name “through the 60s,” into “the late sixties,” for “many years,” or “long after he changed his name.” A variety of factors have stymied more precise analyses of when exactly the American printed press accepted the name Muhammad Ali along with its associated meanings.

When Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr. changed his name to Muhammad Ali he sent signals to the world about how he wished to be seen. The name Muhammad Ali became a site of struggle, where conflicts between visions for the future of black Americans were played out. This struggle was mainly found in the pages of American newspapers throughout the 1960s and 1970s. America adopted the name Muhammad Ali in March 1971 however, American journalists did not come to accept Ali’s Islamic name, or the identity it represented. Opinions of Ali radically shifted throughout the years based on the representation of the modern and radical newspapers shifting the cultural viewpoint of the Vietnam War.

Cassius Clay had been a popular figure after winning a gold medal at the Rome Olympics in 1960. In the days after the Liston bout, Clay confirmed his allegiance to the Nation of Islam and adopted the name Muhammad Ali. During the period directly following this, the nation’s journalists went back and forth with the notion of a heavyweight champion whose name represented his belief in black nationalism and racial separatism. Between March 1964 and August 1967 the journalists from black and white newspapers rejected his newfound name as a way of protesting the racial and religious ties the name accompanied. Ali was most frequently referred to by his birth name (Cassius Clay). His Muslim name (Muhammad Ali) remained in complete absence of any major newspaper. On the rare occasions it did appear in print, Ali’s chosen name was almost always used to mock him. In March 1964, two weeks following his announcement of his name change, the Los Angeles Times began a story about the possibility of Ali losing his title as the heavyweight champion by way of introducing him in the article as, ‘Cassius Clay – pardon, Muhammad Ali…’ The opening line of a column by Sid Ziff in the same publication reads, ‘Cassius Clay, er, excuse me, Muhammad Ali’. Months later, Washington Post writer Dave Brady opened an article by deliberately acknowledging that his subject ‘prefers to be known’ as Muhammad Ali. Even with the scrutinizing introduction, Brady wrote his entire piece without using the Muslim name once rather, referring to his subject as Clay or Cassius no less than thirteen times. The New York Times also left no doubt regarding their dislike to Ali’s Muslim name. Arthur Daley a renowned author, was also an enthusiastic critic of Ali and rarely missed a chance to criticize the famous boxer. Daley’s description of an interview with ‘Cassius’ in 1966 is telling as:

“…he frowned at the mention of a sympathetic article Floyd Patterson had written about him, ‘It was nice, but he insists on calling me Cassius Clay,’ said the young man who prefers his Black Muslim name of Muhammad Ali. Don’t let it bother you, Cassius, old boy. He’s not the only one.”

Daley, along with his editors insisted that the New York Times should never refer to Ali by his Muslim name until he changed it legally, in which Ali never would. Black publications also clearly preferred Clay to Ali. Al Monroe, a regular sports columnist for the Chicago Daily Defender, recalled announcer Harry Markson’s refusal to use Ali’s Muslim name when introducing him to the crowd at Madison Square Garden. Ali was a ringside guest at the March 1964 fight between Holly Mims and Luis Rodriguez and left the arena before the fight. As the events went on, “the fans forgot about Cassius Clay and the announcer’s refusal to introduce him as Muhammad Ali. Even the booing of Clay evaporated once the ring action was on.” Monroe mocked Ali’s of the athlete’s desire to be called by his Muslim name. This was hardly unique amongst black journalists even as the New York Amsterdam News and the Los Angeles Sentinel would not write ‘Muhammad Ali’ without adding ‘Cassius Clay That Is…’ or ‘Don’t Call Me Cassius Clay’. The Chicago Defender sarcastically reported that ‘Clay (Oops, Ali)’ had attended a Nation of Islam meeting in Boston, whilst the Baltimore Afro-American exclaimed that ‘Cassius, er Ali, is the Greatest!’ Just as their counterparts at white publications did, black journalists took pleasure in mocking Clay’s new name. This was often a representation of the unease that developed from with what the name represented.

The years directly after Ali’s name change saw the culmination of more than a decade of civil rights struggle. The Vietnam War, the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Voting Rights Act of 1965, the Selma marches, the fair housing movement, the Watts and Harlem riots, and the Long Hot Summer all occurred between March 1964 and August 1967. During this period, multiple groups such as the Nation of Islam, offered competing visions for the future of black America. Many organizations pushed for racial integration and peacefully protested to attempt to achieve their goals. Groups such as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s Southern Christian Leadership Conference and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People did lobby for their voices to be heard. On the other hand, the Nation of Islam called for separation of the races and the establishment of an autonomous black state. Most newspapers, black and white, supported the moderate integration movement. However, black and white journalists also understood race and the struggle for equality in very different ways. These differences created a range of nuanced opinions about Ali.

White journalists viewed Ali’s disregard for the Vietnam War as one of an unamerican point of view. This along with a combination of Islam, established fears about the group’s assumed radicalism and their potential for violence. Elements of the Nation’s establishment and Ali’s extremist tendencies created a negative mindset. Ali, like his onetime mentor Malcom X, used provocative language to highlight his disapproval of what he saw from civil rights leaders. Ali’s outbursts and disproval ensured that the Nation of Islam was both feared and misunderstood by the white press.

