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Madinat al-Muslimeen Islamic Message Board
| Have you spent Ramadhan in a Prison Cell? |
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| un1q |
| 10/27/04 at 19:59:19 |
| Dear Brothers & Sisters, [slm] A Muslim youth is 5 times more likely to receive a custodial sentence in the UK. This Ramadhan there are over 1,000 young Muslims under the age of 25 years in prison. Many of them are lonely, depressed or suicidal. muslimyouth.net is the first online support and guidance channel for Muslim youth. It profiles the array of social and cultural conflicts faced by young Muslims growing up in the UK. During Ramadhan, the site is campaigning for greater community involvement in supporting young Muslim inmates in prison. The Campaign is supported by Muslim Youth Helpline (MYH), which receives letters from youth offenders at risk of suicide in prison. During the Campaign, muslimyouth.net will publish articles and personal accounts of young Muslims in prison. The site is also encouraging members of the public to submit messages of support to prisoners online and sponsor gift packages which will be delivered to over 1,000 Muslim inmates on the festival of Eid-ul-Fitr. Please support this Campaign, and show that you care about the hundreds of isolated Muslim prisoners this Ramadhan. Log on to muslimyouth.net to find out how you can send a message of support or sponsor an Eid gift for a young Muslim inmate in prison. http://www.muslimyouth.net/campaign.php?a_id=240&id_fk=17&id_fkis=59&id_fkt=14 Ramadhan is about caring. Let’s show them we care. [wlm] Campaign Team muslimyouth.net Please forward this e-mail to your friends and family. We need 1,000 messages of support to include in our gift packages. |
| Re: Have you spent Ramadhan in a Prison Cell? |
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| tahirah |
| 10/29/04 at 16:40:10 |
| [slm] jazakum Allahu Khair sister for the post. i also wanted to add another way to get involved with the muslims in prison. one of my best friends visits the local prison every week. she has a halaqa with the sisters there, educating them about the basics in their deen, and answering questions that normally would have gone unanswered. i had the opportunity to join her a couple of times, and it was an amazing experience. u never really grasp the beauty of the deen until you see people trying to practice it in the most unexpected adversities. it is not only good for them (you should see the nur in their faces when they see you coming...) but it is a chance for you to increase your iman - to learn to be thankful for the things you have always taken for granted, and to graciously accept the calamities that befall you - when you see sisters (or brothers) trying to overcome the calamity of prison. note: every prison (even minimum security, like the one i visited) has rules and ettiquetes. if you ever have the chance to coordinate a halaqa program with the chaplain, never try to undermine those rules; because in the long run it will be more difficult to get cooperation in the future. and no matter how rude the chaplain is, dont be disrespectful, just go about things through the proper channels - you don't want to make life more miserable for the inmates. ma'a salaama tahirah |
| Re: Have you spent Ramadhan in a Prison Cell? |
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| A_Stranger |
| 10/30/04 at 11:18:50 |
| Ramadan in Captivity - Babar Ahmad Date: 30-Oct-2004 By British Political Prisoner Babar Ahmad, MX5383 Woodhill Prison 25th October 2004 Allah (SWT) said in (2:185): “The month of Ramadan is that in which was revealed the Quran, a guidance for people, clear proofs of guidance and a criterion (to judge between right and wrong).” It was reported by Abu Said al-Khudri, that the Messenger of Allah (SAWS) said: “Whosoever fasts one day in the Path of Allah, a distance of seventy years journey will be placed between him and the Hell Fire.” (Sahih Muslim) The Pious Predecessors would spend six months of every year preparing for Ramadan and the other six months asking Allah to accept the deeds that they did in Ramadan. Preparation for the prisoners to receive Ramadan begins a couple of months before Ramadan, with brothers starting voluntary fasts once a week or so. Once Shabaan begins, the frequency of these voluntary fasts increases to twice a week and more approaching the days just before Ramadan Voluntary fasts are different in prison as you will, depending on the time of the year you fast, always be given your food either significantly before or significantly after your fast has opened. In other words, either your food will be cold by the time you get to eat it (there are no microwaves or cookers here) or you will have to wait about an hour or two to eat. Since you are allowed a watch, but no alarm of any sort, it really is a ‘hit and miss’ what time you have suhoor. Ramadan is different because of the large number of Muslim prisoners fasting and so you will get your food more or less on time and if the gap is too large, some prisons will give you a flask to keep your food warm. Officers on each wing are usually instructed by the Imam to wake up fasting Muslim prisoners for suhoor, about 30-40 minutes before Fajr. Suhoor here consists of a ‘pack’ that you are provided the evening before and it contains cereal, milk, dates, a sandwich and a fruit. There is no hot suhoor. After completing suhoor and making wudu quietly (taking care not to wake sleeping non-Muslim prisoners who neighbour you), brothers will normally sit