Posts Tagged ‘Prisoner’

A Poem Dedicated To Omar Khadr

{ July 19, 2008 @ 2:28 am } · { Poems }
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Early morning’s sleepy glow
Life’s snatched and melted flow
Ravaging cries, burnt lies, a world’s humanity sunken so low
A humble sigh, why, was all he wanted to know

The inflicted torment
The forgotten lament
Rainbows of hate and detriment
Bound over blind eyes, confinement

Lashes of inconceivable harm
Lay in sullen stripes on a swollen palm
Some poor words, some slight right,
meant to spell contentment and calm
Oh Freedom, my Freedom, is the only balm

Smells of forgotten rain
Caught within the justice of detain
In red and blue bruises of pain
Scarred upon the flag, an orange stain

The delicious hand of peace
In the shackles of treaties
The cells are guarded by seas
The waves that taunt memories

I’ve held him by his fingers
And they were stricken cold
We will hold him by his heart
And it shall be spun gold

The skies and stars are weeping in rue
Once more, may you feel the sun’s stripy hue
The Highest Honour is written for only a special few
Oh Omar Khadr, may the Almighty forever free you

Written by Juhayfa Bint Shoaib

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Some Lessons Learnt Behind Bars – What’s Your Excuse?

{ July 10, 2008 @ 12:05 am } · { Poems }
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It was late at night

And I lay still on my bed

-In my cell-

Sleepy yet unable to sleep

Restless and Wide awake

Feeling scared and uneasy

Thinking about my family and friends

Thinking about life in the Hereafter

-Thinking about Death-

I got lost in my thoughts

-Literally-

Thought about death

-So deeply-

Thought about the End of the World

Thought about the Signs of the End of the World

Thought about my beloved family

 

My eyes wide open

-Conscious yet not breathing-

I was trembling and shivering

I was feeling cold and I was feeling scared

 

‘Death could get us all at any time’

-I thought-

‘I’m scared to die

I’m not ready for death

I’ve not done anything right

I’ve not repented enough

I know I’ll be going to hell

 

I want to go home to my family

And be able to tell them how much they mean to me’

 

My mind taking control

-Thoughts of regret swam through my head-

I never done anything right

I had plenty of time to repent

-Yet I never repented-

It’s not until I was imprisoned

-That I began thinking-

That I began repenting

That I began -Whole Heartedly- praying

That I came to understand the importance of loving and caring

About how much -Family- meant

The importance of parents

The importance of life

 

My prayers lasted four to five hours

My du’aa lasted three to four hours

I would weep

I would cry

-Out Aloud-

I would -Desperately- ask Allah

For His Divine help

 

I didn’t like where I was

The place scared me

It didn’t feel right

I felt out of place

I felt like a stranger

-Like a sheep in a herd of camels-

 

I felt scared of the fellow prisoners

They were big and tall

I thought they were going to hurt me

-Beat me and kick me-

 

The prisoners were scary looking

Always looking drugged and doped

Yet I refused to judge them

-By what I saw-

 

I didn’t want to know about their crime

I didn’t even mind about being locked up in solitary confinement

Because it was much safer

-Than being out there amongst them-

 

Prison aint a place for a Muslim

It aint a place for an innocent person

 

It aint a ‘cool’ place to be

It is Hell inside

 

The prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) said:

‘This Dunya is like a Prison for the believers’

-Subhanallah-

Indeed the saying is true

 

But when in prison

And you look around

And you observe the place

And the kinds of people inside

And you sit and contemplate

And you think deeply about life

 

You come to the realisation that

Prison is hell

And it is heaven

-Outside-

 

But once released

And you’re out

The Dunya is indeed a prison for the believers

 

I came to learn a lot about my religion

-Whilst inside-

By reading the Holy Quran

 

And my main regret

Is that I never concentrated on the Quran

-When outside-

I never even tried to understand

I read but I never contemplated upon the

-Individual-

Words of Allah

 

