Legendary boxing champion Muhammad Ali Wednesday took a veiled shot at Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump while slamming "so-called Islamic jihadists" and those who seek to "use Islam to advance their own personal agenda."
"I am a Muslim and there is nothing Islamic about killing innocent people in Paris, San Bernardino, or anywhere else in the world," Ali, 73, told
NBC News in a statement. "True Muslims know that the ruthless violence of so-called Islamic jihadists goes against the very tenets of our religion."
The statement was entitled, "Presidential Candidates Proposing to Ban Muslim Immigration to the United States."
It does not, however, specifically mentions Trump, who on Monday called for banning all Muslims from entering the United States until terrorism concerns are addressed and the vetting system is greatly improved.
The billionaire developer also said earlier that day on Twitter that he could not recall any great American Muslim athletes.
An NBC report on the tweet published a picture of Trump and Ali sitting together during the "Ali's Celebrity Fight Night XIII" charity event in Phoenix in March 2007.
Here’s is Ali's statement:
"I am a Muslim and there is nothing Islamic about killing innocent people in Paris, San Bernardino, or anywhere else in the world.
"True Muslims know that the ruthless violence of so-called Islamic jihadists goes against the very tenets of our religion.
"We as Muslims have to stand up to those who use Islam to advance their own personal agenda. They have alienated many from learning about Islam.
"True Muslims know or should know that it goes against our religion to try and force Islam on anybody.
"Speaking as someone who has never been accused of political correctness, I believe that our political leaders should use their positions to bring understanding about the religion of Islam and clarify that these misguided murderers have perverted people's views on what Islam really is."
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.