I remember at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, Shaq always wanted me to show him steps over and over.

Allah says in the Qur'an not to despise one another. So the criterion in Islam is not color or social status. It's who is most righteous. If I go to a mosque - and I'm a basketball player with money and prestige - if I go to a mosque and see an imam, I feel inferior. He's better than me. It's about knowledge.

In many ways, my job in soccer was like my job in basketball now. I had to protect the goal. That was the name of the game, not letting the other team score.

I was doing just my duty, but that was impacting a lot of people and making them proud. So, I feel so grateful to Allah for giving me that opportunity while I had that chance to make that impact. And thankfully it impacted all the people - more than I realized.

I remember at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, Shaq always wanted me to show him steps over and over.

It's not up to anyone else to make me give my best.

My life is very simple. I like simplicity and for my time to be my own, so that I have the freedom to devote the majority of it to Islam.