I experienced Islam

-When inside-

I experienced what

-Being a Muslim-

Is all about

 

The way we’re meant to

-Fear Allah-

So much fear should be in our hearts

That we should be scared not just to close our eyes

-But to even blink-

In fear that

-Death-

Could get us

-Anytime-

 

That we should be happy and eager to

-Meet Allah-

For the one who is

-Eager to meet Allah-

Indeed Allah is eager to meet him

Yet at the same time

We should be scared to meet Allah

-In fear that He may not be happy with us-

Due to the amount of

-Minor-

Sins we all commit

Knowingly and unknowingly

 

Not just read but

-Contemplate-

On the

-Individual-

Wordings of the Holy Quran

 

The amount of respect we are meant to show our parents

 

We’re never that busy

So why don’t we do Dhikr

-On our right fingers-

Why do we not Praise

Thank and Glorify Allah?

 

-Subhanallah-

So many questions asked

And so many lessons learnt

 

We are Muslims

And the Quran is our Holy Book

 

I learnt millions and millions of lessons

-When inside-

But these lessons were learnt

Not just from my experience

Of being inside

But mostly from reading the Holy Quran

 

You don’t have to be imprisoned to read the Quran

Look to your right

Look to your left

Look in front of you

-There should be a Quran somewhere near you-

 

Start in the name of Allah

Pick it up

Open it

Read it

Contemplate

Understand

Acknowledge

And put into practise

 

We Muslim prisoners have no excuses

And nor should you

Because I

-Lyrically-

Just told you what to do

 

And if you didn’t pick up

-Some-

Of the lessons from this poem

Then I suggest you re-read

-By scrolling to the top-

 

Written by LyricalEnigma

Why I Love The Prison Cells

{ May 9, 2008 @ 12:43 pm } · { Poems }
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The door was kicked down
My wife was still in her night gown
They yelled and they swore
As they took me away, out the door
 
My child began to scream and cry out loud
As if his father was wrapped in his shrouds
I turned my face around, desperate to see him
He came running towards me, touching my legs with his chin
 
I cried as I looked up towards my wife
She was my shield, the only woman in my life
I told her not to worry; my deen will travel with me
She nodded her head, as she wiped my tears off me
 
I was chucked into the van, as if I was the mail
They drove me to dark chambers, also known as the Jail
I spent hours alone, with the darks walls around (me)
Silent it was; the clock ticking the only sound
 
Minutes, hours and days later, I was subsequently charged
With crimes I had never committed, the news hit me hard
I was a Muslim living in Britain… practising my belief
Not a murderer, rapist, paedophile or even a thief
 
When my wife came to visit me, I had to be strip-searched
As if I had explosives with me, to bomb a Christian church
Only half an hour with my wife, and child – that was it
What had I done, which made me fall into such a ditch?!
 
The reason why I was there, was because of the identity I held
I hadn’t called for anything – words of Islam were what I yelled
A dawah stall each week, to call people to my deen
Accepting it will be pleasure, in gardens which no eye has seen
 
A couple of months later, I was sentenced for LIFE
They said I plotted to murder, and take away innocent lives
What could I do, other than to raise my hands up high?
My Lord! You are my protector, my Lord above the sky
 
Whilst the earth praises you 24-7
The praise is not enough, for the Lord of the Heavens
Hence I will continue to praise you, upon every second of my life
Verily we have been created, to give and sacrifice!
 
I spent many years deep inside my cold cell
Though it kept me firm, as it reminded me of hell (situation will be worse)
Year after year, I spent alone with my Lord
The Qur’aan was my shield, the Sunnah my Sword
 
But as every soul shall witness death, I could not escape
My time had come, for me to leave the world I hate
Ashadul Allah Illaha Illallah – were my last words
I pray my soul is placed in the hearts of green birds
 
I left my wife, child and wealth all behind
What I gained was Jannah, a place which always shines
May my wife and my child reach the gardens I ended in
Which was gained with the good – and without the sin
 
My life in the dunya may seemed hard at the time
But the palace I am granted, is now all mine
I will never be arrested from here, nor taken away
Which is why I now love the Prison cells – even today!

