Philadelphia: The former National Basketball Association (NBA) player Stephen Jackson embraced Islam under the guidance of an Imam at Masijd Ibn Uthaymeen in Philadelphia.
In a video posted on his Instagram handle, Jackson can be seen taking Shahada or Islamic declaration of faith. Posting the video, he wrote, “Alhamdulilah. @tonetrump can’t say how I appreciate u Ahki. Today was one of the best days of my life. Love for all who have love for all @meed_al_aneeq thank u for your time and knowledge u dropped on me today. Honored to meet the brothers today”.
Background of Stephen Jackson
Jackson who was born on April 5, 1978 is a former professional basketball player who played 14 seasons in NBA with the New Jersey Nets, Indiana Pacers, Golden State Warriors, Milwaukee Bucks, Charlotte Bobcats, San Antonio Spurs, and Los Angeles Clippers. He also won an NBA championship with the Spurs in 2003.
During his early life, he was raised by his single mother in Houstan, Texas. His half-brother,16, was murdered.
Despite such difficulties, he managed to become a successful basketball player.
He announced his retirement in 2015.
Other athletes who embraced Islam recently
Recently, two more athletes had embraced Islam.
Recently, a Dutch boxer from the Netherland, Ruby Jesiah Mesu embraced Islam. She made it public in November 2020 by declaring it on her social media handle.
In April 2020, Austria’s professional Mix Martial Arts (MMA) fighter Wilhelm Ott also converted to Islam.