and make dua in the tranquil, pre-dawn time whilst waiting for Fajr. Once Fajr begins, a quiet adhaan is followed by individual prayer in your cell. If you are near other Muslim prisoners, you may hear their recitation during their Fajr prayer. Fajr is followed by morning duas and some prefer to sleep until the morning. The day passes quickly. If you have a strict programmes of remembrance duas, Quranic recitation/memorisation and extra prayers to do, there is little time for much else once showers, phone calls, washing clothes etc are factored in. Towards the end of the day, whilst brothers are collecting their food, they might return to their cell to find a chocolate bar, or a fruit, or a snack etc. left by an anonymous donor who wishes to follow in the footsteps of the Prophet’s (SAW) Sunnah by being more generous than the fleeting wind in Ramadan. Since these eatables need to be purchased via a weekly ‘canteen’ order system based on limited spending quotas, the actual value of the chocolate or snack far exceeds its monetary value. It is not like a supermarket where one can buy limitless supplies of groceries. Indeed, these canteen groceries are the ‘currency’ between prisoners which they use to pay each other for favours etc. Therefore, since the reward of a deed is commensurate to the intention behind it, such small acts of generosity have the potential of great reward. The additional benefit of such anonymous generosity is that the recipients will always make dua for the donor whilst opening their fast. The last half-hour or hour before Maghrib is spent alone in the cell, in remembrance, duas and seeking forgiveness. As the time of Maghrib enters, brothers give the adhan individually. Sometimes, a recorded adhan can be heard echoing around the exercise yard adjacent to the wing. One’s fast opens in peace and tranquillity, proceeded by more duas for the fast and the deeds of the day to be accepted by the One for Whom they were performed. As the fast opens, there is not the feeling of guilt usually associated with opening a fast on a table full of all types of food. Some brothers said that they would always feel guilty when opening their fast outside prison, at a table spread with all types of food and drink. They would feel guilty when thinking about what poor and needy Muslims or Muslim prisoners would be opening their fast with. However, when one is on the other side of the guilt trip, with nothing but dates and water to open the fast, this feeling disappears, more so when one is a captive for the sake of one’s deen and not due to the committing of any crime. After praying Maghrib, you will sit to eat your food. Sometimes the food is not enough so you might supplement it by adding cold grated cheese or cold hard boiled egg (both provided sometimes for suhoor) to your plain boiled rice. Alternatively, a bowl of cereal or peanut butter sandwich (if you have previously purchased peanut butter in your weekly ‘canteen’) also does the trick. Though this food might not reach the quality or quantity of what you might eat outside prison, this food has the taste of honour and dignity, which cannot be purchased outside prison, even with gold or silver. You are further grateful when you think of Muslim prisoners around the world, such as in Guantanamo Bay, where the iftar meal is purposely served two hours after Maghrib, or America, where the food of Muslim ‘terror’ suspects is thrown into their cell via a hatch and they need to scoop it up from the floor before eating it. [The above are not rumours but based on actual testimonies.] Soon it is time for Isha and Taraweeh prayers. This is one of the most enjoyable parts of Ramadan in captivity. Brothers pray Taraweeh individually by reading from their Qurans and there is no limit to the time that you can spend on your prayer. The nearby cells of Muslim prisoners praying Taraweeh resonate with the humming of their Quranic recitation: a recitation which comes from the heart and reaches the heart. The Quran means more in prison than outside and you have feelings whilst reciting the Quran in prison that you do not have outside. Each verse becomes alive in prison and it has a direct relevance to your individual situation. Whilst in Taraweeh, you can stop to think about a particular verse or repeat it over and over again as the Messenger of Allah (SAW) used to do. You will not experience this pleasure with the Quran if your heart is rusty and full of the darkness of sins. The Quran is pure and only a pure heart can derive maximum benefit from it. Eventually you retire to sleep with the full knowledge that, if Allah accepts your fast for that day, you will be rewarded by moving away from the Hell Fire a distance of seventy years. The hadith mentioned earlier on refers to a fast whilst striving or struggling in the Path of Allah, not as is mistakenly believed, just any fast. Of course, fasting anywhere has huge rewards but this hadith specifically refers to a fast ‘fee sabeelillah’ (in the Path of Allah). The occurrence of good dreams increases in Ramadan whilst in captivity. The only sadness you feel as you nod off is that there is one less day remaining of Ramadan and it will never return. 25th October 2004 http://www.cageprisoners.com |
| Re: Have you spent Ramadhan in a Prison Cell? |
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| un1q |
| 11/09/04 at 09:39:24 |
