A BROTHER LAMENTS THE STATE OF THE PRISONS AND THE STATE OF THE INEFFECTIVE ‘MUSLIM PRISON BOARD’
By ZAAHIR AHMED
Assalamualykum Warahmatullahi Wabarakaatu
Respected Mufti Saab
This is a formal complaint which is a follow up to the call that I have made to your respected self and Maulana Khatieb.
After personally being in Polls Moor Prison for 9 days and speaking to prisoners who have served sentences ranging from 6 months to 12 years, I can safely conclude that their is absolutely nothing being done to see to the spiritual and even physical necessities of the prisoners.
One cannot find the basics of even a Quran or a tasbeeh which forms the basis of spiritual life,neither can one find halaal food,rather pork is being served day and night and prisoners are being withheld even the privilege of consuming uncontaminated bread.
With regards to utensils they have a bucket of water to dip used utensils and serve inmates due to a shortage in those utensils therefore their is no escape from contamination with pork.
Some prisoners have even resorted to using knots on shoelaces to make zikr.
Many are searching for guidance yet their is no way for them to connect to Allah in the prison.
These conditions are not isolated,rather apart from this first-hand information, many other prisons across the country face the same type of delimmas.
When I contacted Maulana Khateeb I found him to be condescending and unable to take constructive criticism
I called maulana and allowed him to speak,I remained silent and gave him a hearing however when i realized he was misinformed and it was my turn to talk he began to talk over me and cut me off due to being defensive. I’d like to remind Moulana, that it is OK to be wrong, no one is paak, we acknowledge accept and move forward, bismillah. This is my understanding in islam. Your failures are our failures.
What is sad is Muftisaahebs name is attatched to this whole operation which recieves so much funding yet is not carrying out its basic responsibilities.
It seems as if muftisaaheb is totally unaware of what is happening on the ground.
Finally I’d like to say, Moulana was very quick to defend my statement when I said, ‘Cape Town is a failed society’, yet the prisons are filled with our people( every room of 48 inmates, atleast 18 to 24 are Muslim), even if they want to change, where are they to go?
Allah ta’ala forgive me for not looking at these people, inshaAllah
He had to put me inside for me to see first hand, Astagfurullah, we all need to repent, we have done the umaah a total injustice, verily Allah ta’ala will call everyone of us, into account.
I’d appreciate if hazrath can give me some feedback regarding this matter, inshaAllah
This is not a personal attack on anyone. Allah ta’ala give us all understanding, insha Allah.
7 Rabiuth Thaani 1446 – 11 October 2024