By comparison, the integration movement appeared peaceful and moderate appealing to the press. Integrationists promised to work with the white establishment. They believed in lasting, legal change and therefore had to secure the cooperation of the white powerbrokers who controlled America’s legislative frameworks. Civil rights leaders, especially King, used this contrast as an advantage. By using the white presses fears against the Nation of Islam’s threat of violence, integrationists positioned themselves as the reasonable alternative displaying their own case for equality through the white press. The white press rejected Ali. Journalists alike broadcasted a fear of the Nation of Islam and rather than seeking to better understand the meanings that underpinned the name Ali white journalists treated it with a fearful message. Their refusal to use the name revealed an unwillingness to engage with Ali or the Nation of Islam as a legitimate voice for black America. Refusing to acknowledge Ali’s Muslim name meant they did not have to take him, or the Nation of Islam, seriously. They saw Ali’s association with the group as outrageous, but hardly worthy of thoughtful critique. Consequently, the New York Times, Los Angeles Times and Washington Post dismissed Ali. Of these publications, the Los Angeles Times targeted Ali in an aggressive manner. Jim Murray the Los Angeles Times’ most famous sportswriter turned his talent toward bashing Ali at any chance he could. One of Murray’s articles, titled ‘The Sheik of Araby’, demonstrated his work as he wrote:

“Cassius is like the guy in the movie who has wandered into the haunted house to use the phone and hasn’t noticed the butler is a werewolf, that’s blood on the floor, and he thinks the suit of armor in the corner is empty”

He continued by discussing hos thought towards Ali by stating, “I think Cassius sees himself as Lawrence of Arabia or the Red Shadow rather than a guy licking stamps for hate literature”. To Murray Ali was an out of line, boisterous and too rambunctious because rather than be a young man actively seeking to engage his blackness through religion Ali did the opposite and create conflict. In the same article appearing as if he was not set with only questioning Ali’s intelligence, Murray attacked Ali through racial stereotypes stating “Cassius always had a lively imagination and it was only a question of time before he’d wrap a towel around his head and begin to play Saladin the Saracen” By stating that Ali’s interest in the Nation of Islam was a product of pure boredom or casual sudden interest, Murray was doing more than simply ridiculing his beliefs, he was casting broader skepticism upon the notion that young, black men like Ali might look to Africa for spiritual and cultural fulfillment. Over the next few years, as Ali’s ties for the Nation of Islam were refuted as writers at the Los Angeles Times tweaked their narrative. They posited that by remaining with the Nation, Ali might be more than merely stupid, or bored as he might also be mentally unstable. John Hall questioned the boxer about his continued devotion to the Nation of Islam and wrote that, ‘the pressure of being both Cassius Clay and Muhammad Ali has finally caught up with and choked the heavyweight champion’. The article did its best to portray Ali as unhinged when it came to matters of race and religion. Hall continued to write how when Ali was pressed on his beliefs, and he cracked, becoming unnerving and hysterical. Ali was not attempting to be both Clay and Ali rather he wanted only to be Ali but was denied that right by journalists. Sid Ziff reinforced this crazy Clay narrative in his later column. He recalled Ali’s appearance on a CBS television program on which he discussed his religious beliefs. Ziff called him ‘Clay the dreamer’ and described him as having ‘sailed clear into outer space’. According to Ziff, Clay was ‘living in a world of his own’ or on a ‘cloud of dreams’ as he ‘babbled mysterious predictions’ and was ‘spinning dizzily in a heady atmosphere full of contradictions’.

Many who remained critical of Ali throughout the 1960s, weighed in on the name variance and in 1966 would write how Ali’s actions were orbiting frantically around the upper reaches of Alice in Wonderland or alighting a time or two somewhere over the rainbow. Although the Los Angeles Times was notably persistent in attacking the boxer’s mental stability, articles from the Washington Post and the New York Times also frequently published doubtfully on Ali’s mental clarity. Writers covering Ali’s 1965 fight with Floyd Patterson for the Washington Post wrote how Clay was confused mentally about his Black Muslim beliefs. Writers continued to follow ‘Clay’ on his 1966 trip to London and wrote of a naturally delightful you man distracted and ruined by his own thinking. The heavyweight champ was a portrayed as a troubled young man whose logic was wrong as he remained true to his Black Muslim beliefs. White journalists like Daley, Brady, Ziff and Murray belonged to a group of white sportswriters that were referred to as the crusty, cigar smoking crowd of old school reporters of their time. As talented as they were, when they wrote about Ali and the Nation of Islam they refused to consider what it was about the group that might appeal to a young, black American like Cassius. They decided to dismiss his beliefs as a product of youthfulness or mental instability. This absence of critical engagement sent a direct message about how the white press saw the Nation of Islam’s place in the broader struggle for black equality. Ali and the Nation of Islam were a falling symptom of continued oppression. They attempted to serve as warning that limited change in society would lead to a drastic fallout but white newspapers would not, or could not, relate to this idea. This attitude was not restricted to reporting on the Nation as most of the White press was content to cover civil rights simply as a breaking news story instead of exposing the underlying injustices and social problems Blacks faced. The white press chose instead to separate Ali’s racial and religious beliefs as a further extension of the refusal of white newspapers to meaningfully engage with the racial politics of the Nation of Islam. By painting Ali as mentally unstable or completely deranged, they sought to disarm the Nation of Islam as a legitimate voice for black America. Refusing to accept Ali’s chosen name was symptomatic of the dismissive attitude that many white papers held toward him.