Written by anonymous

Poem For Our Detained Brothers

{ March 10, 2008 @ 1:25 pm } · { Poems }
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He called from his cage

He banged on the door

His fists were bleeding

His heart did it more

They bound him in chains

He never saw the rain

Where they kicked him, there he lain

Brother, brother, detained

They wouldn’t give him water

They believed he’d led some inhumane slaughter

He wasn’t allowed letters from his son or his daughter

They threatened him with bullet and mortar

They threw at him abuse

Because they wanted him to loose

And could entrap him in their ruse

He was silent and that made them confused

Prevented him from taking a shower

They feel big when they exercise their power

This is how they cower

Humans, like the wilting flower

The interrogations were simply futility

They were creative in their brutality

They stripped him of all morality

Couldn’t do that to his individuality

He was made to live on less than those in monastery

They certainly didn’t care for honesty

A ray of sun, barely momentary

Walking was thought complementary

There he lay, caged in number and formation

Dressed in orange humiliation

Forced to admit he belonged to a non-existent corporation

Please know, that it was under duress information

Tears lashed his dusty heart

The way forever on the straightest path

Sorrow mourned his weary eyes

Here he suffered, from their lies

All day, all night, in shackle

Oh dearest Muslim Ummah, Oh what a debacle… 
 

Written by Juhayfa Bint Shoaib

From Kufr to Islam, From Imprisonment to Freedom

{ December 1, 2007 @ 5:40 pm } · { General }
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Brother Abdul Hakim AKA Shevon Smith has written a letter regarding his experience in prison and wants to share it with his brothers and sisters of the Ummah. You can view the original letter by clicking on the following links: Page 1 Page 2 Page 3.

Bismillahir-Rahmanir-Raheem

O Allah bestow Your favour upon Muhammad and his wives and his Ummah. May Allah increase our eeman and grant us taqwa whilst leaving in our footprints righteousness, Ameen.

 

To my dear brothers and sisters in Islam, Assalaamu Alaikum WR WB.

 

As you can see I am now answering to the name Abdul Hakim and have been for the last 14 months, but I actually took my shahadah in June 2001 and this is one of the issues that I want to talk about. For those five years or so I was living my life in continued ignorance, walking around in a state of Kufr, whilst still calling myself a Muslim.

 

Let me explain: I had no idea how to pray, how to make wudhu and the do’s and don’ts of Islam. I had never read more than a few pages of the Quran. I think the reason for all of this was PRIDE and SHAME – the whispering of shaytan – rather than ask the simple questions how and why do I do this and that, I pretended as if I already knew. Drugs, alcohol, fighting mine and my friend’s battles and being in touch with the latest style of music that’s being used to corrupt the minds of those that listen to it. These were the things that mattered to me and my friends, the great majority of which were non-believers. The point I’m trying to get across is that (I believe) because of the lack of dawa, either from the words or actions of other Muslim brothers, shaytan was winning the battle in keeping me from the one true path. The two points I am trying to make are:

  1. We as Muslims should never shy away from asking for the help of our brothers and sisters in matters like seeking knowledge.
  1. It’s our responsibility to make sure that our brothers and sisters feel comfortable in trying to learn from us, but we should try to make our dawa interesting so the persons don’t mind spending time listening and remembering what’s being said to them. ( I mean why talk to a gunman about knives? He will not be interested)

