MUSLIM WORLD: King of Pop was about to convert to Islam, Michael Jackson's brother says

Michael's Jackson's brother Jermaine Jackson reached out to the Muslim world in a long, controversial interview with the Dubai-based pan-Arab news channel Al-Arabiya aired Thursday night. 

See below the jump for the videos of the interview, Jermaine Jackson's first ever with an Arab news network.

During his nearly hourlong talk, he spoke out about his brother's death, the conspiracies he believed were behind the singer's downfall -- and how he believes the King of Pop was on the verge of converting to Islam.

After spending time in the Gulf (Michael Jackson lived in Bahrain for a while in 2005), "Michael hired a team that was all Muslim,” Jackson told Al- Arabiya, dressed in a red Arab Keffeyeh scarf.  “His behavior at the time also showed that he was very close to converting.”

Jackson went on to recount to Arab households how the King of Pop was drawn by Islam, saying his brother loved hearing the Muslim call to prayer and eagerly read books on Islam.  Jackson said Islam  would have protected his brother from harm.

"I felt that Michael was looking for that divine feeling .... I brought him books from Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, from a lot of mosques. He read all of them. He was studying ... he was ready to make that journey. His protection would have been Islam ... he had a very tough life," he said.

When asked by his interviewer whether Michael Jackson ever suggested that he would convert, Jackson implied his brother may have been a Muslim in his heart.

"I wished he would have made that announcement. Maybe he made it in his soul ... but at the same time we want to hear it,"  he said.

He added that the amount of time Michael spent in the Middle East and the number of friends he had there also indicated he had embraced Islam.

Jermaine Jackson, a composer and former member of the Jackson 5, himself developed an interest in Islam during a trip to the Persian Gulf in the late 1980s and later became a Muslim.  When asked to share his travels with the viewers, he said he  "never felt a connection" until he became a Muslim and how he believes his ancestors were Muslims and that Christianity was imposed on them through slavery. 

At one point, he explains his emotional and spiritual journey in his pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia.

"We drove from Bahrain to Riyadh (the capital of Saudi Arabia) and then took a flight to Mecca.  It was the most wonderful feeling. It felt so pure, so special. I knew that was the connection," said Jackson.

He only wishes his brother had followed his example and become a Muslim too. Islam, says Jackson, would have saved the King of Pop from many hardships.

"I believe that Islam would have helped him a lot. Had he converted, he would have been spared all the problems he had been subjected to throughout his life," he said.

-- Alexandra Sandels in Beirut

Photo: In his first interview with an Arab TV channel, Michael Jackson's brother Jermaine Jackson told the Arab news network Al-Arabiya that he believes the King of Pop was on the verge of converting to Islam. Credit: Al-Arabiya

Videos: The interview in three parts. Credit: YouTube

Comments

[sam]

jermaine jackson no talent and no money without micheal,it seems that this family will do any -thing to get their hands on the cash,it did surprise me that they, didn't have their meal ticket proped up in the corner after his death and sell tickets mind you in a round about way thats just what they have done.
let the man alone he is dead,make your own money,and stop riding on his back.

[Verballistic]

Shoulda, woulda, coulda...shed no tears about what might have been. It was what it was...a sad, dysfunctional life.

Had Jackson converted to Islam there is a VERY good chance it would have impacted his life about as much as the conversion of fellow train-wreck Mike Tyson has helped HIM.

[mj nmbr 1 fan]

iv been a fan of mj since i was 3 know iam 15 i always follow his newz watch his videos i love his songs i always wanted to meet him one day this was my DREAM and i dont understand how sometimes ppl say stuff that dosent make since about mj that i think when they say these stuff they are the ones who get emmbaressed its shame on them cuz i never beleive whats ritten i always beleive what he say and have said it dont juge the person befor u knw him

wether michael converted to islam or not oh damn yes islam is the right thing as germain have said islam was gnna protect him but michael have done everything that islam requires u to do he cares about poor ppl and he is a good person im not talking about praying and these stuff and to ppl who dont knw there is no diffrence between allah bless u or god bless u cuz allah means god just use ur brains even muslims say god bless u and when u lift one finger up to the sky what ur saying is god is one no other(allah wahed la shareeka lah )and thats wat i saw in this is it and i have a pic of it if u wanna talk about.

i dont knw if he converted to islam or not but if he didnt god is a forgiving person enshalla michael will go to heaven he deserves it and god wrote everything thats gonna happen in each humens life so no one can say heaven or hell but he but we always pray for heaven .

