Sonny Bill Williams – Finding Islam Born in Auckland, New Zealand, Sonny Bill Williams has known fame and controversy from a young age. Gifted with sporting talent, Williams was a competitive sprinter, champion high jumper and cross country runner while still a child. Even though his father was an accomplished rugby league player, it was his mother who introduced him to rugby. At 17, Sonny was the youngest player to be offered a contract to play in the Rugby League for the Sydney Bulldogs junior grades. He advanced up the ranks quickly and in 2004, he was the youngest player to play in a test match for the Kiwis. Watch video Sonny donating his gold chain to 14 year-old: www.islamicbulletin.org/videos/nz/gold.mp4 It was in France while playing for the French Rugby Union Club that Williams converted to Islam. He had first started taking an interest in becoming Muslim when he went to Australia. Once he moved to France, he became very close with a family from Tunisia; they lived in a flat with one bedroom with their five children. According to Sonny, it amazed him to see how happy and content they were. Their hospitality and caring made him realize the beauty of Islam. Williams has spoken openly in interviews about how becoming a Muslim has helped him grow and become the better person he is today. He considers himself to be a true Muslim and feels complete happiness through his faith. He rejected an offer to wear a jersey with bank sponsorships on it since interest goes against the Muslim faith. Ramadan is a special time for Williams, and he speaks about the appreciation he feels for things that we take for granted. He greatly believes that it is not enough to have faith alone, and feels that the rest is up to us. God gives us talent, he has said, but it is up to us to take that and drive it through will and dedication. The Christchurch Attacks and New Zealand’s Example After the Christchurch carnage on Muslims praying in the El Noor Mosque, New Zealanders showed the world that they won’t tolerate the hatred that saw 50 people gunned down in their place of worship. The small island nation of only 4 million people rallied together to take a stand against terrorism. People of all faiths stood together to pray. Many women, including the Prime Minister of New Zealand, Jacinda Ardern, wore headscarves to show their solidarity. Additionally, millions of dollars were collected to help the victims and the families of the deceased. New Zealand and its people showed that tolerance, respect and acceptance is the only way to move forward and proved it by: · Mourning as one nation. All the funeral costs were undertaken by the government. · People can face up to 14 years in jail for spreading hate news or showing the video of the attack. Plus, guns were banned within hours of the attack. · Police, the public and even gang members took to patrolling outside mosques. The Azaan was played on all national media at the time of the Friday prayers. · Visas were fast-tracked for relatives to enter New Zealand and the homes of many New Zealanders were opened to provide shelter, food and support to their fellow human beings who had suffered this terrible atrocity. Williams immediately took action after these attacks by visiting victims and giving money to help families. He also created a charity in order to facilitate the donations that immediately started coming in. He has spoken about Islamophobia and about how he feels that he has been misunderstood. He reiterates in interviews how important it is that no man or woman believes that they are better than others no matter their color or creed. Forgiveness and knowledge are essential and Williams feels that not only New Zealand, but all other nations need to work toward this in order to heal racism and hatred. Watch video: www.islamicbulletin.org/videos/nz/widow.mp4 Watch video: www.islamicbulletin.org/videos/nz/cemetery.mp4 Williams openly spoke of his admiration for the Prime Minister and how fast the country acted, and also admired the fact that Prime Minister Ardern quoted verses from the Qur’an during her speeches. Naivety and ignorance allow people to believe anything they are fed, but in the 10 years that Williams has been a Muslim he advises people to read up on Islam and to learn that it is a religion that offers answers through faith--a religion that preaches tolerance and love. One of the greatest moments for any Muslim convert is the moment when their loved ones, especially their mother, decide to also embrace Islam. Sonny Williams has spoken in interviews about that blessed moment when his mother and teammate, Ofa Tu’ungafasi, took their Shahada, just two weeks after the Christchurch attack. In April 2019, he tweeted, “Hearing my mum talk about Islam with such joy makes my heart full. Subhanallah, when Allah places the contentment in your heart it’s beautiful to see.” Louisville renames airport after hometown hero Muhammad Ali
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