How did Mike Tyson become a Muslim (interview)
- 8 years ago
How did Mike Tyson become a Muslim ?
Tyson’s childhood was a tumultuous one. His father left the family when Tyson was two-years-old. And his mother died when he was 16, leaving him in the legal care of his boxing coach. Suffice it to say, religion was likely not a part of his life.
But in 1992, Tyson was convicted of rape and during his three years in prison, he converted to Islam.
Mike Tyson was on the Howard Stern Show Wednesday morning, and talked to Stern about his life experience as a converted Muslim man.
"You see what's going on now in the world, with our enemies, this Isis, the Taliban, and they're using the name of Islam," Stern said. "Young people in our country, who grew up here are getting self-radicalized, and trying to kill people... How do you feel about all of it?"
"I'm really appalled," Tyson said. "Everyone is concerned about the black mark it's putting on Muslim." Tyson is a practicing Muslim, and attends Mosque ceremonies, prays and engages in the beliefs of the religion. His Muslim name is Malik.
"When you see somebody who is a devout Muslim, you can't help but love them a respect them," Tyson said. "Religion is not bad. It's people that make religion bad."
In an interview with Fox411, he said: "I'm very grateful to be a Muslim. Allah doesn't need me, I need Allah."
Mike Tyson was on the Howard Stern Show to promote his new show, Mike Tyson Mysteries, which premiered on Adult Swim on Monday. Its an animated cartoon featuring Tyson solving mysteries, perhaps in the name of Allah.
Now, Tyson is quite devout, even having made a trip to Mecca2 as well as marrying the daughter of a Muslim cleric.3 And though Tyson admits that he doesn’t follow the Muslim tradition like he should (such as not always praying five times a day),4 it is undoubtedly a very big part of his life. He said:
Being a Muslim is who I am as a person. But let’s say there wasn’t Islam. Just that spirit, just for me to have my everyday [routines] helps. I have to be constantly on the move, or else the machine is going to break. I’m a realist. I deal with the world coming at me. It comes at me fast — faster sometimes than I can say my prayers. God will have to forgive me if I forgot a few things. I hope he does, at least.5
Tyson’s childhood was a tumultuous one. His father left the family when Tyson was two-years-old. And his mother died when he was 16, leaving him in the legal care of his boxing coach. Suffice it to say, religion was likely not a part of his life.
But in 1992, Tyson was convicted of rape and during his three years in prison, he converted to Islam.
Mike Tyson was on the Howard Stern Show Wednesday morning, and talked to Stern about his life experience as a converted Muslim man.
"You see what's going on now in the world, with our enemies, this Isis, the Taliban, and they're using the name of Islam," Stern said. "Young people in our country, who grew up here are getting self-radicalized, and trying to kill people... How do you feel about all of it?"
"I'm really appalled," Tyson said. "Everyone is concerned about the black mark it's putting on Muslim." Tyson is a practicing Muslim, and attends Mosque ceremonies, prays and engages in the beliefs of the religion. His Muslim name is Malik.
"When you see somebody who is a devout Muslim, you can't help but love them a respect them," Tyson said. "Religion is not bad. It's people that make religion bad."
In an interview with Fox411, he said: "I'm very grateful to be a Muslim. Allah doesn't need me, I need Allah."
Mike Tyson was on the Howard Stern Show to promote his new show, Mike Tyson Mysteries, which premiered on Adult Swim on Monday. Its an animated cartoon featuring Tyson solving mysteries, perhaps in the name of Allah.
Now, Tyson is quite devout, even having made a trip to Mecca2 as well as marrying the daughter of a Muslim cleric.3 And though Tyson admits that he doesn’t follow the Muslim tradition like he should (such as not always praying five times a day),4 it is undoubtedly a very big part of his life. He said:
Being a Muslim is who I am as a person. But let’s say there wasn’t Islam. Just that spirit, just for me to have my everyday [routines] helps. I have to be constantly on the move, or else the machine is going to break. I’m a realist. I deal with the world coming at me. It comes at me fast — faster sometimes than I can say my prayers. God will have to forgive me if I forgot a few things. I hope he does, at least.5