Muhammad Ali: Fists of Steel Yield to Soul of Butterfly

The headlines in the 1960s and beyond accurately portrayed Muhammad Ali as anything but a moderate in relation to people without color in general, and Jews in particular. Who would have imagined that he would evolve into a model of Muslim moderation and appreciation of Jews as well as of members of other religions? Who would have ever imagined that the person who first came to fame as a self-centered narcissist claiming to be the greatest fighter who ever lived, as an individual, would go through various stages as a Muslim, from one of the most militant to one of the most moderate, and evolve into a humanitarian who would speak out on behalf of all believers in God to the point where now, in death, even more so than in life, as more people find out about his personal evolution, he is positioned to become more influential in tolerating, and even respecting, people of other religions than any other high-profile once-militant Muslim, today, or even in world history!

Perhaps Ali's most famous line as a professional boxer was "float like a butterfly, sting like a bee," but the title of his own memoir, published in 2004, shows how his whole world view had evolved over the years. The book was entitled "The Soul of a Butterfly: Reflections on Life's Journey." Gone was the sting, the swagger, the anger, and the lack of acceptance of people without color and non-Muslims. In his memoir, he wrote: "Over the years my religion has changed and my spirituality has evolved. Religion and spirituality are very different, but people often confuse the two. Some things cannot be taught, but they can be awakened in the heart. Spirituality is recognizing the divine light that is within us all. It doesn't belong to any particular religion; it belongs to everyone. We all have the same God, we just serve him differently...It doesn't matter whether you're a Muslim, a Christian, or a Jew. When you believe in God, you should believe that all people are part of one family. If you love God, you can't love only some of his children." Even back in 1996, just as Ali was about to light the Olympic flame at the Atlanta games, he stated, "My mother was a Baptist. She believed Jesus was the son of God, and I don't believe that. But even though my mother had a religion different from me, I believe that, on Judgment Day, my mother will be in heaven." Ali also said:

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"There are Jewish people who lead good lives. When they die, I believe they're going to heaven. It doesn't matter what religion you are, if you're a good person you'll receive God's blessing. Muslims, Christians and Jews all serve the same God. We just serve him in different ways. "Anyone who believes in One God should also believe that all people are part of one family. God created us all. And all people have to work to get along."

Notably, even when the champ was anti-Zionist, he still had the humanity to plead with the Islamic "militants" who had kidnapped Daniel Pearl, the Jewish Wall Street Journal reporter, "to treat Pearl in the same way they would treat any Muslim." After the Muslim kidnappers decided to behead Pearl instead, Ali chose to attend a private memorial service for the murdered Jewish journalist. Also, even in his early days as a relatively militant Muslim, he was still personally close to a number of high profile Jews, as, for example, the iconic sportscaster Howard Cosell (whose name at birth was Cohen), who called so many of his fights, and his assistant trainer and corner man, Drew Brown, a convert to Judaism and reputedly the author of some of Ali's famous trademark poems that captivated audiences throughout the world, setting him apart from all other boxers for his showmanship and aura of intimidation. Later in life, the champ found tolerable Jews much closer to home. His own daughter, Khalia, married a Jew and became Khalia Ali-Wertheimer. Muhammad's grandson, JACOB (renamed Israel in the Bible) had the rare and doubly ironic distinction of being deemed a Jew by Islamic law (which determines religion based on the father's religion) while a Muslim by Jewish law (which determines religion based on the mother's religion). With such a background--or despite such a background--young Jacob identified with his father's religion and culture; he "felt a kinship with Judaism and Jewish culture," and opted to have a bar mitzvah ceremony. It was held at Philadelphia's Congregation Rodeph Sholom (seeker of peace), the oldest Ashkenazic synagogue in the entire Western Hemisphere! Muhammad Ali was present at the event, in 2012, and reportedly "followed everything and looked at the Torah very closely." According to the champ's daughter (Jacob's mother), Muhammad Ali was "supportive in every way."

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Rabbi Joseph Potasnik, the host of the longest-running radio show on WABC Talk Radio in New York, "Religion on the Line," was quick to cite the best punch line (pun intended) that the bar mitzvah boy could have delivered, while his head may have been spinning in the excitement of the day, "float like a butterfly and punch like a MACCABEE!" Much of Ali's legacy is based on what he did in the boxing ring and what he SAID outside of the ring. But perhaps what rings true is that he deserves the most meaningful ringing endorsement for what he DID outside of the ring. He was known to suffer from Parkinson's disease for the last decades of his life, and eventually succumbed due to what is believed to have been respiratory failure associated with this disease. Parkinson's, which is a disease of the central nervous system, disproportionately ravages Ashkenazic Jews. Ironically, Ali's work with the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research and his own Muhammad Ali Parkinson's Center helped thousands of people suffering with the disease, including a disproportionate number of Jews who benefited from his deeds and his putting his considerable money where his considerable mouth was. Muhammad Ali was larger than life in many ways. Let us hope that he will be remembered not just for his militant approach to so many people throughout the world beginning in 1964, but primarily for his ecumenicism that evolved throughout the rest of his life, to the point where he may have been not just fearless in the boxing ring, but also more fearless than virtually any other high-profile formerly militant Muslim in opposing terrorism and encouraging people throughout the world to have respect for Christians and Jews, as well as for other believers in God. In Ali's own words that bear repeating and emulating, "All people have to work to get along."