In the film “The Trial of Muhammad Ali”, it highlights Muhammad Ali’s life and career in a way that explains Ali’s battles inside and outside of the ring. In doing so, the film talks about the unexpected political, religious and social discord Ali encountered, which seemed to be brought upon by himself. Throughout the film Muhammad Ali is portrayed, during this period in his career, as a man who did what he wanted to do without much cause or through to how people would be affected by his decision. For example, one point that was brought up in the film was Ali’s decision to reject the draft summons for the Vietnam war. When he was drafted it was during the pinnacle of his career and he refused to draft due to the fact that he objected to the idea of war itself and that it was a representation of the white oppression he faced throughout his life, as expressed in the film. The response to this decision was that of great disarray. There were many people who were strongly against his decision and spoke out about it. Ultimately, this decision led to Ali being stripped of his boxing titles and his status as an active fighter was revoked.

The way that the film portrayed Ali and his life was through providing commentary and noting all of the different “trials” he had to face and stand up to throughout his life. Additionally, noting the way that Muhammad Ali was represented in the film was that of a person who did things and lived life the way he felt was best for him, regardless of consequences. I think the way that the film portrayed Ali’s story and his career was that even though his actions may not have appealed to the greater population, he did things because he believed in a certain idealism and way of life. Those in the film that spoke on behalf of Ali’s character was in a way that helped that audience understand everything that Ali went through during his life and career. The film represented Ali in a light that showed the good and the bad of his decisions but commends him of standing and back his beliefs even when it might not have been the most peaceful thing to do for not having any blowback from various sources. In light of all the trials and tribulations Ali faced, the way that he is represented in the film gives an idea as to his character and that way that he cared to hold life to high standards.

In comparing my thoughts on Muhammad Ali prior watching the film, I feel as though I gain a broader insight as to who he was as a person and was able to understand why he made certain choices in life. Prior to the film my knowledge of Muhammad Ali was that of a prized and respected fighter and athlete throughout the world, where he represented the utmost respect someone could have as an athlete. Additionally, I didn’t know all the details of to why he had controversy surrounding him, just that Ali had a rough past where not a lot of people cared for his choices and ideals. Through learning more about Muhammad Ali and his life through the film it is easy to respect the decisions he made and his choices for how he chose to live his life. The way the film depicted Ali was in the light of providing all the good and the bad that comes with life and that he lived through and dealt with, while being able to allow the films audience to decide upon themselves how they feel about Ali’s choices.

There once was a young man who had many nicknames. All of his nicknames fit his personality like a glove, but there was one nickname that stood out from the rest of them. It’s not “Louisville Lip” which he got from his tremendous trash talking and it’s also not “The Champ”. We have all come to know him as this name no matter who it is or where they are from. That nickname was “The Greatest”. People didn’t give him that nickname, he gave it to himself. Nobody ever gave Muhammad anything he had to earn it through hard work and dedication. The earned the title “The Greatest” by beating the best and then becoming it. This is how the journey of the greatest boxer to ever step foot on this earth started. On January 17, 1942, Muhammad’s journey started in Louisville General Hospital. His parents gave him the name of Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr. after his father. Muhammad’s father was Cassius Marcellus Clay Sr. Cassius was an extremely diligent worker. He was the grandson of “free coloreds” meaning they were not slaves. .He painted billboards for a living and he also painted murals on the side. Occasionally he would even sing. Cassius was one of the main reasons that his family was able to succeed in a segregated south city. If Cassius’s family would have moved away from the city of Louisville then they would have had more opportunity and not faced the difficulties of racism. Most of the African-American families at this time were not able to do well. The ones who lived in segregated cities often faced the threat of being lynched plus the fact that most of them could not provide for their families. Cassius’s husband was Odessa Grady Clay. On Odessa’s maternal side of her family she was a descendant from a white man and a slave whose name was Dina. On Odessa’s paternal side, her grandfather was an Irish immigrant and her grandmother was a “free colored”. She was often a stay at home mom who would always be there for her children. She also worked as a maid. Odessa was very faithful to her Christian religion. She installed the values of the Baptist faith in Muhammad and his younger brother Rudolph. All of Muhammad’s childhood he grew up in segregated public facilities. In fact when Muhammad was just five years old Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in Major League Baseball. Most sports were still segregated at this time but not boxing.

Ever since Muhammad was a little boy people new he was going to be special. Muhammad was relatively small when he was a young boy. When Muhammad was young he didn’t have a love towards any sport. He was very active and liked to play them but he just didn’t find “his sport”. This all changed when at the age of 12 he rode his bike to the Louisville Home Show. He went inside for a short period of time and when he came back out he realized that his bike was stolen. He started walking around and threatening to “whup” anyone who stole his bike. He wondered into the basement of the building where there happened to be a local police officer teaching children how to box. That police officer was named Joe Martin. He said that Muhammad better learn to fight before he was going to “whup” anyone. Muhammad agreed and Joe taught Muhammad the basics of boxing. Luckily for Muhammad boxing was a sport that was not that segregated. If he would have chosen another sport such as baseball he would have found it to be a very hard time to get into the MLB. After all Jackie Robinson had just broken the color barrier and they were still skeptical to have negroes join and possibly take over the sport of baseball. Thankfully, he found the sport of boxing that day and didn’t get into a segregated sport.

Muhammad little by little climbed up the ranks as a boxer. Muhammad was eventually invited to take place in the 1960 Olympics in Rome. He led the boxing team and won the gold medal in the 175 pound division. That’s when the Louisville Sponsoring Group, 11 rich white men, started to notice Muhammad and thought that he would be a good investment. They helped Muhammad start a professional career. Early in Muhammad’s career he was known for his overwhelming charm, personality, and his extraordinary ring skills. He would often raise interest in fights by reading childlike poetry. Later in his career he built up confidence and becoming very cocky. He often would call himself the greatest boxer to ever live. Muhammad would create self defense phrases to intimidate other opponents. One of the most famous phrases that he said was “Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee”. He impressed many people across the world. His boxing stance was out of the ordinary. Instead of keeping your hands high and protecting your head he would keep his hands low to protect his ribs. Then he would taunt you with his head being vulnerable. When you would think you have a clear shot at his head he would dodge the punch and come back with a punch and knock you off-balance. He even appeared to be lackadaisical in the ring. Some people said he appear to lack the power needed to knock someone out.