I started this my first and only time in prison aged 18 in Feltham YOI in 1997, and I personally never saw anybody practising Islam seriously. I was made an adult prisoner aged 19 (due to bad behaviour) and sent to an adult institute namely HMP Whitemoor. Now maybe because I was just running about, doing my own thing, or maybe not, but I saw only a few brothers who lived their lives under Islam. This was the same for me in HMP Long Lartin, HMP Full Sutton, and HMP Frankland. It was whilst on my second time around these prisons Whitemoor and Long Lartin that I first started to see brothers who were actually practising the Deen and this was 2005-2006, SubhanAllah, still it was just a few brothers. Then I went to HMP Belmarsh, MashAllah, lots and lots of strong brothers, the eeman has to increase because of the amount of brothers there. Anyway I was there for about six months before going back to Frankland and alhamdulillah I’ve now seen and heard about many brothers who are now practising the Deen. It ranges from brothers who have been practising for a long time, to brothers who have just accepted Islam, from brothers who MashAllah are very knowledgeable to brothers who are not so knowledgeable but are in search of knowledge.

 

And it is for this reason that I am saying that as Muslims have a duty to let our action be our first course for dawa, so that people can help them to feel comfortable to ask questions that’s been on their minds. We should use the wisdom that we have to which brothers are struggling, and give them the answers to questions that they don’t yet know, but would greatly benefit them.

 

Now, as for the personal change that I have gone through over the last year or so. I’d say that alhamdulillah, my eeman, taqwa and birr has increased. This in turn has changed my whole way of life. From the way I walk and talk to the people who I walk and talk with. The crazy music that I use to listen to and drink to and dance to and do drugs to has all changed. And where before I use to respect what I did and the people who did what I did, I no longer have that respect for it or them.

 

Now I listen to the recitation of the holy Quran, nasheeds or lectures. And when I read, I read the translation of the holy Quran or books that give me a better understanding of Islam and the people of Islam (Majority of the time).

 

I try to be humble in my actions and thoughts and polite and understanding. Whereas before my confrontations were mostly about things that were haraam and for causes that were to do with my fighting for things of dunya. ‘Now’ I accept little if any violation but my cause is the fight for Jannah. And the concept of wanting for my brothers what I want for myself is very much a big part of my life.

 

Insha-Allah I have been able to bring some kind of understanding of how Islam is on an increase in Prison as well as outside. I live from salah to salah and Insha-Allah one day I’ll be able to get married and make hajj.

 

May Allah keep us all guided on the true path on Islam, Ameen. Raise your hands for us as we raise our hands for you.

Wa alaikum assalaam.

 

Abdul Hakim AKA Shevon Smith

 

 

Please write to this brother and offer your support inshallah:

Shevon Smith

BC4664

HMP Frankland

Brasside

Durham

DH1 5YD

Reid’s Henchmen Assault Muslim Inmates

{ November 28, 2007 @ 8:02 pm } · { Prisoner Incidents }
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HMP WandsworthEarlier this week, a large number of Muslim prisoners were racially and physically assaulted by staff at HMP Wandsworth, Surrey.

Officers at the prison ceased the opportunity to use excessive violence on the Muslim inmates after they refused to undergo a degrading strip search.

One of the prisoners was put in a headlock and beaten by the guards. “They twisted my arm and I was screaming out of pain, but they wouldn’t stop. They then pinned me to the floor and one of the officers stood on my neck while the others were punching me.”

“I tried to explain how my religion forbids me to remove my clothes and expose my private parts in front of other people, but they didn’t want to listen. Instead they started swearing at me and my religion and calling me a f***ing Muslim.”

The past few weeks have seen a number of incidents in which Muslim prisoners have been physically and racially abused by White racist inmates and prison guards.

Prisoners at the notorious HMP Frankland have had boiling water and oil poured over them and their cells set on fire. Yet, despite such reports of abuse, the Governor insists the prison is a “safe and secure environment”.

Instead of being transferred to more secure prisons, Muslim victims of racial and religious abuse are kept in segregation (solitary confinement) “for their own security”, where they are deprived of basic human rights and privileges.

An inquest has been made into the attacks, but so far Government and senior officials have done nothing about reported abuse of Muslim prisoners in British jails, allowing them to suffer in silence.

Muslims continue to be victimised even after being punished.

Please write to Abdullah Ibrahim Hassan, one of the victims of the religious attacks at HMP Wandsworth.

