Remembering Muhammad Ali

Besides being one of the great boxers of all time, and a pioneer of black power, Muhammad Ali was also, I believe, a spiritual genius. His guru, Elijah Muhammad, was nothing more than a hateful charlatan, yet Ali somehow found the core of pure Islam within that debased cult. The astonishing victories of his later career are evidence of how faith can accomplish apparent miracles. Behind his playful bluster, and in spite of the inherent savagery of his chosen craft, was a man who dedicated himself to the power that lies beyond the self. There is, and there will be, no other like him.