[Mjlegacy7]

Get the truth. Documented and undeniable about Michael Jackson's spiritual life during the weeks before his passing. www.MJLegacy7.com

[Chris]

What a disgusting, opportunistic disgraceful excuse for a human being this moron is. Go away. The world already decided years ago that you were a boring, no talent, useless fool. Quit proving us right.

[suhad]

the presenter is souhair alqayssei she is the best and biggest news anchor in the middle east
love you souhair

[dominque]

Thank you Jermaine for the outstanding interview, I am not a muslim however what you say about the government putting the stimgma on muslim as terrorist is to the point. That is a scare tactic that is going on. I thank you for freeing your brothers name and letting the world know exactly what they were trying to do to him for 17years and found nothing and yes it would have been great for the government to release this information years ago and not after Michaels death. May Allah be with you and your family and may you and your family have peace.

[katsu]

like michael said 'try to understand me' before you judge him. do u understand him? i think not...but what genius is understood? it takes years, sometimes centuries to respect peoples's theories and values...i mean look at this world!
nowadays, innocence is ridiculed, childhood lost at 10 if you're lucky, and so on...michael saw this and he stayed pure at heart, in mind, and perhaps in other ways as well. i really see nothing wrong with him hanging around kids, he was a child at heart, and he wanted to be liked, loved, and admired by his inspiration -- kids...they don't judge, they don't condemn, they are not ingorant, they just accept. and that's what he's ever wanted. yes, his fans accept, but the rest of the world, especially the media ridicule and make up their own stories, stories full of filth, stories that sell. i don't think anyone is capable of imagining what it must feel like to be the biggest star in the world, to never get a break from all the dirty and untrue gossip. to be constantly criticized...well no wonder then he turned to kids, i'd probaly do the same! and what, it's wrong because you're supposed to only hang around adults? and who's theory is that you are following. people do what makes them feel better, and if children make you feel good, if the see your inner goodness in you, just as you see it in them, then there's no harm...but of course, just because he was hanging around young kids, boys, he's a homosexual pervert? just because he's not like you or me. people make up stories as they go along. can u imagine what he would be called if hang out around young girls and only girls...? thus, to avoid that, he hung around boys, so that he's not seen as a sexual predator, and perhaps because they gave him the joy of childhood that he never had. Perhaps, he wanted to know what it is like being a boy and having childhood, what it feels like having time to play, to fool around and so on. if you look deep enough, there really is nothing wrong with it, and the only reason people make up lies and stories is because he was different. different, in a good way, in a great way. an innocent, childlike philosopher, who gave this world so much, yet you still try to put him down.
and honestly does it really matter what religion he was, or what jermaine says for that matter? let him have his peace now, let him at least have peace. you didn't give it to him while he was alive, can you give him that in his death? if you can't than shame on you, and i really would not want to be you when your time on this earth ends...

[justiceisnotblind]

Anyone who says categorically that Michael Jackson was a pedophile is an ignorant LIAR. It is idiotic to state as fact when you have no irrefutable proof such as an eyewitness account, confession, video/audio or DNA evidence. Short of that, there is only innuendo, speculation, hearsay or an uneducated/biased opinion. However, what we do know is that Dr. Stan Katz, clinical and forensic psychologist who interviewed both sets of children making the allegations and who also worked as a prosecution witness, said that Michael Jackson was not a pedophile. It might be interesting to note that he made the statement “off the record” to a detective involved in the case whose response was “I know”. Larry King (CNN) said he overheard the lawyer who represented both plaintiffs (Chandler and Arvizo) stating in a Beverly Hills deli that the Arvizo family (his client) was extorting Michael Jackson and referring to the mother as “wacko”. Why do you think said lawyer resigned from the case before the trial was over? Tom Mesereau, Michael Jackson’s defense attorney, said that he had more than one witness who would have testified that Jordan Chandler, the first boy, told them that he lied about the allegations. Why did Jordan Chandler obtain emancipation from his parents saying he did not want to speak to them again?

The legal and clinical definition of pedophilia clearly determines that it is a compulsive psychological disorder that can’t be cured. There have been exhaustive expert studies resulting in empirical evidence showing by the time a pedophile is discovered, he would have molested between 117-150 children. The number is staggering considering that such abusive behavior is usually by a teacher, family member/friend, neighbor, scout leader, religious leader or child abductor with limited access to a relatively small number of children compared to the thousands Michael Jackson had access to on a regular basis. Since pedophilia is compulsive and incurable we know that a pedophile would not and could not abuse only 2 children every 10 years. Having said that, it is inexcusable and foolish for anyone who has the ability to post on a blog not to avail him/herself to ALL the information out there instead of cherry-picking what may very well be adherence to a personal agenda. One more thing: Ignorance is NOT bliss!