When he was getting into his professional career, he would beat older more experienced fighters. Sometimes he would even predict the round he would knock someone out in. On February 25, 1964 he challenged Sonny Liston for the heavyweight champion title. At the time Liston was the most feared fighter to step in the ring. He had he fight the most power and most of everybody was scared to challenge him. Muhammad was the underdog. The fight was held in February of 1964. It was a back and forth bout between the two dominant boxers. In the sixth round of the fight Muhammad pulled ahead in the fight and landed many more punched than Liston. After the sixth round of the fight Liston could not fight any longer and Muhammad became the heavyweight champion of the world. Two days after the fight Muhammad agreed to the teachings of the Nation of Islam. His younger brother Rahman agreed with him. Many people were disappointed in him for this. On March 6, 1964 Muhammad got the name we all know him as from Elijah Muhammad. That name was Muhammad Ali.

On May 25, 1965 Liston challenged Muhammad to a rematch. Muhammad easily beat the old Liston in the first round of the fight. Muhammad Ali fought Cleveland Williams on November 14, 1966. In three rounds Muhammad landed more than 100 punches. He managed to knock Williams down six times. Perhaps the most impressive feat in those three rounds was he was only hit three times. Muhammad easily pulls ahead and wins the fight.

Muhammad refused induction into the United States Army on April 28, 1976. He refused because of his prominent religious beliefs. He later said “I ain’t got no quarrel with them Vietcong”. Most United States citizens were disappointed in him. This was still at a time where the Vietnam war was still supported by most U.S. citizens. After Ali denied going to the war he was stripped of the heavyweight title. On top of being stripped from the title he was banned from fighting in every state for three and a half years. After he refused induction into the U.S. Army he was sentenced to five years in prison. Instead of spending the full five years in jail he spent four years on bail and then the Supreme Court overturned it. Ali also said “Unless you have a very good reason to kill, war is wrong”.

Muhammad returned to boxing in October 1970 but his skills were not nere what they used to be. His legs didn’t have the stamina that they used to. His reflexes have degraded. Muhammad’s first fights when he returned were against Jerry Quarry and Oscar Bonquena. On March 8, 1971 Muhammad Ali challenged the great Joe Frazier for the heavyweight title. This fight was nicknamed “The Fight of the Century”. The fight lasted a brutal 15 rounds and Joe Frazier defended the title. After the fight Ali continued to win 10 straight fights. On March 31st Ken Norton beat Muhammad Ali and broke his jaw in the process. Muhammad Ali beat Norton in a rematch. As soon as Muhammad beat Norton in a rematch Muhammad challenged Joe Frazier to a rematch. Joe Frazier could not pull through with a win against Muhammad’s best performance since he was band. Joe Frazier lost to George Foreman before he lost to Muhammad. So Muhammad went after the title again and challenged George Foreman. The fight was going to be fought in Zaire (Democratic Republic of the Congo). The people of Zaire looked up to Muhammad as if he was their hero. He used a technique created by Archie Moore called the rope-a-dope. Rope-a-dope was when Muhammad leaned against the ropes to avoid the heavy blows by George Foreman. Muhammad won the fight by knockout. Muhammad fought Frazier a third time on October 1, 1975. The fight was fought in the Philippines and was nicknamed the “Thrilla in Manila”. It was nicknamed this because the bout was fought 6 miles away from Manila. Muhammad won the bout after Joe Frazier’s corner called the fight. In 1978 Muhammad lost the heavyweight title to Leon Spinks. Leon won gold in the Olympics but had only fought seven professional bouts. Seven months after his disappointing lost he regained the title. After he regained the title he retired from boxing. He had enough of retirement after about two years of it so he came back to the sport of boxing. His first fight after he came back he lost to Larry Holmes. He was being beaten so badly that Muhammad’s corner stopped the fight after eleven rounds. Muhammad retired from boxing for good. His final record was 56-7 with a total of 37 knockouts. A stunning fact about him is that 58.7% of Muhammad’s boxing matches he knocked someone out. During his boxing career he took too many blows to the head which caused some consequences. They were slurred speech and his movement slowed down tremendously.

