Farooq Siddique: Michael Jackson was too trusting

Sometimes people rely on others too much. Expect from others too much.

It is part of our very nature.

To be human, is to fall, and learn to get back up.

In my life of 40 years, I have had high expectations of many people. I have had high hopes of them.

I have trusted too much, perhaps naively, perhaps deliberately, perhaps hopefully, and yet despite that trust and hope, rarely being repaid, I continue to trust and continue to hope.

Admittedly though, my cynicism is now sometimes getting the better of me.

At the weekend, the world news was dominated by the death of Michael Jackson. In Glastonbury, the stars lined up to pay their tributes to him. Yes, it's true, the television coverage was remarkable, virtually no other news even made it onto our screens.

A sign perhaps of the status some celebrities now have; in the growing absence of faith, celebrities have become the new idols of worship, the new man-gods.

But that's not the aspect I want to talk about, interesting though it is.

Michael Jackson was probably the greatest entertainer that ever lived. Of that there is little doubt.

I too have been a fan of his since my teenage years, not a delirious one, but a fan nonetheless.

Almost from the outset, there has been vulnerability about him. Even from a distance, it was clear to see that he was surrounded by those who were just there to take advantage of him.

He was, too trusting.

He relied on too many.

He was too naive.

He was child-like, in his view of the world, and in what he surrounded himself with.

He was living out his childhood in front of the world's eyes. As a child, imagine what you always wanted.

Michael Jackson built all that in his "Neverland" residence; a theme park, a zoo, a cinema, and house that had all the toys you could ever want; toys that he bought shopping in the world's biggest toy stores.

And as a child, all you ever wanted to do was go out and play with the other kids.

And for that, the media, the same media that now holds him up as a god-like figure, crucified him.

Martin Bashir is the man who made the TV documentary about Michael, the editing and broadcasting of which led to the charges of child abuse against the singer.

In that documentary, Michael gave open and honest, but seriously naive responses to Martin's questions about the time he spent with kids.

He trusted him too much.

Now, after everything, the same Martin Bashir says: "I believe Michael's behaviour was unorthodox, but I never believed it was criminal".

Martin is now joined by all the others who once made a living out of making Michael look bad, as they vie for position to now say how great they always thought Michael was.

And in that too is human nature I suppose.

To not really appreciate what you have, until it is gone.

Michael Jackson was a true star.

In November 2008, Michael reportedly converted to Islam.

This is my homage to him.

In the words of his brother Jermaine Jackson, himself a devout Muslim; "May Allah be with you always".