[M]

It's interesting how well after the death of this very troubled man that there is still little open dialog tolerated about him. The devotion by fans for an idol is adamant, and as with Elvis followers, there is a stubborn and angry effort to repress differing points of view and any examination or calm discussion of their icon. Some defenders both decry and demonstrate hate in their posts. A few accusers are button pushers.

Should Dr Murray go to trial over the star's death, all manner of sordid details may come out, and it might be hard to shout down or bully people into keeping silent. Easy charges of racism won't fly.

Once, after watching an interview with former police chief, Willie Williams, who talked about the evidence never brought out at the avoided trial, I was forced to consider that the talk about Jackson and drugs, homosexuality, and pedophilia might possibly be true. Plus, with the sole exception of his naturally protective mother, not one of his family members seemed to believe that he was innocent.

I may never know for sure, but historians spare no one, so future generations may be well convinced.

At any rate, it seems unlikely that Jackson would betray his loyal mother and turn away from the faith that they shared. I suspect that Jermaine is just seeing what he wants to in his brother.

[JohnRJ08]

Malibu10-- why address your comments to me? I'm just one of several million people who share the same opinion of Jackson. By the way, none of your facts are right. They're just your own personal fantasies. And you compound your foolishness by attacking the victims. Wonder where you learned that tactic...

[abdul]

oh yeah so much questions and answer but we thank allah the greatest for michael jacksons life than all the abuse on him if he had converted may allah forgive his soul but if he had not may allah have mercy on him but since jermaine gave him books to read and he read them all may be he had but he may not had said it because of critics his legacy is something we must carry on THIS LIFE DONT LAST FOREVER SO TELL WHAT WE ARE WAITING FOR WE ARE BETTER OFF BEIGN TOGETHER THAN BEIGN MISRABLE ALONE this some thing people have to think and say he's a MUSLIM think very well

[malibu10]

to JohnRJ08

Wow, what can one say, other than you're shameful to write this. I could write a 2 - 3 page response to your BS, but I'll limit my comments

1) Really a celebrity having people who work for him/her sign a confidential agreement. YEAH, what celebrity doesn't.please. MJ was the biggest entertainer on the planet. Everyone tried to get a piece of him, photo, anything to SELL!

2) I'm most certain you're the one who trolls all over MJ stories with the BS Jesus Juice. Ah, not one ounce of truth was EVER proven in court about that. Remember the most expensive trial in US History, 70+ investigators, Sneddon flying all over the frickin' planet trying to get evidence against this man, nothing. And 17 years of FBI investigations, nothing. NO evidence.

3) Yeah, OK, Michael Jackson, most popluar entertainer on the planet is going to molest a kid with cancer...OK, that sounds right. Give me a frickin' break. Do you know how many LIVES he saved, not just boys, all ages, races, etc...your comments are shameful and derived from complete ignorance. I'm most certain you've not read ONE trial transcript or piece of actual FACT. Glad you were there at the trial, as I was, and everyone in that court room knew it was a SCAM, period, every attorney, judge, jurors, period!

4) LMP, ah..I don't know, why would she lie, for money, NO, for fame, NO - she had plenty of both and was a pretty private person. Also, MJ and LMP were together years after they divorced, traveled all over the world together weeks months at a time, and they weren't, I'm certain, just holding hands.

5) Musicians and how they dress, take a look at Steven Tyler, walks around in makeup scarfs, fingernail polish, dave navaro, on and on. mj set fashion trends. you think he's weird, period, because that's your closed mind, hey..people thought bill gates and paul allen were weirdos too! Grow up!

5) Finally, if you read ANY facts at all, MJ didn't pay off anyone. Evan Chanlder was mentally ill, period. He had been diagnosed with mental illness and did not take care of it or himself. He initially asked MJ upfront for $20M, MJ told him to F@CK OFF. If Mike wanted to pay off anyone, sweep it under the rug he would have done so. Read the settlement and all the details. He didn't pay a cent, Chandlers' recanted all the allegations and MJ denied everything. also, no ONE from the Chandler camp would testify against MJ, why, because Mess had evidence and witnesses ready to testify that Chandler lied. And, the prosecution also did not call or subponea the Chandler clan either, hum...wonder why?

6) If you know anything about child molesters, they are the most secretive people out there. Nothing about MJ suggested anything like this and every psychiatrist appointed by the court stated he was not a child molester, simply a child at heart.

