Thousands Remember Muhammad Ali at Jenazah Prayer Service

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WTVQ)-Thousands have come to Louisville this week to remember the man who shook up the world with his knock out punches, wit, and his personal stances outside the ring on everything from war to racism. Today thousands packed the Kentucky Exposition Center’s Freedom Hall for a traditional Islamic Jenazah Prayer Service honoring Muhammad Ali.

More than 14,000 people had tickets to this afternoon’s Jenazah Prayer Service. Many others who didn’t have tickets also were let in for free. It’s an event that brought together people of all faiths and ethnic groups together to celebrate the boxing legend. He was once a loud and at times divisive figure, protesting his draft into the Vietnam War and standing up for civil rights, is now being seen as a unifier whose message of humility and compassion still resonates with generations today.

After a series of traditional Islamic prayers, recitations and translations from the Quran in this holiest of months of Ramadan, there were speeches from Muslim scholars and friends of Ali. Many in the crowd taking pictures of Ali’s body as it was brought inside.

Leading scholar Sherman Jackson dubbed Ali “The People’s Champion” for his work giving black Americans like himself courage to fight inside and outside the ring. He says as a cultural icon Ali made Islam cool, dignified and relevant. He says he put the question of whether you can be a Muslim and an American to rest.

Tomorrow is Ali’s final farewell, a grand funeral carefully planned out ahead of time by the boxing legend. A slow walk procession down Muhammad Ali Boulevard will start at 9am gradually making its way to the KFC Yum! Center where the service will begin at 2pm. Will smith, who played Ali in the 2001 film ‘Ali” will be one of the pallbearers carrying his casket. Celebrities like actor Billy Crystal, broadcaster Bryant Gumbel and Former President Bill Clinton are also set to speak in front of a packed crowd of 15,000.