| To Whom This May Concern, Yes unfortunately this is another one of those emails to ask you to get your wallet out and give some of your money to a charity that helps people you don’t know about. I am asking you to donate what ever you can (Although £5 would be a good start) to a charity called the Muslim Youth Helpline. For those of you that are not Muslim and are thinking “why should I donate to these Muslim people”, well the charity is a counselling service that provides support to those that are vulnerable. We talk to people everyday that are addicted to drugs, have been abused some that have been raped. We talk to people that are inches away from killing themselves. So hey if you don’t want to give to a Muslim fine, but at least try and help make the life of another human being worth living. So this is a plea to ask for some money to help us help others. Thanks for your time in reading this, sorry if I have wasted 5 minutes of your life as I am just trying to save lives. If you know someone that has 5 minutes to read this and a spare £5 to help make someone’s life better please pass this email on. Oh by the way the links are below INFO: www.myh.org.uk INFO: www.muslimyouth.net DONATE: https://www.workwithus.org/give/donate/Donate.aspx?SCVOID=142655 Thanks again Muslim Youth Helpline |
| Re: Have you spent Ramadhan in a Prison Cell? |
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| jannah |
| 11/09/04 at 10:14:55 |
| slm, We have a policy about not posting requests for money from organizations etc. Please check out the Constitution for more info. In the spirit of Ramadan I'll leave your post for now inshaAllah wlm, |
| Re: Have you spent Ramadhan in a Prison Cell? |
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| sundoc |
| 11/16/04 at 10:30:40 |
| [slm] May Allah Protect us all from the enemies both within and outside our ummah. Down here there are a number of brothers who'd been incarcerated in the states and subsequently deported back here... Subhanallah these guys have Iman as solid as a rock and as deep as the ocean. Its just amazing to hear their stories of reverting to Islam as well as everything from Ramadhan to daily experiences. May Allah be pleased with all those whom work to establish their deen no matter what environment they find themselves in, ameen. check out this link: British Muslim Prisioners : http://www.stoppoliticalterror.com/media/RamadhanEnglish.swf |
| Re: Have you spent Ramadhan in a Prison Cell? |
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| Bangachi |
| 11/20/04 at 04:26:21 |
| Here in the United States I was beaten by a police officer. I had abad reaction to a medication anda friend took me to the hospitol. I in a state of incoherency kicked over a cofee machine in the hospital lobby. The officer broke my hand andas I tried very weakly to stop him from beating me was charged with a felony battery on a law enforcement officer. IM 5ft 13o lbs. female...he was over 6ft 200 lbs. The court offered me long term drug treatment to get of the prescription medication I had become addicted to. The program forced me to pray christian prayers, teased me, and finally asked me to write a paper on why I chose Islam as my religion. They kicked me out because I was spending too much time writing and learning Arabic. The Clinical Director said it made the other clients scared and it isolated me. This was last year Ramadan...terrible experience |
| NS |
| Re: Have you spent Ramadhan in a Prison Cell? |
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| jannah |
| 11/20/04 at 14:50:21 |
| [wlm] You should document everything and see if any Muslim organizations can help you. The least you can do is publicize it to the papers and other places and maybe think about taking legal action. You can even use free legal aid places. |
| Re: Have you spent Ramadhan in a Prison Cell? |
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| sundoc |
| 11/21/04 at 00:18:51 |
| [slm] As we know the dua of the oppressed carries immense weight. There are many forms of oppression and when we find ourselves in such circumstances it behooves us to do much dua, indeed dua is the weapon of a believer. Along with turning to Allah (swt) though we need to also put forth our best efforts and I think Jannah's suggestions are perfect. Document everything and get in contact with the local Islamic agencies, Inshallah through the Will of The One Who Creates with one word (Kun) something positive will come out of this negative experience. May Allah help and guide you through these times and for all times to come, Ameen. |
| Re: Have you spent Ramadhan in a Prison Cell? |
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| bangachi1 |
| 11/22/04 at 07:40:15 |
| Thanks Jannah for your advice but I am so terrified of facing the court. The anti-islamic sentiment in my city in Palm Beach Florida is out of control. These are very powerful people....our city's police department killed a homeless man some years ago named Bobby Jewwitt...five officers I think it was were pumped up on steroids and ruptured his testicles, crushed his skull, broke bones, and of course he died from his injuries. The whole community all denominations were outraged..they demandede a trial and the officers were relieved of their duty. Just recently in Florida an officer tazzered a 6 year old boy with thousands of volts. Another officer did the same to a man already seated in handcuffs. How are we supposed to instill a democratic society in other countries when we have these men and women in uniform commiting acts of violence and corruption. Just look at the brutality our military is inflicting on the innocent in Iraq...an innocent man shot to death in a mosque. |
| NS |
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