Some fun facts about Muhammad were his professional career lasted a total of 21 years. He developed Parkinson’s Syndrome which was cause by deadly blows to the head. He was the oldest son in the Clay family. His dad was born in 1912 and died in 1990. His mother was born in 1917 and died in 1994. There was a 5 year age gap between the two. He has appear on the Sports Illustrated cover the second most ever. He appeared on it 38 times. Only the famed Michael Jordan has appear on it more. By the age of 18 years old Muhammad had won golden gloves two times. Also by the age of 18 he won two Amateur Athletic Union nation titles along with an impressive overall 100 wins and a meer 8 losses. Due to Muhammad’s infamous trash talking he acquired the nickname of “Louisville Lip”. When Muhammad faced Sonny Liston for the first time he was a 7-1 underdog. Perhaps one of the most famous phrases Muhammad said came from that fight. It was “Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee”. Although he did not win the first fight he did indeed deliver the promise. After Sonny Liston refused to fight at the beginning of the seventh round Muhammad exclaimed “I am the greatest!”. Which will later become another one of Muhammad’s famous phrases. He was the first person ever to win the title three times. He was married four times. His first wife was Sonji Roi. His second wife was Veronica Porché Ali. His third wife was Khalilah Ali. His fourth wife was Lonnie Ali. Lonnie was married to Muhammad until he passed away in 2016. The exact date the Muhammad died was on June 3, 2016. Laila Ali was Muhammad’s youngest daughter. She followed in her father’s footsteps and became a professional boxer. Muhammad had a total of nine kids. Muhammad’s trainer from 1960-1981 was Angelo Dundee. Angelo also worked with world famous boxer Sugar Ray Leonard. In the movie Ali Will Smith portrayed the famous Muhammad Ali. Muhammad Ali said the Sonny Liston “smelled like a bear.” and he was going to “ donate him to a zoo”. In the 20th century he was voted as the number one heavyweight boxer. Muhammad’s most common nicknames were Louisville Lip, The Champ, and The Greatest.

Muhammad Ali was a man with many names. The funny thing about him is that he never gave himself a nickname. All of the ones that he was called by he earned. He earned those throughout hard work and dedication. He always gave his 110%. Muhammad never gave up no matter what. That is why Muhammad is currently ranked the best boxer ever by so many people. People are all born with talent but it is how the choose to bring it out. Some people like to sit inside all day and play video games on their Xbox. Some people go to the gym every day to get stronger and better at what they want to do in life. We need more people that go and work at what they want to do. If you never go and work at something then how will you get better at it. If you just show up to practice and expect that that’s enough and you will be the best on the team from just showing up to practice your wrong. You have to be working when others aren’t. In practice you have to want to give it 110% when others are only giving 50%. That’s the key to becoming a champion like Muhammad Ali.

Who was the prophet Muhammad?

The prophet Muhammad is the most important prophet of the Islamic religion. Aside from that, he was also its founder. In his early years, Muhammad worked as a merchant for his uncle, Abu Talib. At the age of 40, a lot changed, as Muhammad began to receive revelations. These revelations eventually formed the Quran, as well as helping to form Islam itself. In the year 630, he had united almost all of Arabia into one religion. In 2020, there are now 1.8 billion muslims worldwide, and that is all thanks to prophet Muhammad. By many, Muhammad is seen as a hero, so naturally, people are very fond of him and what he has done. It seems logical that people would want to have a wonderful painting of this fellow in their houses or in their mosque. However, we would advise against it currently, as the reaction you would get would be decisively negative.

Why is it not allowed to draw the prophet?

The ban on creating any sort form of visual representation of Muhammad often comes as a surprise to non-muslims. This rule, however, happens to be one of the most coveted aspects of Islam, the worship of God and God alone. Nowhere in the Quran is stated that you cannot draw Muhammad, so the believers have taken it into their own hands after interpreting Muhammads words in the Quran as a message that says “Don’t worship me, just Allah!”. To achieve this, muslim community has discouraged the drawing of the prophet to prevent a form of idol worship. Idol worship is the worship of other things or images that are not God. This could for example mean a young girl changing her appearance to look more like a particular celebrity, as they may be grealy idolise them. This, however, leads to the worshipping of that celebrity in a way that only God is meant to be worshipped in.

This idea was first brought to life in response to Christianity and the fact that they didn’t portray Jesus as a prophet anymore, but insead portrayed him as a god. The Muslim community did not want this to happen for Muhammad. The muslims feel as if the Christian belief in God himself has been weakened due to their worships of Jesus. To spread God accross multiple entities is to waste more time and to actually spend less time praying and carrying out Gods will. They feel, if they only worship Allah, they worship Allah with all their attention and, therefore, worship him more strongly.

Apparently, Muhammad himself did not want to be portrayed, according to Akbar Ahmed, who chairs the Islamic studies department at American University. He told CNN: ‘The prophet himself was aware that, if people saw his face portrayed by people, they would soon start worshiping him. So, he himself spoke against such images, saying ‘I’m just a man.’ ‘ This quote “I’m just a man” shows that Muhammad did not want to be worshipped. All he wanted was to create this way of worshipping Allah and no one else. According to him, Islam should not be about the messenger that had revelation. Instead, it should be about the sender of the revelations and only him.

As said before, it is not stated, in the Quran, that the Prophet may not be drawn. Who enforces this then? There are many Islamic scholars who have a lot of influence in the musilm communtity, it is their job to try and understand the Quran and to pass that knowledge on to others. These scholars tell other muslims what it is that the prophet would have wanted and what the best way is to worship God without succumbing to idol worship. This is why they preach that drawing the prophet is a form idol worship and it should not be done by anyone who calls themselves a follower of Allah.

The ban on depiction is not only about Muhammad. Jesus, Moses and a lot of other prophets are also banned from drawings. These prophets are also treated as prophets in Islam, so the portraying of them is no different from te portraying of Muhammad. In some Muslim countries, films such as ‘Noah’ and ‘Exodus’ were even banned. This is because these films portray hebrew prophets.

In Sunni mosques, the biggest group in Islam, there is no human imaging at all. These mosques are covered in verses of the Quran. As you can see in the image above, there is no human imaging here. Still these are some of the most beautiful interiors in the world.

In the Quran, there is ‘no statement from the prophet requesting his image not be recorded,’ Abdul-Malik told CNN. This idea comes from the Hadith, the secondary information source of Islam. The Hadith teels all kinds of stories about the life of Muhammad and his companions. The Hadith has created a lot of discussion within the global muslim community. According to many, there are contradictions to be found in the books. The idea of not being allowed to draw prophet Muhammad also comes from the Hadith.

