[1] Belinda Boyd was born on March 17, 1950, and raised in Chicago within the Nation of Islam (NOI) community.
Her father, Brother Raymond, served as a prominent lieutenant under Elijah Muhammad, and her mother, Sister Inez (Aminah), worked within the temple as a security officer and companion to Sister Clara Muhammad, the NOI First Lady.
Scholars note that women like Boyd played nuanced roles by guiding their husbands and contributing to community success while negotiating with traditional expectations.
[5] At 17, Boyd married Muhammad Ali on August 18, 1967, in a marriage she claims was arranged by her Muslim parents.
[6] In an interview with NBC 6, Boyd recounted meeting Ali when she was 10 years old at her hometown mosque.
Boyd stated Ali signed an autograph for her while humorously remarking on his future fame, saying, “Listen here little girl.
And, I walked away.” After marrying, Boyd adopted the name Khalilah Ali, though friends and family continued to call her Belinda.
During Ali’s draft evasion case in 1967, which led to the temporary revocation of his boxing title, Khalilah supported him emotionally and financially.
[11] In 2024, Khalilah Ali publicly endorsed Donald Trump in that year's presidential election.