Thousands Attend Muhammad Ali's Funeral Ceremony

Nearly 14,000 citizens attended the funeral, prayer service, and burial of Muhammad Ali, the renowned boxing champion, in his hometown of Louisville, Kentucky. The prayer for Ali was recited in both Arabic and English, and he was repeatedly referred to as 'the people's champion.' His memorial service, which began on Thursday, June 9, will continue until Friday. Ali, a three-time world heavyweight boxing champion, is famous not only for his unparalleled sports achievements but also for his political activism, opposition to the Vietnam War, and his commitment to humanitarian issues. In recent years, he was among those who wrote letters to Iranian officials, including the Supreme Leader, requesting the release of individuals such as detained American climbers or Jason Rezaian, a Washington Post reporter. Ali had also traveled to Iran. Jesse Jackson, an American activist and politician, quoted Sherman Jackson, a Muslim scholar at the University of Southern California, stating that 'Ali's passing has created a sense of loneliness in all of us in this world.' Sherman Jackson remarked, 'A very beautiful thing, a testament to life, a solid and true thing, has left us.' Muhammad Ali passed away at the age of 74 on June 3, after years of battling Parkinson's disease. Originally named Cassius Clay, he converted to Islam in 1964 and changed his name to Muhammad Ali. In later years, he developed an interest in Sufism. In the last days of his life, this celebrated boxing champion had harshly criticized Donald Trump, the controversial Republican candidate, and his views. Erdogan traveled to Louisville to attend Ali's memorial service. However, Ali's fame and the widespread reactions to his death also reached Trump. The controversial candidate, who had called for a ban on Muslims entering the U.S., tweeted a quote from Ali: 'He who is not courageous enough to take risks will accomplish nothing in life,' which many Twitter users interpreted as an indirect reference to his own activities in pursuit of the presidency. Obama stated that he was a unique human being. Reports indicate that citizens from various parts of the U.S. traveled to Louisville to participate in his memorial service. Bill Clinton, former U.S. President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, President of Turkey, and Billy Crystal, a famous comedian, are among the attendees of the ceremony on Friday. The Freedom Hall at the Louisville Stadium, where the memorial service is held, is the same place where he had his first professional boxing match.