By Philippa Bourke Jan 22, 2010, 3:20 GMT
Michael Jackson planned to convert to Islam, according to his brother Jermaine.
Jermaine alleges the late king of pop, 50, was close to converting shortly before he died suddenly last June.
Jermaine himself converted to Islam in 1989 after being raised with his siblings as a Jehovah's Witness.
Michael was in the process of studying Islam and was moved by its teachings when he spent a year living in the Bahrain region, Jackson said.
He said: 'I believe that Islam would have helped him a lot. Had he converted, he would have been spared all the problems he had been subjected to throughout his life.'
The investigation into Michael's death is still ongoing with homicide listed as its cause.
