Islam in prison: menace or savior?
By: Pam Bailey
Tags: Prison Reform, Religion, Prison, Islam

In a January Foreign Policy essay, Robert Simcox, a Heritage Foundation fellow, issued an alarmist warning of pockets of extremist Muslims converting others to “jihadism” in prison.

“The risk posed by radical Islamist prisoners does not come to an end just because they are behind bars,” he wrote.

While I am sure there are indeed extremist Muslims (and Christians) in prison, I know from the growing number of incarcerated persons to whom I write that for many (I bet most), Islam is a positive influence that not only helps preserve their humanity in a harsh, abusive environment, but also paves the way for a healthy re-entry. But meanwhile, the stereotypes of Muslims held by many who read Simcox’s essay wil have their prejudices reinforced.

I asked two of the men to whom I write, both currently incarcerated in North Carolina, to respond:

Antonio:

I have heard how people can become extreme in their religion. However, this is not what Islam teaches. As Muslims, we should not hurt innocent people. The Quran says, “Killing one man is like killing all of mankind.” Muslims who commit heinous acts are misinterpreting the Quran or blindly following others who are doing the same.

DC’s Islamic Center

I am a Muslim who follows the Quran and the example of the prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) as my guide to how to live my life. I took my shahada (converted to Islam) in 2011 in southeast DC. What caught my attention was the unity and brotherhood I witnessed as it grew in DC. At the time, it was like a “shahada wave,” as I call it, in the streets of the district. Also, the more I read, the more I felt that Christianity had been forced on my ancestors during slavery. I wanted something I discovered on my own.

At first, I didn’t quite understand all the tenets of Islam. It wasn’t until late 2012, when I was incarcerated in the DC jail for the first time on misdemeanor charges that I began to study it seriously. When I returned home in early 2013, I was practicing the faith, but I still struggled with my desires. I still felt drawn to “the old ways,” which led to my re-incarceration in late 2014 (where I am today). There are many bad things about the prison environment, but it has separated me from alcohol, illicit sex, etc. I have used this time to grow stronger in my faith and values, so that I will be a better Muslim — and a better person — when I am released. Now that I am more mature and have grown in my religion, I plan to live the rest of my days worshipping Allah and raising my children to do the same. (I hope to find a devout wife!)

You could say that for me, prison has been like an Islamic University. I have met so many men well educated in Islam from all over the world, and we have become like a family, a brotherhood. When a new Muslim arrives off the bus here, we treat him like family too. We give him food, tennis shoes, hygiene products, etc.

For me, learning to truly understand Islam in prison has been an unexpected blessing that has helped me survive this place and become a better person. If others who claim to be Muslim have committed or condoned harm to others in the name of religion, it is a deliberate distortion of the faith. I would say it is more of a reflection of the barbarism that prison can so often be, or perhaps the individuals’ own inner torments.

Frank:

I converted to Islam in 2003 while in the Maryland prison system. I was raised in the Christian faith, specifically the Episcopalian church. I was one of those youths who was very active in the church, because my father was very active there — you could say he was considered one of its “pillars.”

However, as I became a pre-teen and attended Sunday school, I never really grasped the whole trinity doctrine — creating a gap in my faith. As I grew older (and more rebellious), my neighborhood and peer pressure became the over-riding forces in my life, leading to many run-ins with law enforcement. In 2002, I was sentence to five years for a gun charge, and I realized I needed to make changes in my life. I thought getting closer to God was the key, so I started going back to church and reading the Bible. But my thoughts and actions did not evolve along with that.

In prison, though, I was in a cell with a Muslim guy. I was vaguely familiar with the name “Islam,” but nothing else. What I noticed about this man was his serene detachment from the chaos that engulfed us. I wanted the same serenity and peace in my life. One day, I watched this man make several movements and utterances. I asked what he was doing, and he answered “offering salah (prayer).” I asked him for literature explaining his belief system and he gave me a book, which I think was called “Why Islam?” I read it and realized that my own values, the ones by which I wished to live (but had not), matched Islam. I asked him to help me learn more, and after about six months of studying with the brother and attending discussions with other, I felt guided to convert.

The positive effects that Islam has brought into my life are almost too many to put into words. But I will share a few: Islam has helped me find my true purpose and why I was created. Everything I do, say or think should be centered around pleasing Allah. It offers a complete guide for life because Allah, the Almighty, sent us a messenger to be our role model/leader on how to properly live our lives according to our true purpose.

Studying the example of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) has equipped me with a set of morals and principles, igniting a total transformation from the negative ideology I once held as a “captive” of my environment. Islam has taught me to revere and fear Allah, the Almighty, the most, not the person who can obtain the most money, sleeps with the most women or has the most power on the streets. That was my old “ideology” and it caused so much pain and hurt to myself, my family and my community. May Allah forgive me! Islam has taught me to be courageous enough to stand for what is right even if I am in the minority (very hard both on the streets and in a prison environment).

Islam has taught me excellent study habits and the importance of investigation and research, rather than accepting what others say at face value. It has taught me to be a better father, son, brother, nephew and grandson. It has taught me how to treat people justly and how to demonstrate compassion, patience and understanding — even those who approach me with hate and disrespect. Islam has taught me to be selfless and to understand true community and brotherhood/sisterhood. Islam has taught me how to deal with mental and emotional health challenges. And Islam has taught me how to be grateful and appreciative in whatever situation I face. After 15+ years of incarceration, Islam is what keeps me sane and whole.

As for the charges in that article: Yes, there are some unfortunate cases behind these walls in which individuals’ understanding and interpretation of Islam have become distorted. And, of course, you then have these people calling on others to join them. But we combat it with the examples of the Prophet (peace be upon him). I am the imam (leader) of the Sunni community here at Butner 2 (correctional facility) and I’ve personally dealt with brothers who the government regards as extremist. I sit them down and we talk about it. What seems to be a common problem with these brothers is that they didn’t use the proper tools of investigation and research; otherwise, they would have seen the inconsistencies and contradictions in their interpretations. You see: We have communities within the Bureau of Prisons confines that are actively countering any tendencies toward terrorism to deal with their issues.

Among the Muslim brothers, we have ways of dealing with drug use, compulsive gambling, violence, etc. We support one another through a buddy system similar to the approach of the AA/NA. We have developed conflict-resolution systems to help foster reconciliation between warring parties. We pool our resources (such as they are in prison) to help those who are less fortunate. We have brothers who tutor other brothers who are studying for their GED or trying to learn a trade. We create pipelines of re-entry resources, so there will be less recidivism when brothers are released.

I pray that this brief glimpse into my own conversion story and the practice of Islam inside prison paints a more realistic picture of Muslim converts behind bars.