Times that the prophet was actually depicted

You may be surprised to find that the prophet has been portrayed in Islam. In particular, in the Shiite branch of Islam. ‘We have had visual depictions of the prophet in the form of miniatures and pictures in the Iranian context, the Turkish context and the central Asian context,’ Said Omar Saffi, a religious professor at Duke University he spoke with CNN. ‘The one significant context where depictions of the prophet have not been image-related has been in the Arab context.’

Even historical renditions of Mohammed by Muslim artists were careful not to paint the prophet in too much detail. Theses paintings had to be made so that historical events could be remembered and not forgotten or lost. But even then, the prophet was not drawn in detail. This was, indeed, often done in the form of miniatures, very small depictions, which lack most detail.

A large difference that needs to be considered when discussing this topic is the geographical position of countries. Western countries are more tolerant in general, so muslims and others there often feel more free to for example draw what they want. It arab countries, there is a much smaller chance that you will encounter a drawing of the prophet.

There are many instances in which the prophet has been depicted, many of these depictions have gotten a negative reaction but there is also a more commonly accepted way of depicting the prophet. But, a thing that needs to be kept in mind either way is that most muslims prefer it if the prophet is just not depicted at all. Especially more radical groups have a very large problem with the fact that this happens.

Depictions of the Prophet, which had a positive reaction

Depictions of Muhammad with a positive reaction all detail important pieces of Islam history, such as Muhammad at mount Hira, his first revelation and the angels and him advancing on Mekkah. In all these depictions, Muhammad is portrayed without detail, often with a veil over his head. These are exceptions to the rule because Muhammad is not the focus of the pictures, they are about an important event and it just so happens that Muhammad was the vessel through which those events took place.

Another example is the movie “The Messenger”, an islamic history movie. In this movie, Muhammad was only portrayed in the shadows. This showed his big part in Muslim history without offending anyone.

These are examples where people tried to portray the prophet without offending anyone. Even though it’s designed to be that way, this aproach is not the most effective, according to many muslims. “Just don’t have a visual representation,” they say.

There are also many instances of almost the entire muslim world reacting in anger to a portrayal of Muhammad, in the 21st century alone there have been multiple occasions where this happened. Sometimes a bad portrayal can rile muslims up so much that there may be dire consequences.

Depictions of the Prophet with a negative reaction

Let’s start with the big one, Charlie Hebdo. This french satirical weekly newspaper had announced a newspaper with Muhammad as chief editor. They portrayed him with a big nose, looking kind of silly in the frontpage of the newspaper. The image was posted a few days prior to the release of the newspaper article. They greatly regretted this move later. On November 2nd 2010 their office website was hacked and a fire bomb was placed in the building, this attack did not discourage the writers, who said they were just using their freedom of speech.

In September 2012, Charlie Hebdo released satirical cartoons about Muhammad, some of them portraying the prophet nude. The outrage only grew after they also anounced a series of comic books about the life of Muhammad. Some editors were even added to an al-qaida kill list. In 2015, the hit took place, and 12 employees of Charlie Hebdo were killed by radicalised muslims.

Another Example of representation of the prophet that was not taken too well was in the adult cartoon TV-series, South Park. He was shown in a racist way and all he wanted to do was bomb people. Muslims all around the world were outraged and campaigned for the character and the episodes, in which he appeared, to be deleted. In response to the muslim outrage, Comedy Central took down the episode. Firm supporters of freedom of speech and freedom of creativity were not happy with the action of Comedy Central. They created ‘Everyone draw Muhammad day’ on May 20th. It was created as a protest against the limitation of freedom of speech.

To wrap up, Muhammad was the founder of Islam, but Islam is not about Muhammad, but about God. This is why Muslims prohibit the visual representation of Muhammad and other prophets to prevent idol worship. If someone breaks these rules, the consequences can be dire.

Facts and opinions

Lingual and written descriptions of Muhammad are accepted by all traditions in Islam, but there is controversy about visual depictions of Muhammad. Many westerners believe that one should be allowed to visualize Muhammad. The majority of Muslims, on the other hand, believe that it is blasphemy and idol worship to illustrate Muhammad. Regardless, there are still some Muslims who believe it shouldn’t be banned to draw the prophet.

Most Muslims believe that illustrating Muhammad is wrong because some supplemental hadith explicitly ban illustrations of any living creature, other hadith tolerate these illustrations, but do not encourage them. Another reason is because Muslims believe that there is only one god, Allah. Therefore, he is the only one who should be worshipped. Illustrating Muhammad can lead to the worshipping of him and images of him, idol worship. However, Shia Islam illustrations and images of Muhammad are quite common nowadays, even though Shia scholars were against at first. Still, a lot of Muslims, who think that you must not visualize Muhammad, will challenge depictions of Muhammad, also those which were created by non-Islamic people.

There have been many incidents that show that most Muslims really do not like it when Muhammad is drawn. For instance: Jyllands-Posten, a Danish daily broadsheet newspaper. They made 12 cartoons, in which Muhammad was depicted. They received a lot of backlash for it from Muslim communities inside of Denmark. This eventually led to protests all around the world, which resulted in an estimate of 250 total deaths.Another event that happened is the Charlie Hebdo Shooting. This happened because the French satirical weekly newspaper in Paris published a cartoon in which Muhammad had been drawn. Two brothers forced their way into the offices of the French satirical newspaper. Armed with guns, they killed 12 people and injured 11 others. On January 11th 2015, about two million people, including more than 40 world leaders, met in Paris for a rally of national unity. 3.7 million people joined demonstrations all across France.

