Troubled U.S. star Michael Jackson has converted to Islam and changed his name to Mikaeel, press reports said Friday.
A conversion ceremony was held at a Los Angeles mansion where Jackson was seen wearing 'Islamic garb', British tabloid The Sun reported quoting an unnamed source.
Jackson reportedly took the shahada—the Islamic declaration of belief—and became a Muslim, just days before he was due in a London court where he is being sued by a Bahraini prince.
The paper reported that British singer Yousef Islam—previously known as Cat Stevens before he famously became a Muslim—was also at the ceremony held at the Hollywood Hills home of Toto keyboard player Steve Porcaro, 51, who composed music on Jackson's Thriller album.
Jackson's new name is reportedly Mikaeel after he rejected the name Mustafa, the paper said, adding the decision to convert came about as Jackson was recording a new album.
The former 'King of Pop'—who has been accused and acquitted of child molestation several times—is back in court after Sheikh Abdullah bin Hamad al-Khalifa, the second son of the king of Bahrain, filed a claim against Jackson for breaching an agreement to record a new album and says the star owes him $7 million. |