Ibrahim Hassan WW7450
HMP Wandsworth
PO BOX 757
Heathfield Road
SW18 3HF

Source: captivesupport.org

A Call To Support Muslim Prisoners

{ November 14, 2007 @ 12:41 am } · { General }
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In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful

May the peace and blessing of God be upon you,

Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds and prayers and peace on the most honourable of prophets and messengers, Muhammad, his family, his companions and anyone who follows his guidance and follows in their footsteps until the Day of Judgment.

What we have seen, witnessed and heard about the violations of the religious and civil rights suffered by our Muslim brothers and sisters in western jails is saddening and hurtful. I was personally a witness to this tribulation for five years when I was a prisoner. As informing someone of an event is not the same as experiencing itself, I started hastily writing this legitimate urgent appeal, quoting from the Quran and the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW), to seek help from those who can appreciate the awful, disgusting treatment Muslim prisoners face in British jails. This was after I heard from a Muslim sister, who is the lawyer of a Muslim brother who was convicted of terrorism charges, that her client had been subjected to a savage attack by some prisoners; they poured boiling oil on his head which caused severe burns to his head and other parts of his body. He is now is in a pitiful state and has been returned to jail even though he did not receive enough medical care and time to recover in an outside hospital. Worse than that, he is still in the same prison in which he was attacked and with the same prisoners who still harbour hate for him and wish to kill him and terrorise him, which the prison administration and the government are aware of.

Imam Ibn Al-Athir said in his book Al-Kamil Fil Tarikh, that when Yusuf (AS) left prison, he wrote on the door of his cell, “this is the grave of the living, the house of the dejected, the place of trial for friends and a blow upon the face of enemies”.

Prison is the worst, basest place a person can ever be put in, where his freedom is wrested from him, his dignity is humiliated and his honour is defeated. His faith and religious practices are attacked. It is for this reason that Muhammad (SAW) often used to seek Allah’s protection for prisoners to protect them against fear.

This is why hadith scholars have spoken at length about this issue.

The religious texts which urge Muslims to help each other clearly include texts about helping Muslims prisoners as a priority, including:

The Muslim nation is one as Allah (SWT) says: “this nation is one nation and I am your Lord so worship me” and He said, “verily, the believers are brothers”. Al-Qurtubi said in his interpretation of this verse (16/322), “’verily, the believers are brothers” in faith and in respect, not in blood. It is said, brothers in faith are closer than blood brothers as blood brothers may fall out over differences in faith whereas brothers in faith are not affected by differences in lineage”.

In the Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim, it is narrated from Abu Huraira (RA) that the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) said, “A Muslim is the brother of a Muslim. He does not wrong him, forsake him or despise him.”

Imam Nawawi commented on this hadith in Sharh Muslim (16/120) saying, “the scholars said, “forsaking him is leaving him when he is in need and despising him means, if he asks for help to remove an evil in his life, he must help him if he can and if he does not have a legitimate excuse not to”.

Ibn Rajab said in Jami Al-Ulum Wal Hukum, p. 333), “by this, a believer forsaking his brother, it means that the believer is commanded to help his brother as the Prophet (SAW) said, “help your brother, whether he is the oppressed or the oppressor”. He was asked, “O Messenger of Allah, help the oppressed but how do I help the oppressor?” He said, “by preventing him from oppressing. This is how you help him”. Narrated by Anas.

Abu Dawud mentions the hadith narrated by Abu Talha Al-Ansari and Jabir Bin Abdullah, that the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) said, “No man forsakes a Muslim when his rights are being violated or his honour is being belittled except that Allah will forsake him at a place in which he would love to have His help. And no man helps a Muslim at a time when his honour is being belittled or his rights violated except that Allah will help him at a place in which he loves to have His help”.

Ahmed reported that Abu Umamah Bin Sahl narrated from his father that the Prophet (SAW) said, “He in whose presence a Muslim is humiliated and who does not help him, being able to help him, God will humiliate him before all creatures on the Day of Judgment”.

