Husain Abdullah: From NFL Safety to Author

Early Life and College Career

Husain Abdullah was born on July 27, 1985, in Pomona, California, into a large, close-knit Muslim family — one of twelve children. Faith and football grew up side by side in the Abdullah household: several of his brothers played high-level football, including his older brother Hamza Abdullah, who also reached the NFL.

Husain played college football at Washington State University, where he became a standout defensive back for the Cougars. Despite a productive college career, he went undrafted in 2008 — a setback that would become the first of many tests he now writes about.

Seven Seasons in the NFL

Signed by the Minnesota Vikings as an undrafted free agent in 2008, Abdullah fought his way from special teams onto the defense, eventually earning a starting safety role. He spent four seasons in Minnesota (2008–2011), building a reputation as a disciplined, intelligent defender — all while fasting during Ramadan even when it fell in the middle of training camp and the regular season.

After the 2012 pilgrimage year, Abdullah signed with the Kansas City Chiefs, where he played three more seasons (2013–2015) and delivered the moment most fans remember him by.

Walking Away at His Peak: The 2012 Hajj

In 2012, at the height of his career, Husain and his brother Hamza made a decision that stunned the football world: they stepped away from the NFL for an entire season to perform Hajj, the pilgrimage to Mecca that every able Muslim is called to make once in a lifetime. The brothers drove across the United States visiting mosques and communities before traveling to Mecca.

Walking away from an NFL roster spot — with no guarantee of ever getting it back — was an act of faith that foreshadowed the themes of Mecca to Medina: trust, sacrifice, and the courage to leave comfort behind for something greater.

The Prostration Seen Around the World

On September 29, 2014, on Monday Night Football against the New England Patriots, Abdullah intercepted a Tom Brady pass and returned it 39 yards for a touchdown. In the end zone, he dropped to his knees and prostrated in sajdah — the Muslim posture of gratitude to God. Officials flagged him 15 yards for unsportsmanlike conduct.

The next day, the NFL publicly acknowledged the penalty should not have been called, affirming that players should not be penalized for religious expression. The moment became a landmark for visibility of Muslim athletes in American sports — and a story Abdullah returns to when writing about gratitude under pressure.

Retirement and the Road to Writing

Abdullah retired from the NFL on March 28, 2016, citing the five concussions he had sustained across his seven-year career and a desire to protect his long-term health for his family. In retirement he turned to speaking, mentoring, and community work — and to the writing project that became Mecca to Medina.

The book grew out of his own journeys: standing on the plains of Arafat during Hajj, walking the streets of Medina, and reflecting on how the Prophet’s ﷺ migration in 622 CE speaks to anyone navigating change. Each of the 100 reflections pairs a moment from the Hijrah with a lesson Abdullah learned in locker rooms, on pilgrimage, and in everyday family life.

Why He Wrote Mecca to Medina

Abdullah writes for the reader in transition — the person changing careers, moving cities, rebuilding after loss, or simply trying to grow. The Hijrah, he argues, is the ultimate template for a faithful transition: prepare diligently, trust completely, travel patiently, and build generously when you arrive.

His voice is not that of a distant scholar but of a teammate: direct, encouraging, and honest about struggle. That combination — elite-athlete discipline and pilgrim humility — is what makes Mecca to Medina resonate with readers of every background.