Claim: The FIFA World Cup in Qatar opened with a glittering ceremony and many stars in attendance, including egendary actor Morgan Freeman. The Oscar-winner performed in the inauguration ceremony along with 22-year-old Qatari disabled activist and motivational speaker Ghanim al-Muftah, who read from the Holy Quran.
Freeman shared a message of unity, declaring, “What unites us here in this moment is so much greater than what divides us. How can we make it last longer than just today?”
Ghanim Al-Muftah, a Qatari activist for the disabled, born with the rare Caudal Regression Syndrome, appeared with Freeman and stated to the crowd, “Everyone is welcome”.
After the ceremony , Twitterati widely speculated that Freeman had converted to Islam.
Fact: Online claims that Freeman has converted to Islam date back to at least 2015.
This is not the first time Freeman has been subject to fake news regarding his religious beliefs. Freeman previously presented “The Story of God with Morgan Freeman,” a National Geographic show that dived into various religions, including Islam. This also led to similar speculation regarding his religious affiliations.
However, Misbar, an independent Arabic fact-check platform, investigated the assertion regarding Freeman converting to Islam and found it to be fake.
The platform quoted, “The actor has not announced converting to Islam and also, no reliable media outlet has reported on the news.”
Verdict: False
