Michael Jackson Converted to Islam and Changed His Name to Mikaeel

Fri, 21 November 2008 00:10:23 ET

Michael Jackson has become a Muslim and taken Mikaeel as his name after asking an Imam to officiate the ceremony.

Before scheduled to appear at London's High Court on November 24 where he is being sued by an Arab sheik, Michael Jackson has pledged his allegiance to the Koran in a ceremony held at Hollywood Hills home of Toto keyboard player Steve Porcaro, Jacko's Pal, who also composed music on the singer's "Thriller" album. He was counseled by David Wharnsby, a Canadian songwriter whose new name is Dawud Wharnsby Ali and producer Phillip Bubal whose new name is Idris Phillips before the 50-year-old singer decided to be a Muslim.

A source told The Sun about the counseling and the ceremony, saying, "They began talking to him about their beliefs, and how they thought they had become better people after they converted. Michael soon began warming to the idea. An Imam was summoned from the mosque and Michael went through the shahada, which is the Muslim declaration of belief." The source also added that Jacko's new name, Mikaeel, is the name of one of Allah's angels.

Jacko is due to testify on November 24 in a 4.7 million pounds lawsuit brought by Prince Abdulla Al-Khalif of Bahrain as the prince told the court earlier about the case on November 20. According to the prince's lawyer Bankim Thanki, the prince helped support Jackson financially in the aftermath of his 2005 child molestation trial, accepting a request from the artist for one million U.S. dollars in April 2005, as well as paying the 2.2-million-dollar legal bill for the court case in a return of Jacko's contract of recording albums, writing an autobiography and stage shows.

The problem between the prince and Jacko happened when Jacko asked Sheikh Abdulla to sign a document releasing him from his obligations under the previous contract, but the prince refused the request. Based on Thanki's opinion, the sheikh felt "a strong sense of betrayal" at that time. While Jacko claimed that sheikh's case is based on "mistake, misrepresentation and undue influence." The sheikh himself testified in the court by asserting, "Many times he confirmed to me he would pay me back."

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