Mahershala Ali wins second Oscar

Asia

On Sunday night Mahershala Ali scooped up his second Academy Award to become the first Muslim actor to win multiple Oscars. Ali set the record after winning the award for his performance in the movie “Green Book”.

During the acceptance speech, Ali dedicated his win to his grandmother and said:

“I want to dedicate this to my grandmother, who has been in my ear my entire life,” he shared. “Telling me that if I first I don’t succeed, try, try again. That I can do anything I set my mind to. Always, always pushing me to think positively.”

“I know that I would not be here without her, that she’s gotten me over the hump in a lot of ways,” he added.

The star also thanked his wife and daughter for their support.

He scored his first Academy Award for best supporting actor for “Moonlight” in 2017. He is also the second African-American actor to win multiple Oscars, after Denzel Washington.

Ali, born Mahershalalhashbaz Gilmore to a Christian mother in Oakland, California in 1974, converted to Islam in 1999 and in 2001 joined the minority Ahmadiyya Community, a movement seen as heretical by other Islamic sects.

Fellow Ahmadi Muslims, including UK Minister of State, Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon took to Twitter to congratulate the actor.

Ehsan is the founder & editor of Rabwah Times. He is currently baesd in Washington D.C. from where he covers Human Rights & Religious Freedom issues.
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