The world is in love with Sonny Bill Williams.
One of his closest friends, Australian boxer Anthony Mundine, a fellow Muslim, says a huge part of the change he has undergone is down his conversion to Islam.
During the Rugby World Cup Sonny Bill
- Gave away his medal to a 14 year old boy.
- Mingling with opposing players’ families after pool games
- Gave semifinal tickets to Syrian refugees
- Consoled Springbok Jessie Kriel following that match
Mundine believes the pillars of the Muslim religion have helped bring out the best in Sonny Bill.
“I know from a hands on point of view because it had the same affect on me when I reverted back to Islam and chose to learn the fundamentals of it,” he said.
“If you really delve deep into Islam you’ll see you have to be pious, you have to be humble, you have to be generous to your fellow human beings.”
“He had those qualities anyway but it (Islam) just reinforces those qualities.”
Everyone’s quick to judge when somebody’s in the spotlight,” Mundine said of Williams’ past indiscretions. “He went through times when he was young and made bad mistakes but who doesn’t?
“But then he changed his life around and found Islam … and it’s been nothing but serenity for him now.”
It was during his time in the south of France when Sonny Bill Williams converted to Islam. In an interview with CNN in 2013, the dual international revealed how becoming a “true Muslim” gave him happiness.
“It’s made me become content as a man, and helped me to grow,” he told the American news channel. “I’ve just got faith in it and it has definitely helped me become the man I am today.”
Source
- stuff.co.nz
- Image: radionz.co.nz
