I DO NOT PITY MARCELLUS 'KHALIFAH' WILLIAMS

By

Olanrewaju Alhasan Adedokun

29th September 2024

Earlier in the week, Marcellus 'Khalifah' Williams was executed and I am sorry, but I do not feel any pity for him. 

In 1998, at 32, he was convincted of murdering a woman. He insisted that he was innocent. Later, it is said that the weapon used in the killing was tested and no evidence of his DNA was traced to it, rather it was someone else's that was found. Somehow, the weapon was mishandled by the prosecution and could not be retested, so they upheld his death sentence. 

When he was initially convicted at 32, he was not a Muslim, but later in prison, he embraced Islam and spent the rest of his 20 years in prison. 

As at the time he was executed earlier in the week, he was the Imam of the prison. I am certain many more would have reverted through him. They said his last words were الحمد لله على كل حال, "All praise be to Allah on every situation." If you see his most recent pictures, you would see on him the marks of sujud. 

Our Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم was asked what the best deed was, and he said, "that you should die while your tongue is wet with the remembrance of Allah." 

He the 20 years without social media, without looking here and there at naked women, without most of the sins we often struggle with or the things that waste our time and distract us from the worship of Allāh. This is a dream life. It is an envious life - but only for a Muslim (the believer). 

Suhayb رضي الله عنه reported: The Messenger of Allāh صلى الله عليه وسلم said:

عَجَبًا لِأَمْرِ الْمُؤْمِنِ إِنَّ أَمْرَهُ كُلَّهُ خَيْرٌ وَلَيْسَ ذَاكَ لِأَحَدٍ إِلَّا لِلْمُؤْمِنِ إِنْ أَصَابَتْهُ سَرَّاءُ شَكَرَ فَكَانَ خَيْرًا لَهُ وَإِنْ أَصَابَتْهُ ضَرَّاءُ صَبَرَ فَكَانَ خَيْرًا لَهُ

Wondrous is the affair of a believer, as there is good for him in every matter; this is not the case for anyone but a believer. If he experiences pleasure, he thanks Allah and it is good for him. If he experiences harm, he shows patience and it is good for him. [Source: Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 2999]

I do not pity Marcellus, I am envious of him.

May Allah forgive him and have mercy on him.