Boxing legend Muhammad Ali took a swipe at Donald Trump for the GOP front-runner’s proposed ban on Muslims entering the U.S. to address fears of Islamic extremists slipping into the country to commit acts of terror.
“I am a Muslim and there is nothing Islamic about killing innocent people in Paris, San Bernardino, or anywhere else in the world. True Muslims know that the ruthless violence of so called Islamic Jihadists goes against the very tenets of our religion,” said Ali in a statement first reported by NBC News.
“We as Muslims have to stand up to those who use Islam to advance their own personal agenda,” the 73-year-old continued. “They have alienated many from learning about Islam. True Muslims know or should know that it goes against our religion to try and force Islam on anybody.”
“Speaking as someone who has never been accused of political correctness, I believe that our political leaders should use their position to bring understanding about the religion of Islam and clarify that these misguided murderers have perverted people’s views on what Islam really is,” Ali concluded.
On Monday, the Trump campaign released a statement that read: “Donald J. Trump is calling for a total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States until our country’s representatives can figure out what is going on.”
In an interview Tuesday with ABC’s Barbara Walters, Trump said Muslims agree with my plan “100 percent.”