These are general texts which urge Muslims to unite, work together and help each other, as is established in the Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim in the hadith narrated by Numan Bin Bashir in which he says that the Prophet (SAW) said, “The believers in their mutual kindness, compassion and sympathy are just like one body. When one of the limbs is afflicted, the whole body responds to it with sleeplessness and fever”.

What saddens us is that some ignorant people ignore this completely and say that “the prisoners are suffering because they are confused about their religion and have followed a path other than that of guidance. They deserve everything they get and thus they must bear the consequences of what happens to them”.  In saying such things, ignorant people ignore texts that generally and specifically concern helping these prisoners of faith who are our brothers in Islam. These reasons are all materialistic, worldly excuses; if these prisoners are not the most deserving of our help, then who should we help?

The scholars stated in a statement on the obligation of freeing Muslim prisoners and trying to help them in all matters.

Imam Malik said, “it is obligatory on the people to redeem (buy the freedom of) prisoners with their money. There is no contention on this point”.

Ibn Taymiyya said in The Fatwas (28/635), “freeing prisoners is one of the greatest obligations, and spending money in this matter is one of the greatest sacrifices”. Ibn Taymiyya himself made great efforts to free Muslim prisoners and save them; in Rajab 699H, he went to the camp of a Tatar commander and met him to discuss releasing the Muslim prisoners he was holding. He saved many of them from their hands.

They were concerned with saving their Muslim brothers who were prisoners. Of course, many of you will say that this all happened in a time when the Muslims had a state and power. So what can we do now at a time when the Muslims have sunk to such a lowly state?

What I am telling you is that the least you can do is help them with your words and your actions, and this is the weakest of faith, as Ibn Taymiyya wrote in his lengthy letter to the King of Cyprus, Johan de Giblet, a Christian king, concerning the Muslim prisoners held by the king. The letter included an invitation to Islam and to worship Allah alone and mentioned His mercy and that He loves all people to be treated well. He also mentioned his efforts with the Tatars to have the Muslim and Christian dhimmi prisoners released.

He wrote, “Does the king not know that we have in our lands Christians who are dhimmis (protected non-Muslim citizens in an Islamic state) and no one knows how many of them there are except Allah? How we deal with them is well-known so how can they deal with the Muslim prisoners they have in a manner that shows a lack of humanity and faith? Are the prisoners not under the protection of the king? Have not those who follow Jesus and the prophets been told to do good and act justly, so where are these good actions?”

There are many similarities between the situation of the Muslims in the 8th century Hijri (thirteenth century CE) – Ibn Taymiyya’s time – and in our current times, in that we can see the importance attached to these prisoners and the harsh treatment meted out to them from the time of Ibn Taymiyya, however there is no one crying for the Muslim prisoners today. Where is the displeasure shown at their cases? Where are the demands for them to be given their rights? Where is the call for justice for them and for them to be treated fairly? Where are the prayers to Allah asking for them to be released?

Finally, I ask you, the good people who are taking part in this campaign led by our sister, the lawyer, Mudassar Arani, the lawyer of the brother who was attacked, to improve the situation of the brother who was attacked in the prison and all the other Muslim prisoners to have them relocated to a safe place away from the terror they face from the other prisoners, please do your best to write to them and help them and stand by them even if you think they are wrong. Every person is a sinner and the best sinner is the one who repents.

May the peace and blessing of Allah be upon you.

Faraj Hassan, former detainee

Source: Cage Prisoners

Is This A Reason To Rejoice?

{ November 5, 2007 @ 6:23 pm } · { General }
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The recent reduction in the sentences for the ‘cartoon protesters’ which was highlighted as a ‘success’ and ‘win’ by the media shows once again how the objective of the British Government has been achieved with the support from it’s mouthpiece. Rather than rejoicing at the cut in the jail terms one must remember the reasons why they were convicted in the first place, those reasons which were as bogus and as corrupted as the British regime itself. Those brothers were put on trial for simply defending the honour of the Messenger (saw) which was insulted by a selection of European countries and rather than punishing the real perpetrators of the crime our brothers were put behind bars as a result. If at the time of conviction the brothers were sentenced to 4 years our response would have been ‘audhubillah, how harsh’ but now that it has been reduced from 6 years to 4, the majority seem to be rejoicing.

