Hakeem Olajuwon inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame
On Monday, April 7, 2008, my son came to me full of excitement and beaming with happiness. He proudly announced that Hakeem Olajuwon had been inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame. This twelve year old boy who is literally obsessed with basketball and spends most of his time outside of school playing, watching or learning more about the sport was so excited by this news and for good reason. In this country, at a time when Islam and being a Muslim have been so misunderstood and misrepresented, and in many cases demoralized, it is a moment of great pride for all Muslims, and especially Muslims in the United States. Hakeem Olajuwon was not only a great basketball player, he was much more than that. He embodied and lived the Islamic faith for all to see and openly. During Ramadan, he would fast even if there was a game, and he would play basketball while he fasted.
Hakeem Olajuwon was not always so devoted, early in his career he was often belligerent and got into heated disputes with officials and other players. But in 1991 he changed as he became more spiritual and focused his attention more on his religion.
On March 9, 1991, he changed his name to the proper Arabic spelling, saying, “I am not going to change the spelling of my name, I am correcting it.”]He later recalled, “I studied the Koran every day. In home, in the mosque… I read it on planes, before games and after them. I was soaking in faith and learning new meanings every time I turned a page. I didn’t dabble in faith, I gave myself to it ” . Olajuwon was still recognized as one of the league’s elite hubs despite its strict observance of Ramadan (eg, refraining from eating and drinking during the day for about a month), which occurred for virtually every season. of his career. Olajuwon was noted to sometimes play better during the month, and in 1995 he was named NBA Player of the Month for February, even though Ramadan began on February 1 of that year. He also gained recognition for his sportsmanship and his charitable activities. In 1994, after receiving his MVP award, he spoke at the ISNA (Islamic Society of North America) Convention. He is a hero to many young Muslims in the United States. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hakeem_Olajuwon)
Among his NBA records and titles are: 2-time NBA champion (1994, ’95)
2-time NBA Finals MVP (1994, ’95), NBA MVP (1994), 2-time Defensive Player of the Year (1993, ’94), 6-time All-NBA First Team (1987 , ’88, ’89, ’93, ’94, ’97), 3 times All-NBA Second Team (’86, ’90, ’96), 3 times All-NBA Third Team (1991, ’95, ’99 ), 5-time First Team All-Defensive (’87, ’88, ’90, ’93, ’94), 12-time All-Star
Olympic gold medalist (1996)
It is such a wonderful time for Muslims in the United States and especially for our children that this great American athlete, is someone who embodies and has shown much for them to look up to as a role model, as a great athlete and a great Muslim. .