Most outsiders of Islam believe that drawing Muhammad is part of freedom of speech and that it should, therefore, not be prohibited. They do not think that it is blasphemy to draw Muhammad. An argument that some people use is that “Christians do not mind when Jesus or God is drawn, so why can we not have drawings Muhammad? Most Christians do not mind when someone makes a joke or cartoon about Christianity, so Muslims should also not care about it.”

In conclusion, all of this shows that both sides of the problem have a strong opinion, some people even kill others to take revenge because someone illustrated Muhammad. The westerners also have a strong opinion. This can be seen because of the rally of national unity and the demonstrations all across France. It is probably for the better to not draw Muhammad so that there will not be any more terrorist attacks and such. We agree with the point that illustrating the prophet is part of freedom of speech, but it is smarter to not illustrate him so that there will not be any more deaths because of the protests or attacks.

Why we should be allowed to draw Muhammad

Buddha, Jesus, the Roman gods and the Greek gods. We have all seen them depicted many times and, whether or not these depictions are correct, they are globally seen as acceptable representations. These religions, both the ancient and the new, allow these depictions of their gods. However, there is one particular religion which very strictly bans any visual illustrations of their characters. That religion is Islam.

In the Islam, it generally believed to be wrong to depict either Allah, their prophets or any other one of their characters. This is because that is stated in the Hadith. The character, around which most controversy takes place regarding this ban, is the Islamic prophet Muhammad. The Hadith is believed to be a record of the words, actions, and the silent approval of Muhammad, which, because of this, must be followed and obeyed by all Muslims. However, the Hadith isn’t actually an official part of the Quran. The Quran being the collection of all 114 holy revelations, which the prophet Muhammad received Allah, and the holy book of the Islamic religion. Because the Hadith is not an official part of the Quran, there has always been uncertainty and doubt about whether or not its followers are truly fulfilling the will of Allah. Therefore, people have always been unsure about Allah’s will regarding the depicting of Muhammad.

The reason why it is not allowed to depict Muhammad, has to do with the idea of idol worship, the worshipping of anyone or anything else other than God. Muslims were afraid that, if images of the prophet were made, people might begin to worship them instead of Allah. Muslims didn’t want Muhammad to be worshipped, so, to prevent this, they decided to ban the drawing of Muhammad. This was partially a reaction to Christians, who depicted both Jesus as a God.

Muhammad may not be depicted because of the fear that people will worship him as a god. But the ironic thing is Muhammad is already worshipped as a God very much within certain branches of Islam. Some Muslims will speak of Muhammad as if he is Allah himself. This, of course, does not count for all of Islam, but it is still an important thing to point out.

Moving along, he main and reason it should acceptable to draw the prophet is a part of the constitution of almost every country. Freedom of expression. It is one of the most important things of the world today. People can say what they think is good or bad, right or wrong on every topic there is. This reaches from important issues, like Politics art education, to lesser, but still just as controversial topics, such as food and art. It is the foundation of the freedom we as a society all favour and treasure so much. So why must we not express our freedom regarding the illustrating of people such as Muhammad, when do have the freedom to criticise and share our thoughts on all other topics.

We believe that it is very important for our society to be allowed to express ourselves and make use of the freedom we have been given. Therefore, we believe that all people who wish to depict Muhamad, should be free to do so. Still, we may yet have a long way to go before that is accepted by the Muslim community, when bearing in mind in mind the consequences it has already brought. People like Theo van Gogh and the redaction of Charlie Hebdo were brutally murdered because of their depictions of Muhammad. Regardless, we hope that slowly, but surely, people’s freedom in this will grow so far that drawing Muhammad may be done without consequences.

Final words

We chose this topic because we thought it was one of the more interesting ones. With, for example, the topic of the headscarves, it would have been about the freedom of Muslims being oppressed. However, with the topic of whether or not people should be allowed to draw the prophet Muhammad, it is actually the freedom of people in general, but mostly westerners, which is being threatened. It is a very controversial topic, and both sides have good arguments defending their opinion. We knew that there is a lot of controversy surrounding this topic and we wanted to get to its roots to find out what the reasons behind it are. We personally believe in freedom of speech for all people, so our statement was, of course, going to be in favour of being allowed to illustrate Muhammad. Still, we were very interested in why Muslims so strictly forbid it and why the depictions of the prophet, that have actually been made, caused so much anger and violence.

For some, he was a fighter inside the boxing ring and for some, he was a fighter outside of the ring. All to be said Muhammed Ali has been fighting his whole life whether it be in or out of the boxing ring. Growing up in American at a time when racism and racial segregation was a still real thing. Born on 17, 1942 in Lewisville, Kentucky, named Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr. shearing name with his father and one of his ancestries, who was a Kentucky abolished also a military commander in the 1800s. At the age of 12, his bike was stolen. He reported it to the police, and told one of the police officers name Joe Martin, who was a local boxing trainer and also a leader in the Louisville civil rights movement, that he would beat up the guy who stole his bike. Officer Martin answered with, “You better learn how to fight first.” after their interaction. Officer Martin started teaching him how to fight. He won his first fight after 6 weeks of training. He was troubled in school and was bad at leading which leads him to repeat 10th great, and boxing was his way out. After the gruesome murder of Emmett Till in 1955 at the age of 13, only one year older than him. It hit Him with the fact that it easily could have been his and he needs it to get out of the south, considering his screen color and time.

