Grandmother wants Obama to join Islam

Sarah Omar Obama, 88, held an interview with Al-Watan Saudi daily held in Jeddah after she had performed Hajj. Photo/FILE 

By AFPPosted Thursday, November 25 2010 at 22:05

RIYADH, Thursday

The grandmother of US President Barack Obama who was on pilgrimage to Mecca has said that she prayed for the American leader to convert to Islam, a newspaper revealed on Thursday.

“I prayed for my grandson Barack to convert to Islam,” said Sarah Omar Obama, 88, in an interview with Al-Watan Saudi daily held in Jeddah after she had performed Hajj.

The paper said that Mama Sarah was in Saudi Arabia on pilgrimage along with her son, Obama’s uncle Saeed Hussein Obama, and four of her grandchildren.

Discuss hajj matters

She told the newspaper that she could only discuss Hajj matters and would not comment on Mr Obama’s politics.

The family appeared to have been hosted by the Saudi government for hajj. Saeed thanked King Abdullah for his “kind hospitality,” the paper said.

US opinion polls last August revealed that roughly one in five Americans believed that Mr Obama was a Muslim, a claim categorically denied by the White House which has consistently maintained that the President was a “committed Christian.”