A Turkish lawmaker, citing a senior Muslim community leader, has said that Brazilian football legend and former Fenerbahçe star Roberto Carlos has converted to Islam.
According to Turkish newspaper Daily Sabah, the announcement was made by Ali Şahin, a lawmaker from Turkey's ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party). He made the announcement following meetings with representatives of Brazil's Muslim community.
Şahin said he was informed by Sheikh Jihad Hammadeh, a prominent figure in Brazil's Muslim community, that Carlos had converted to Islam in Brazil about four weeks earlier. Hammadeh is vice-president of Brazil's National Association of Islamic Jurists (ANAJI).
According to Şahin, Hammadeh said Carlos had visited him about four weeks earlier and embraced Islam by reciting the shahada, the Islamic declaration of faith.
Following the news that Carlos had embraced Islam, Şahin congratulated him and wished him and his family peace, good health and prosperity.
Reports of Carlos's conversion to Islam have begun circulating in the media alongside news of his marriage to Souhaila Ettahiri, a well-known Moroccan-born football agent based in Spain. However, Carlos has yet to officially confirm his reported conversion publicly.
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