Muhammad Ali is in Heaven even though he was a Muslim, says evangelist Alveda King

Evangelist Alveda King, niece of civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr., believes that Muhammad Ali is in Heaven despite his Islamic faith.

"Some may question my prayer that I'll see Mr. Ali in Heaven," King wrote in a letter shared with Christian Newswire Friday, June 10.

In her tribute to the late boxer, King defends her belief saying, "God is ever merciful and judges the human heart. Mr. Ali is subject to the same grace and mercy that all humans seek."

The American activist and former state representative for the 28th District in the Georgia House of Representatives recounted her first meeting with Ali in mid-1960s while Ali was still Cassius Clay. She said that she was a "youth organizer" at a "Fair Housing Rally" organized by her father Rev. A.D. King and her prominent uncle.

"I believe in my heart that the Christian message that he learned from my uncle, Martin Luther King, and Daddy A. D. was impacting him, too," King said.

She believes that Ali embraced the idea of "The Beloved Community" that his father and uncle invoked just as his former mentor, Malcolm X, embarked on universal peace and love after leaving the Nation of Islam. King believes that Ali loved his God, his family, and the world. She also defended that he was just like everyone else with shortcomings.

King's letter came just a day after another prominent Evangelical leader commented on Ali's passing and wondered about his soul.

"I've wondered if he put his faith and trust in Christ before he slipped into eternity. I sure hope so," Franklin Graham wrote on a Facebook post.

He explained, "Islam's Muhammad can't save you, only Jesus Christ can save."

Earlier, Graham revealed that the late boxer had paid visits in the 1970s to his father, Billy Graham, because Ali's father worried that his son may have been led astray by his Islamic faith.

The three-time world heavyweight champion was laid to rest on Friday in an interfaith ceremony attended by fans and famous personalities. Tens of thousands also took to the street of Louisville, Kentucky to bid farewell to the widely recognized and greatest boxer of all time.