Everyone knows Sonny Bill Williams for his rugby achievements however his off-field actions have gained equal public recognition.
His achievements during both rugby league and union and boxing tand with his acclaimed public life.
His life journey began in Auckland before moving to France and playing at international stadiums and eventually acquiring a crucial leadership position in Malaysia.
He adopted Islam during 2009 which transformed his personals beliefs along with his public image.
The spiritual change he underwent has resulted in his dedication to social equality along with his work in humanitarian projects which led to his recent appointment as Pro-Chancellor at Albukhary International University in Malaysia.
The appointment of Pro-Chancellor at Albukhary International University is a “proud privilege” for him even though he had ended his schooling at age 14.
Through education Williams seeks to return the same benefits that sport gave him in life.
The internet discussions did not start due to his recent Pro-Chancellor appointment or his progress in athletics.
The posted image proved to be an uncomplicated moment between this sports figure and his family members.
He shared the photograph of his family celebration on X to mark the end of the fasting month. The picture displayed Sonny Williams with Alana and their children Zaid, Aisha, Imaan, Essa, and Mohammed standing together beneath the caption “Eid Mubarak from the Williams.”
The family members chose traditional Malay costumes for the picture – Williams and each male wore Baju Melayu and songkok caps with his wife wearing the Malaysian headscarf called tudong.
He seemed to have a family celebration of Eid which started out in a positive light.
The sharing of a single comment sparked a religious and cultural that completely surprised everyone involved.
On Facebook Ali Al-Hadhrami claimed to enjoy how the convert family wore traditional Malaysian clothing after traditional Arab costumes.
Williams shared the comment again which stealthily showed his assent to the message before people launched their opposition.
Users strongly Criticized the inference that the use of thobes and abayas as traditional Muslim attire reduces authenticity in any way.
“What’s your point? A user questioned why anyone should object to Arab clothing worn by converts.
The comment continued with “Wallahi it’s getting ridiculous… Do you resent Arabs or do you feel minor relative to people who decide to don their clothing like an Arab?
Al-Hadhrami explained that his statement had no intention to target Arabs or oppose any type of clothing choice for converts nor was it anti-Arabic even though he appreciated Arab cultural dress.
But it was too late. The debate was now raging.
Few people advocated embracing cultural differences as they appear in dress and clothing styles.
People accused the social media post of spreading prejudices against Arabs combined with removing cultural practices particularly in digital environments which handle religious identification sensitively.
Without any additional statements Williams let both the photograph together with the ongoing dialogue serve as the only messengers in this situation.
The ongoing controversy provides new significance to his work in Malaysia because he spends more time following his university appointment.
The relationship between Williams and Malaysian Islamic culture continues deepening because the Sultan invited him to observe Ramadan in Johor.
During his public interviews last year he shared two key aspects of his spiritual development which included his past attempt to force his wife to embrace hijab.
My wife explained to me this experience belonged to her. Williams recounted his experience at an Islamic seminar with Shaykh Wael Ibrahim where he related the conversation he had with his wife about their personal journeys as Muslims.
A family picture from an occasion of communal connection has generated worldwide examination regarding religious imagery alongside questions about image definition.
That one family picture turned into a significant reflection of worldwide Muslim identity interactions together with narrative tensions and pride throughout our present dedication to this identity.
Featured Image Credit: (Instagram/@sonnybillwilliams)