My dear Muslims, these brothers should never have been put on trial in the first instance, let alone be convicted of a crime that doesn’t exist; all they did was speak against the munkar that became prevalent around them. Those few words, slogans or placards should never have resulted in this oppression and injustice against them, yet the masses fail to see the propaganda by the taghout regime of Britain who are trying their utmost to silence those sincere da’iees who dare to speak out against the atrocities against the Muslims, be it here or abroad. The fact that these brothers were even arrested for attending a demonstration was outrageous to say the least, let alone then to be given such harsh prison sentences. It seems that all those who fulfil the command of their Lord by openly and publicly speaking the haqq like these brothers as well as people Sheikh Abu Hamza, Sheikh Abu Qatada, Abu Izzadeen, Abu Abdullah, and many others, are being incarcerated as a result.

My dear Muslims, no court can decide the outcome of any trial for indeed they plot and plan yet Allah (swt) is the best of planners and if He (swt) were to allow it then these brothers would walk free tomorrow no matter what decision the courts would take. Never be grateful to the enemies of Allah as Allah (swt) has told us that what they conceal in their hearts is far worse than what they utter. Allah (swt) has chosen to test these brothers in the dunya and we pray that because of it He (swt) raises their status in the akhira and lets them be from those who match the criteria from the following hadith narrated by the Messenger (saw) when he was asked, “O Messenger of Allah! Which of mankind suffers the severest?’ He (saw) replied: ‘The prophets, then the righteous, then those who are most like them, then those who are most like them. The man is tried according to his strength in his Deen. So, if his obedience and piety is sound, then his tests and hardships are increased; and if his obedience and piety is weaker, then his (tests and hardships) is lighter – and the believer is continuously tested until he walks on the Earth without any sins on him.”

There are many brothers and sisters on or awaiting trial simply for speaking the haqq and attempting to establish Allah’s deen in their lives and amongst the society in which they live. These crimes of the British Government or any other taghout regime should never deter the Muslims from speaking the truth, for you should know my dear Muslims that if they were all to gather to harm you they would never succeed unless by the leave of Allah (swt) and remember that ultimately the victory is always for the Muslims be it by ibtilaa in the dunya or Jannah in the akhira. Rest assured that the enemies of Allah (swt) will face the real prison when they are tried and convicted by Allah the Almighty in the hellfire forever.

Written by Umm Zakariya – Wife of a detainee

Sim Card Found In Inmates Cell

{ October 20, 2007 @ 4:20 pm } · { Prisoner Incidents }
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 We are hearing more and more of other prisons like Whitemoor following in Frankland’s trend of abuse to its Muslim inmates. It is clear now that it is not isolated to certain Prisons, but the start of the dehumanisation of our brothers. All their rights, dignity and integrity are stripped from them and worse of all, all our complaints and theirs, fall on deaf ears.

This incident concerns A. Garcia, he has always abided by the rules and has good relations with everyone even the guards. After his conviction and transfer to Whitemoor it was stated in his prisoner’s report that he was radicalising other inmates in Belmarsh. Subhanallah, the most that he has ever done in Belmarsh is attend some dhikr gatherings, that’s all!

A month into his stay at Whitemoor, he found himself in a middle of a sim card scandal. He remembers that the very same morning, he was cleaning out his cell, and he did his bed daily as per usual. There was ‘apparently’ a random inspection and a sim card was found in the most unlikely of places…it was found placed on the rim of the metal bed frame for all to see. My brother denied that it was his and asked them to hurry up the investigation so that they can prove that it was not his, after all his fingerprints and contact numbers should confirm if it his or not.