Unfortunately, because MJ maybe looked different (and he did indeed have vitilligo) people, mostly men, just assume the worst without ONE WORD or knowledge of fact. Shame on you. Makes me sick to my stomach.

you're the perv who would think this way, certainly not Michael Jackson.

Done!

[OMEN]

Jermaine is full of B.S in his head.WOOOTEEDOOO MJ read does books because he was curious.forget muslims there all traitors anyways.

[SAMSON]

johnrj08,I wonder who your sources are cause i was at neverland for about 2 years with my sister,you know it was not only we boys that were there and I can tell you mj was nothing but nice to us,we use to have sleepovers,pillow fights,playing with waterhoses and I can tell you nothing happened.I remember sean lennon [john lennon's son use to be there a lot] too
If you knew him,he was a lovely and kind guy and really loved children cos he only trusted them.he was just a big baby.from what I Knew he could never harm a child,over the years I have asked a lot of people that I could contact if he was ever inappropriate with them and not a single person as ever said yes.
The DA and media felt because he was odd he must be a pead sir it is far from the truth.

[Arabian Knight]

It is very possible that Michael Jackson was a Muslim and maybe he was going to announce it, there is a conspiracy and many people believe he was murdered by secret societies, we discuss this in details in this thread by analyzing his hidden messages:

http://truth.michaeljackson.ae/

Regards,

AK

[JohnRJ08]

It is an interesting phenomenon these days that anyone who is critical of a popular celebrity is called a "hater" and that their remarks are driven by hatred. I see a lot more hatred in the responses to my comments here than I do in my own. None of you know me, nor do you know who my sources are, yet you assert yourselves here as though you have personal knowledge of the subject. You don't. All you know is what somebody has told you and what you desperately want to believe. Michael Jackson grew up in an intensely dysfunctional family and he carried that dysfunctionality with him into adulthood. He slept with young boys, gave them alcohol and exposed them to pornography. According to several of those boys, his behavior went far beyond that. As for Lisa Presley, her public remarks after Jackson's death should surprise no one. Why would anyone in their right mind choose to expose a fraud which they themselves participated in during the internationally televised mourning of Jackson's death? Would you do that? Would you get up on that stage and make even the subtlest criticism of Jackson's life? I don't think so. You people need to grow up and start examining the motives for your comments here. As a middle-aged man, Michael Jackson dressed like he was in a marching band, filled his house with life-size statues of cartoon and comic book characters, and built a zoo and amusement park around his estate. A rich pedophile's kid magnet. Law enforcement knew exactly what Jackson was up to, but had an extremely difficult time getting witnesses to talk.

[Ardy]

BrandonSk, what you said about MJ having his house decorated consistent with a pedophile is lame, not to mention his team 'threatening everyone' who said anything bad about him. First off, the FBI files revealed nothing, it was a media circus out to get him. Seconnd off, where did you find proven theories or research about how 'pedophiles' decorate their homes??? You are reaching at straws man, that one is hilarious. If you are such a hater, and cant take that MJ was simply a brilliant entertainer and man, then go somewhere else, visit another website, hate on someone else. He's been proven innocent, get over it.

[cheryl]

I think Michael embraced the values of all religions. However, so many times I have heard him quote Jesus,and his teachings, so I doubt he was converting to Islam. And, during his reheasals for This Is It, he did not say Allah Bless You (when talking to the dancers, and crew) he said, God Bless You.

[Fed UP]

This is really the last straw. Honestly, does this person really believe he has the right to attack the US this way as well as pander his grief over his brother?

THIS IS IT~for me. I've followed AND paid the whole way in tribute and else wise since this gifted performer's death, but to pin the whole death on conspiracy that is rooted in the US government?? NOBODY here (on this blog) is discussing this, but just commenting over the religious issues~and hey, if he wanted to be WHATEVER, Michael left his burial UP TO his mother knowing she would make it JW.

THIS interview with its display of manipulation is just too much for me to swallow and so sickens me that I think I am going to leave all the oooh and awe to those who want to further be manipulated into more spending and grief. I can't bring Michael back. They can't. The one person responsible for Michael Jackson's death ULTIMATELY is himself. Sorry to say, but while he was not properly taken care of, if he begged for the drugs~WHY for God's sake isn't this "loving bro" worrying about the drug addiction that plagues the WORLD much less his country of residence that he likes to BASH and address it?

HOW far are you willing to be manipulated people by a bunch of junk and "who knows what the truth is" stuff? Michael has showed us many things, and this last is that LIFE IS TOO SHORT~and never say, THIS IS IT, because it JUST might be JUST that!