Ali offers prayers at the Al-Hussein mosque in Egypt.
Egypt, 1964 (June 3)
As a world champion heavyweight boxer, Ali’s fame preceded his highly anticipated arrival to Cairo, Egypt, in June 1964. As if his sports notoriety was not enough, at the time, Ali was a recent convert to Islam, so many Egyptians felt an instant connection with him.
While in Egypt, Ali visited the Aswan Dam, met with the Supreme Islamic Council, and prayed at the Al-Hussein mosque. He was also a guest of Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser. Ali went on to spend a total of 20 days in Egypt before returning to America.
Mohammad Ali enjoys the wonders of Egypt. Photo credit: ahram.org.eg
