Hana Ali has said her family's hearts are "hurting" but they are "so happy daddy is free now", after the boxing legend's death.
But Hana Ali also said their hearts "are literally hurting" as she thanked friends and fans for their love and support.
She described how he was surrounded by relatives who embraced him and prayed during his final moments.
She said his heart had kept beating for 30 minutes after his organs had failed, calling it "a true testament to the strength of his spirit and will".
His brother Rahman Ali described him as a "kind, loving, considerate, wonderful" man.
He told Sky News: "He loved people. Black, white - he loved all people."
A family spokesman said the sports star died on Friday evening in Phoenix, Arizona, from septic shock "due to unspecified natural causes".
There will be a small family ceremony in his hometown of Louisville, Kentucky this Thursday, followed the next day by a public funeral procession and memorial service, where ex-US president Bill Clinton and comedian Billy Crystal will deliver eulogies.
Flowers, cards, and signs have been placed outside his childhood home and flags have been flying at half-mast in the town.
The three-time world heavyweight champion was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 1984 - three years after he retired from the sport.
Ali had been admitted to hospital in the days before his death suffering from respiratory issues.
Reports had suggested his breathing problems had been complicated by the neurological disorder, which had long impaired his speech.
Boxing stars past and present, including Mike Tyson, George Foreman and Amir Khan, are among those who have paid tribute to Ali, while political leaders including Barack Obama have also expressed sadness at the news.
Boxing manager Frank Warren told Sky News that "the world lost an iconic figure", describing Ali as "one of the greatest of all time".
"(He) became bigger than sport", Warren said, adding: "Muhammad Ali probably paved the way for Barack Obama becoming President of the United States.
"He changed the whole concept of being black in America."
US civil rights campaigner Reverend Al Sharpton said: "The legacy of Muhammad Ali is not just that he just floated in the ring, but that he stood up outside the ring.
"He was a champion out of the ring, and in the ring ... he was the greatest of all time in his sacrifice, in his dedication and in his commitment."
Born in January 1942 as Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr, a name shared with a 19th century slavery abolitionist, the boxer changed his name to Muhammad Ali after his conversion to Islam.
One of the boxing legend's final public appearances was in April, when he attended a Celebrity Fight Night to benefit a Parkinson's treatment facility in his name.
Ali is survived by his fourth wife Lonnie, along with his nine children.
Chat show host Michael Parkinson, who interviewed Ali several times, said he was "the most extraordinary and unique" individual he had ever interviewed.
He told Sky News: "There was an autumnal feel to him, that's the only way I can describe it. We talked about the possibility of boxers being mentally damaged.
"I looked at him the last time and thought, I will not see you again.
"You felt like you were interviewing a Martian or someone from out of space. The walls of conversation did not apply to him. When he took off on one of his flights of fancy, you just enjoyed the ride."
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