Franck Ribery is one of the famous footballers from France who plays as a left winger. He has played for big clubs such as Bayern Munich, Fiorentina, and Marseille. He was also part of the French national team that won the World Cup 2018.
But behind his success on the green field, there is an inspiring story that is rarely known by many people. Franck Ribery is a convert to Islam who embraced Islam since 2002. He said that Islam gave him strength and peace in his life.
Franck Ribery's Background
Franck Ribery was born on April 7, 1983 in Boulogne-sur-Mer, France. He came from a simple Catholic family. His father was a construction worker, while his mother was a housewife.
Since he was a child, Franck Ribery showed his talent in football. He joined the local club US Boulogne at the age of six. He also often played football on the streets with his friends.
At the age of two, Franck Ribery had a car accident that injured his face badly. He had to undergo more than 100 plastic surgeries to fix his scars. As a result, he often got teased and bullied by people because of his appearance.
But Franck Ribery did not give up with the challenges that he faced. He kept trying to develop his football career. He moved to several clubs such as Conti Boulogne, Lille, Alès, Brest, Metz, Galatasaray, and Marseille.
Franck Ribery's Introduction to Islam
In 2002, when he was playing for Galatasaray in Turkey, Franck Ribery met a woman named Wahiba Belhami. Wahiba was a Muslim woman of Algerian descent who lived in France.
Franck Ribery and Wahiba fell in love and got married in 2004. They were blessed with four children, namely Hiziya, Shahinez, Seif el Islam, and Mohammed.
Before marrying Wahiba, Franck Ribery was already interested in Islam. He often saw the way of life and worship of Muslims in Turkey. He also got influenced by some of his football friends who were Muslims, such as Zinedine Zidane and Eric Abidal.
Franck Ribery finally decided to convert to Islam in 2002. He recited the two testimonies of faith in front of an imam in a mosque in France. He then took the Islamic name Bilal Yusuf Mohammed¹²³.
Franck Ribery's Life as a Muslim
After becoming a Muslim, Franck Ribery said that he felt happier and calmer in his life. He performed the Islamic rituals such as praying five times a day, fasting Ramadan, paying zakat, and performing hajj.
He also left some of his bad habits such as drinking alcohol or gambling. He preferred to spend time with his family or reading the Quran.
Franck Ribery also often showed his identity as a Muslim on the football field. He always said hamdalah (praise be to Allah) every time he scored a goal or achieved a victory. He also often wore a shirt with the inscription "La ilaha illallah" (there is no god but Allah) under his jersey.
Franck Ribery also actively participated in various social and humanitarian activities related to Islam. He once donated his money to help the victims of war in Palestine and Syria. He also gave gifts to orphaned children in Morocco.
Franck Ribery's Challenges and Hopes
Although he has been a devout Muslim, Franck Ribery did not escape from challenges and trials in his life. He once received criticism and insults from some parties because of his choice to embrace Islam.
He also got involved in some scandals that tarnished his name as a Muslim, such as the case of underage prostitution in 2010 and the case of assaulting a journalist in 2017.
But Franck Ribery did not give up with all that. He tried to improve himself and apologized for his mistakes. He also remained grateful for the blessings that Allah gave him.
Franck Ribery hoped that he could be a positive example for other Muslim football players. He also hoped that he could spread the message of peace and tolerance from Islam to the world.
"I am proud to be a Muslim. I feel that Islam is the perfect religion for me. I want to show everyone that Islam is a beautiful and peaceful religion." said Franck Ribery.
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