Muhammad Ali Issues Statement in Response to Donald Trump's Muslim Ban Proposal

Boxing legend Muhammad Ali issued a statement Wednesday responding to Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, who recently called for a ban on all Muslims who are not citizens from entering the United States.

"I am a Muslim and there is nothing Islamic about killing innocent people in Paris, San Bernardino or anywhere else in the world," Ali said, per Julia Jacobo of ABC News. "True Muslims know that the ruthless violence of so-called Islamic jihadists goes against the very tenets of our religion."

Ali also called on leaders to better educate the masses on the religion, which he stated has been "perverted" by groups like ISIS.

"I believe that our political leaders should use their position to bring understanding about the religion of Islam and clarify that these misguided murderers have perverted people's views on what Islam really is," Ali said.

Trump, currently considered the front-runner for the Republican nomination, released a statement Monday calling for a "shutdown of Muslims entering the United States until our country's representatives can figure out what is going on," per Jeremy Diamond of CNN.

Trump added in his statement:

"

Without looking at the various polling data, it is obvious to anybody the hatred is beyond comprehension. Where this hatred comes from and why we will have to determine. Until we are able to determine and understand this problem and the dangerous threat it poses, our country cannot be the victims of horrendous attacks by people that believe only in jihad, and have no sense of reason or respect for human life.

"

A White House spokesperson released a statement Tuesday saying Trump's plan "disqualifies" him from being president, per Al Jazeera.

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