Why did Cassius Clay choose the name Muhammed Ali

Ali`s name has everything to do with Islam, he was a sunni muslim and given a muslim name by the nation of Islam.

 

but it has nothing to do with who Jewish people think Jesus is, nor a contrast between Jesus and Muhammad. The thread is about the origins of Ali’s name change not the nuances and differences between Judaism Islam and Christianity

 

I'm inclined to believe this as the most simple explanation.

Muhammed - ephitet of the prophet in reverance

Ali - apparently means 'champion' in Arabic.

 

LOL; now there is a debate!

Yes he had to be related (son of, son of, son of et al) But for it to happen a lot of things that do not make that much sense had to occur. Call it his first miracle!

 

exactly! His father Joseph was a son of David, yet JC was born by immaculate conception..
All I know is my mother kept me in line in the ways of the holy trinity. One guy. Three identities. Some dude!

 

So to summarize

Saad took the best name, Ali had second dibs.
Mark's religious comparisons put his boxing ones to shame...
Jesus was a son of David yet as noting to do with Judaism

And I still don't know why Ali picked his name

 

Yeah.Also interesting that all three chose to keep their Christian first names when they converted to Islam.

 

Muhammad was a prophet.Jesus was the son of God. Big difference.

 

Because the name "Captain Kangaroo" was already taken.

 

Well Bernard Hopkins is a Muslim, and he never changed his name at all, so I guess it's not a requirement.

 

Yes, same with MikeTyson. I wonder about that. Ones faith is a private matter. The depth of ones faith is difficult to gage. I don’t know if it is more outwardly devout to change your name or not. I know that with Ali he did not see his birth name as his family name. He regarded it as a slave name. But what is in a name anyway? Each family is different. Many people don’t even take the Father’s surname anyway. Mike Tyson technically is a Fitzpatrick. He was registered under his mother’s married name. I don’t think it was even her maiden name either. So he wound up with a surname that has no link to his ancestry. And I guess a lot of people are like that.

 

Didn’t Tyson change his name to Malik Abdul Aziz when he came outta prison? Why does everyone still call him? Mike Tyson

 

I think he was legally obliged to keep the Mike Tyson name for the comeback fights, and since then I know of no other information to suggest, that at least professionally, he is not happy being called Mike Tyson.

 

That’s right! I forgot that.

 

I’m no legal expert but it’s possible that when he was released from prison that he would had to still be registered as a sex offender under his original name and so maybe had to legally use that name, at least publicly. I can’t remember the last time anyone or even Tyson himself mention his Muslim name.