Gaza Tragedy Inspires Renowned Civil Rights Activist Shaun King To Embrace Islam on Eve of Holy Month of Ramadan
Draped in Palestinian keffiyeh, King credited his conversion in Texas yesterday to the "six months of anguish, agony, and turmoil witnessed in Gaza"
In a surprising development, Shaun King, the well-known US social justice activist and accomplished writer, announced his conversion to Islam alongside his wife Rai King.
The announcement arrives at the onset month of Ramadan, with the couple affirming their faith in the presence of esteemed imam Dr. Omar Suleiman in Dallas, Texas.
Donning a Palestinian keffiyeh, King said his decision to become a Muslim was heavily influenced by the “past six months of suffering, pain and trauma that we’ve seen in Gaza”.
His declaration of faith was posted on his social media account, where he released a statement reflecting his decision, “It has touched me in the most profound ways to see people right now in the most dangerous, traumatic place on the planet still be able to sometimes look at nothing but rubble and the remains of their family, and still see meaning and purpose in life. Their faith and their devotion to Islam has not only opened my heart but has opened the hearts of millions of people around the world.”
The 44-year-old former Christian pastor, is recognized for his active support of the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement.
Since the current fighting in the Middle East ignited, he has vocally addressed the challenges faced by the Palestinian population, particularly those in Gaza, condemning what he perceives as ethnic cleansing by the US-backed Israeli occupation forces.
While he shared regular updates on social media regarding the dire circumstances in Gaza and has consistently called for an end to Israel's airstrikes, in December, he announced that Meta had banned him from Instagram, where he had a following of over five million users.
He claimed the platform suspended him for advocating for Palestine online as well as his extensive use of terms like genocide and ethical cleansing. "I am told by my sources inside of Meta that they are tracking my IP address and will delete anything I say anywhere I say it," King said.
King reflected that he and his wife were looking forward to fasting with over 1 billion Muslims from around the world during the holy month.
