This includes celebrities who were raised Muslim, and those who converted later in life.
This list contains information about celebrities who are Muslim, loosely ranked by fame and popularity. Several famous actors, musicians, and athletes are Muslim. Some of these celebrities were raised in Muslim households, while others converted later in life. One famous Muslim was assassinated by the Nation of Islam when he denounced the religious movement.
Who is the most famous person who is Muslim? Janet Jackson tops this list. Jackson was raised as a Jehovah's Witness, but she reportedly converted to Islam after marrying Wissam Al Mana in 2013. There are a lot of Muslim NBA players as well, such as Shaquille O'Neal. He was raised by a Baptist mother and Muslim stepfather. He has been identified as Muslim in several biographies, but he is quoted as saying, "I'm Muslim, I'm Jewish, I'm Buddhist, I'm everybody 'cause I'm a people person."
There are lots of popular Muslim actors and actresses on this list that you will recognize. Mahershala Ali is one of these notable Muslim stars. There are a good amount of American Muslims who converted to the religion later in life. There are also many Muslim singers, such as Sinéad O'Connor.
Malcolm X explored many denominations of the Muslim faith. He first joined the Nation of Islam in the late 1940s and later he explored Sunni Islam. After denouncing the Nation of Islam in 1965, he was assassinated by several of the organization's members. Muhammad Ali also explored many aspects of the Islamic faith.
Scroll one for more information about Muslim celebrities.
In an interview on September 16, 2019, Sinead O'Connor explained that she has always been Muslim, but just only realized it. "In Islam, you don't call it conversion. You call it reversion. The idea is you were born Muslim in the first place, that any person with any logic would realize they were born Muslim all along."
"That's actually what happened to me, by being a theologian all my life. I never thought that I would join any particular religion, but because I grew up in a theocracy, I was very interested in theology. So I studied all the different religions, and I actually left Islam until last, because I had such a huge amount of prejudice about it actually, you know? But as soon as I read chapter two, I was like, 'Oh my God. I've been a Muslim my whole life and didn't even realize it,'" she added.
Shaquille O'Neal was raised by a Baptist mother and Muslim stepfather. He has been identified as Muslim in several biographies, but he is quoted as saying, "I'm Muslim, I'm Jewish, I'm Buddhist, I'm everybody 'cause I'm a people person."
Born a Christian, Ali converted to Islam when he was a young man living in California. He is the first Muslim actor to ever win an Academy Award, for the 2016 film Moonlight.
In 2009, it was reported that Snoop Dogg had joined the Nation of Islam. As of 2012, he converted to the Rastafari movement and changed his name to Snoop Lion.