He was quick with his hand and strong on his feet, but it was his mouth which graves then the attention of the media and top of the headline which he many times used to spice abut the social injustice and discrimination rotten than his fame. By the age of 18, he has won 100 boxing matches including 2 golden globe titles and 2 national amateur athletic, with losing only 8.

In 1962 He was introduced to Malcolm X at a Black Muslim rally in Detroit in 1962, after their introduction, they became close friends. spending time together learning about the nation of Islam. In 1964, after his winning boxing match against sunny Liston, he publicly announced that he had joined the Nation of Islam and he has changed his name from Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr to Muhammad Ali, it was a very bold move which has done by no one at that time, and he was highly criticized his action. By 1995 Muhammad Ali was at the pick of his boxing career, and he has become one of the most famous and successful boxers in the world, how every at the end of 1965 Ali’s success had come to hold. with the Vietnam war and he was required to join the united states to join and fight in the war, But he refused to go join the war because of his religious belief. In a live tv interview, Ali said “My conscience won’t let me go shoot my brother, or some darker people, or some poor hungry people in the mud for big powerful America, And shoot them for what”. Even though Ali could have gotten away easily by claiming Foules injury or fleeing to Canada, he decided to fight his way out despite having to pay 10 thousand dollars in fine, 5 years in person which he did not have to serve, and being banned from boxing for 3 years for draft aviation. During his 3 years band of boxing, Ali heald many public spiking in colleges and university around the country where he discussed and expressed his opposition to the interracial manager, his experience with racism in America, non-violent civil rights movement meant and defending his religious belief and defending the nation of Islam. Many people criticized Ali for not joining the military for the Vietnam war, but as the death toll of the grows to tens of thousands, people realized Ali was not trying to be unpatriotic, but he was opposing the injustices, and soon may people started to support his action including Which Martin Luther King jr praised Ali for what he did.

After his 3 years band from boxing, Ali went back to boxing but it would take him 3 more years to become a heavyweight champion again, against Georgia Foreman willing with a knockout in the 8th round. At the age of 39, Ali had retired from professional boxing with 5 losses and 56 wins with 37 knockouts. In 1985 Ali was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, likely due to years of boxing and head traumas. Despite being back down, his success and fighting for equality did not stop. In 1990 Ali has introduced the international boxing hall of raming. As time wants by Ali’s disease took a stronghold on him, despite that after the 911 attack in 2001, Ali expressed his condolences to the lives were lost on that day and defending the Muslim community with a statement saying, “I’m a Muslim when I was 20 years ago against killing balance in all Muslim I guess I think people should know the real truth about Islam, you know me I am bout to be called greatest of all time, people recognize me for being a boxer and a man of truth, and I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for Islam, and it is not what terrorist made it look, I think all the people should know the truth and come to the recognition it. Because Islam is pice against killing, murder, and the terrorist people say they are doing it for Islam is wrong. And if I had any chance I would do something about it”.

Over the lifetime of Muhammed Ail, he has inspired many peoples and athletics around the world to use their platform no only for entertainment, but also to use their platform and popularity to highlight social injustice and equality.

The Egyptian government during the era of Muhammad Ali was an absolute government in which the rule of individual rule prevailed, but the difference between it and what it was in the Mamluk era is that Muhammad Ali Pasha established a system for its administration, so this system replaced chaos and confusion, as it was considered one of the advocates of absolute rule (this is a point) Weakness in his history), but his advantage was that he had an idea of ​​order and reform, as he was inclined to consult with his advisors on matters before their conclusion.

The establishment of a strong government for the sake of the actions that Muhammad Ali did, because it eliminated the chaos that was raging in the country, and with this government he was able to complete the reforms that he had contemplated, and he had great merit in spreading the security brigade in the country, and this security that Muhammad expanded Ali Pasha was one of the most important pillars of urbanization in the Nile Valley, and it is right to say that the provisions of security and order are among the features of this era, because the Mamluk era was famous for the loss of control and connectivity, so farmers, merchants and owners did not secure their money and property, but rather the manslowers and bandits were kidnapped, and it is known that if Security has not been established in a country, so there is no hope for progress or civilization, for Muhammad Ali has placed the first pillar of Egypt’s urbanism by controlling security and striking at the hands of the wretched, bandits and Nile pirates, and this is for the sake of his actions during his reign. Muhammad Ali and claimed it to admire the extension of the security corridor so that a person can pass the regions far from the Nile with reassuring security after he was targeting to kidnap the tribes if he crossed the threshold of the desert, but in the middle of the agricultural areas, and the government subdued the power of the tribes and prevented their invasions, and a person can walk In the midst of their plots, they are safe for themselves, and they are engaged in raising cattle and sheep and trading them in the markets. ‘

The advantage of Muhammad Ali’s government is that it strengthened the foundations of security in the country, and thus it was able to carry out the reforms that you mentioned, but besides that, there is no excuse for saying that Muhammad Ali never intended to establish a constitutional or quasi-constitutional system in the understandable sense, and this is a weakness and a place Severe criticism in its history, and what bodies it established into executive councils in which the supreme word was for him or for his deception, and the counseling council did not last for long, and it seems that his psychological inclinations did not go towards the constitutional system, and if it was concerned in this aspect, he could prepare the nation to assume the responsibilities of governing in His reign, but he did not, and left the issue with chaos between his successors and the people, so a clash occurred between them in the late era of Ismail and the early days of Tawfiq until it led to the Urabi Revolution and then to the British occupation.