Gazans inspire US activist Shaun King, wife to embrace Islam

American writer and activist Jeffrey Shaun King, along with his wife Rai King, announced their conversion to Islam on the first day of the holy month of Ramadan on Monday.

The couple publicly affirmed their commitment through the Shahadah, a testament of faith, during an Instagram live session guided by their friend of over a decade, U.S. Muslim scholar Omar Suleiman.

Wearing a traditional Palestinian keffiyeh, the 44-year-old Shaun King attributed his decision to the profound impact of the past six months of suffering, pain, and trauma witnessed in Gaza.

Addressing the audience, he expressed admiration for the resilience of the people in Gaza, who, amid the destruction and loss, still find meaning and purpose in life.

"Their faith and devotion to Islam have not only opened my heart but have opened the hearts of millions of people around the world," said King.

Known for his vocal support of Palestine against Israel's actions in besieged Gaza, King has been actively sharing the devastation on social media since Oct. 7. He has called for an end to Israel's attacks, even claiming to have communicated Hamas for the release of American hostages, a claim the family of the hostages denies.

Instagram banned King's account, which had over 6 million followers, in December, without clear reasons provided by Meta.

King has been an advocate against racism and hate crimes and recounted instances of racism he faced during his upbringing in Kentucky.

These experiences led King to consider a career in religion after a visit from his high school best friend's father, a pastor.

King was inspired by this man and briefly taught high school civics and worked in Atlanta's juvenile justice system before becoming a pastor at a Christian center in Georgia.

King later founded Courageous Church in Atlanta but resigned in 2012 due to personal stress and disillusionment.

Civil rights advocacy

Despite the challenges, Shaun King devoted his life to promoting social justice causes, particularly through his writing on civil and human rights, race relations, police brutality, mass incarceration, and law enforcement misconduct. He contributed to media outlets such as the Daily Kos, the New York Daily News and The Young Turks.

His activism extended to leading successful social media campaigns, founding a non-profit group, Grassroots Law Project, and establishing various internet campaigns, websites, and organizations.

However, King's activities have faced accusations of fiscal mismanagement and complaints from colleagues over the years.

Shaun King and his wife reside in New York with their five children, two of whom were adopted.