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Man Utd midfielder Paul Pogba has revealed why he became a Muslim in his twenties.
Manchester Evening News, 11 June 2019
Manchester
United midfielder Paul Pogba has opened up on his decision to convert to Islam.
The France international says he was
‘questioning himself over a lot of things’ before turning to Islam and becoming
‘more peaceful inside’.
Pogba, who recently made a
pilgrimage to Mecca during the holy month of Ramadan, says that doing so has
helped to make him become a better person.
Asked what being a
Muslim meant to him in The Times' new Life Times podcast ,
Pogba said: "It's everything. That's what makes me thankful for
everything.
"It made me change, realise things in life. I guess, maybe,
it makes me more peaceful inside.
"It was a good
change in my life because I wasn't born a Muslim, even if my mum was. I just
grew up like that, respect for everyone.
"Islam is not the
image that everyone sees – terrorism… What we hear in the media is really
something else, it's something beautiful.
"You get to know
it. Anybody can find that he feels connected with Islam."
When asked what brought
about his change in religion the World Cup winner admitted he did so in order
to help him focus.
Pogba continued:
"It came because I have a lot of friends who are Muslim. We always talk.
"I was questioning
myself in a lot of things, then I started doing my own research. I prayed once
with my friends and I felt something different. I felt really good.
"Since that day I
just carried on. You have to pray five times a day, that's one of the pillars
of Islam. It's something that you do.
"The meaning why
you do it – you ask forgiveness and be thankful for everything you have, like
my health and everything.
"It's really a
religion that opened my mind and that makes me, maybe, a better person. You
think more about the afterlife.
"This life has a
test. Like when I'm with you, here. Even if you're not a Muslim, you are a
normal human. You have a human relationship and respect you for who you are,
what religion you are, what colour and everything.
"Islam is just this
– respect of the humanity and everything."
