Former NRL and New Zealand rugby player Sonny Bill Williams has admitted he pressured his wife into wearing a hijab in the early days of their relationship.
The retired footballer and boxer has recently courted controversy with his social media posts about the war in Gaza.
Now the devout Muslim has been challenged by an attendee at an Islamic education event in Malaysia over his wife Alan’s decision to wear a traditional headscarf.
Williams converted to Islam in 2009 and said at the time that it helped him when he became lost in the chaotic world of professional sports. His brother and mother also converted at that time.
He married his wife Alana Raffie in August 2013 after a whirlwind four-week romance, despite admitting they were not in love at the time but were adhering to Islamic tradition.
“We immediately said that we were going to do it Islamically correctly, so even in those first four weeks I was not alone with her, we always had a supervisor,” he previously admitted.
Sonny Bill Williams and his wife Alana have celebrated 10 years of marriage and have four children together, with Alana now choosing to wear the traditional headscarf
Alana hasn’t always worn the hijab, while Sonny Bill admitted he tried to pressure her into wearing it in the early years of their relationship
The couple has been together for ten years and has four children together.
Williams was appointed guest speaker at the first of Faith Events’ series of Islamic educational events for 2024 in Malaysia and spoke to Shaykh Wael Ibrahim when asked about his wife’s headscarf.
The former NRL premiership winner and New Zealand All Black World Cup winner admitted he tried to pressure Alana into wearing the hijab early in their relationship as he began his journey into the Islamic faith.
“When I started getting religious and started learning more, because I was on this journey, I expected those close to me, I started expecting them to be on the same journey,” he said.
‘Where everyone makes their own journey.
“So at a certain point I started to pressure my wife, you have to put on the headscarf.”
At that moment, Alana was having none of it.
“My wife being the feisty Cape Malay (Muslim community in South Africa) that she is, she told me, look, this is my journey, worry about yourself and stop pointing fingers,” Williams said.
‘So Subhanallah (Glory be to Allah) I just went on my own journey and I understand that I am the shepherd of my family.
“I had to lead by my actions and that’s what I’ve always done as a rugby player.
“So I started directing my actions.”
Williams converted to Islam in 2009, saying at the time it was a way to help cope with the pressures of life as an international star athlete.
Williams talked about the moment his wife made the choice to wear the headscarf and the emotional impact it had on both of them
Williams then talked about the moment his wife decided to wear the headscarf and the emotional impact it had on both of them.
‘I forgot and two years later I come back from Fajr from the Masjid (Fajr prayer in the mosque), I sit downstairs and think: where is my wife? She’s usually down here.’ he said.
“So I went into the room and I found her, she’s praying and crying.
‘I wait until she thinks: what have I done? And then she turns to me and says today is the day. It’s time (to wear the headscarf).
“The point of my story is that we as men are the leaders of the home, but there is a responsibility on you to take charge of your actions and be authentic in doing so.”
Followers praised Williams for his actions and patience with his wife, calling him a great family man and leader.
“Beautiful person and shows the power of leading by example,” one follower wrote.
I’m not Muslim, but I have HUGE admiration for Sonny Bill and his family. I didn’t like him as a footballer but I can see what a great guy he is,” another added.
“I’ve been following SBW since the first days of competition for the AB and the growth is great to see,” said another follower.