It was obviously fixed, it was planted there so that it can go down on his report to hinder his future in prison. It has now been over three months since this incident and my brother has not been told the outcome. Surely, if it was his, they would have punished him, and he has not been offered an explanation nor an apology.

Their aim was to smear his name, and finding a sim is worse than having drugs inside, but because he is a practising Muslim, planting drugs in his cell would not have been feasible. The matter now has been ‘hushed’ up but it goes without saying that if he was found guilty he would of have had to face up to the consequences, but who will punish the perpetrators? Who will be held responsible? Will that person be held accountable? No.

Slowly our brothers’ rights are being taken away so that soon these small incidents will be seen as normal and these injustices will increase in number and severity. May Allah protect them and reward their hardships with hasannat inshallah. Please do not underestimate the power of your du’aa. Salam alikum wa rahmatullahi ta’ala wa barakatuh.

Written by the sister of Anthony Garcia (Haaris)

The ‘Wonderful’ Eid In Whitemoor

{ October 17, 2007 @ 9:30 pm } · { Prisoner Incidents }
{ Tags: , , , , , , } · { Leave a Comment }

 Is there going to be any day that’ll be right for the Muslims?

This is the day where we all must praise the creator for his blessings upon us.

Eid day 12th October 07

            In order to attend the Eid prayer and feast, Muslim inmates in Whitemoor prison had to fill in a form a few days before Eid. Normally the inmates would have been informed about Eid on the night before by a phone call from the imam to the prison. But in this case they were told at around 10am on Eid day so they had begun their Eid fasting!

            However two Muslim inmates were stopped on Eid by some guards from going to the hall where the prayer and feast were being held. The inmates explained to them that they had filled in the form and handed it in and if it had got lost, it was the prison’s fault. The guards didn’t seem to do anything about it, so the inmates requested a call to the governor to inform him of the situation. This is because all governors have the right to make or change any decision at any time. Following this call, they were allowed to attend.

            Most of the inmates had gathered in the main hall to start the Eid prayer. The imam was about to start but everyone said that they’ll wait for the rest to come before praying. (There were approximately 20 missing) The imam didn’t seem to care and told them to pray without them. Everyone wanted to know why some hadn’t arrived yet. Therefore a phone call was made to the governor to see if he can resolve the issue.

            The governor then came and patronised them by saying how they’ve got special treatment this Eid and should be grateful for what they’ve done. And he also mentioned that the 20 or so missing people couldn’t make it and gave excuses. So everyone in the hall protested to the governor that if he doesn’t bring the people left behind, they will not pray or eat. Following the strike the governor then bought 5 of those who didn’t come but the rest still remained.

            The governor then asked the ones who were on strike to go to a smaller hall beside the one they were in. Everyone except a few went to the other hall. The idea of going to a smaller room with no apparent reason was suspicious as, one of the inmates had seen 30-40 guards with riot gear on just outside the main hall for ‘something’ to happen.

            After this they were confined to their wings (blocks) and some had started to cook in the kitchen. There in the kitchen was an inmate with a miswaak in his hands and was asked by a guard what it was. He explained that it was for his teeth, but regarding this the guard pressed the emergency alarm which automatically locks everyone in their cells. This only occurs when big incidents happen such as serious fights, possession of weapons etc. the guard must have a very vivid imagination to see a seewak as a gun or a knife. This is obvious that the guards wanted to ruin the day that brings joy and happiness to Muslims.

            Consequently everyone stayed in their cells for a while until their cell doors started to open but they only let them out a floor at a time. Normally for Eid they’d been let out for longer, but this Eid was different.

            Is this what the governor meant by telling everyone that Whitemoor is giving you a ‘wonderful’ Eid? By having a whole riot geared army waiting outside while all they wanted to do is pray and to be happy that day, even though they’re imprisoned from their loved ones. Would they have acted the same at Christmas?

Written by the family of Anthony Garcia (Haaris)

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