“Muhammad Ali!” The People’s Chant —
Reflecting on the Champ’s Humility and Humanity in Louisville, Kentucky
“Life is best when we build bridges between people and NOT walls!” -Billy Crystal
Today, history bows its head to a man who, yesterday, bowed his spirit to humanity: Muhammad Ali. As I walked through the city of Louisville, KY, everyone had a memory to share about the People’s Champ and took pride in the momentary but momentous meetings they seized with Ali. Motivated by Islam, it was Ali’s humility and humanity that made his hands soft and his heart gentle outside of the boxing ring. He transformed his defeated foes into dear friends and fought for the freedom of all. At his jenazah, his greatness shook Freedom Hall with roars of Allahu Akbar (God is the greatest), and his universal nature reflected the universality of the Prophet Muhammad at Ali’s memorial service with American Indian, Buddhist, Jewish, Christian and Muslim spokesmen from across the nation. As the crowd chanted, “Ali! Ali! Ali!”, Imam Zaid Shakir expressed, “I’ve witnessed something I’ve never ever witnessed in my life and I don’t think I’ll ever witness again. I witnessed the power of sainthood.” Yesterday, Ali championed the people, and today Ali is the chant of the people — the people’s chant for the people’s champ.
Ali was an American Muslim who took pride in his faith; even Mormons would line up to receive his autographed pamphlets on Islam. Walking into Freedom Hall, my intentions were a prayer to God: Lord! Grant me humility and humanity. These two traits defined Ali, and I aspired to be like him. While waiting for the jenazah to commence, mourners consisted of various colors and creeds, all waiting in suspense to send their final salutations and salams to Ali. As the casket was brought forth, rows were formed and Quran was recited, “And which of the favors of your Lord do you deny?” The greatest of all time was carried to the center of the hall by some of the greatest American Muslims of our time, and the jenazah was led by Imam Zaid Shakir, co-founder of Zaytuna College and Ali’s spiritual advisor. Eulogists then spoke on the life of Ali and what he meant to American Muslims, such as Dr. Sherman Jackson, America’s leading Muslim intellectual, who said, “Ali did more to normalize Islam in this country than perhaps any other Muslim in the history of the United States.” By the end of the ceremony, the chants of La ilaha illa Allah (There is no god but Allah) echoed through the walls of Freedom Hall — a scene out of the pilgrimage of Mecca. The people were chanting the name of Ali, while Ali was chanting the name of God — the people’s chant for the people’s champ.
Ali is a man that all ages and sages can claim for themselves. Driven by Islam, Ali exemplified humility and humanity before people of all religion and race. The Quran speaks about the principle of commonality, an imperative to equally understand one another. This is evident in the Arabic form six of the verbal noun ta’ruf which denotes mutual communication, as opposed to its opposite, form three, that may suggest one-sided interaction. Ali was a black man who stood with Dr. King and Malcolm X during the civil rights movement. Ali was a humanitarian who freed fifteen hostages held by Saddam Hussein. And above all, Ali was a soul driven by the truths of the Quran. It is this spirit that drove him to once say, “Rivers, ponds, lakes, and streams. They have different names but all contain water. Religions have different names, but all contain truth.” Echoing his sentiment, Senator Orrin Hatch said at Ali’s memorial service, “He pointed us to something greater than ourselves. He pointed us to God.” Ali saw God as the Highest Being that every being participated in; he saw God through the people and the people through God. “For if you love God, you can’t only love some of His children,” profoundly summarized Ali’s attitude towards the world stated Ambassador Shabazz. Thus, his memorial was seen by the world and witnessed by the cosmos, all partaking in the chants of, “I AM ALI!” — the people’s chant for the people’s champ.
Ali’s mark is not a stone to be reminisced but a universal remark that rocks time, “Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee.” Humbled by Ali’s humanity, I drove into Cave Hill Cemetery to expect a gravestone at the burial site of the People’s Champ, only to find but a few flowers on a patch of grass. Astounded, I was speechless, even emotionless. Standing by his grave, I did not know what to think or how to feel, so I simply passed my regards on behalf of everyone who was unable to attend Ali’s funeral and memorial services. Before boarding my return flight, I met Theodore “Ted” Simon, a Philadelphia based attorney whose friendship with Ali was a result of magic tricks that Ted performed to cheer the champ during an illness once. As he read this very article, he told me that (because he was mistaken for Steven Spielberg) his chant to those who approached him in public was, “Be Ali! Be Ali! Be Ali!” Ali had stung the earth by teaching every human to be more humane, but now Ali was floating to God, instructing us to be humbled by the power of the Supreme. I believe that if there is one bell that will eternally echo the boxing ring of the Heavens into the world, it is: Let Ali be, but be Ali! — the people’s chant for the people’s champ.
