A Revert’s Experience of Domestic Violence

“I was married to someone well-respected in the community and never imagined that he would be violent or oppressive.”

The following account was submitted to al-istiqamah.com by sister “Amatullah Islam”. Hers is a harrowing story of domestic abuse whilst a new revert to Islam.

Read the full account at al-istiqamah.com

Reclaiming Malcolm X

“Malcolm left a legacy, one that is far too great to be diminished to a “By any means necessary” t-shirt or an ‘X’ baseball cap.”

Umm ‘Uthmaan recounts her first memories of Malcolm X and reflects upon why his words still resonate with intensity more than forty years after his passing.

Read the whole article at al-istiqamah.com

Racism and Riots at HMP Frankland

Frankland Prisoners Need Urgent Help

Arani Solicitors Press Release dated 27th January 2008

It has come to our attention from our clients at HMP Frankland that race riots have erupted at the prison, creating an extremely dangerous environment for ethnic minority prisoners who now fear for their safety.

It is also our understanding that prison officers and staff are actively complicit in both encouraging racial abuse against ethnic minority prisoners and ignoring complaints regarding racial abuse.

When evidence was previously submitted on behalf of Mr Barot in the High Court we clearly notified the court as follows:

“Moreover, 99% of the staff there also remains of white origin. To date, in over ten months of being at Frankland he has only ever once come across a non-white officer. This extreme imbalance across the board ferments intolerance, racial hatred and white supremacist behaviour from a large percentage of inmates as well as some of the officers too.”

“At H.M.P Frankland he has been able to see, at first hand, racist graffiti on both walls and windows- namely in the segregation block. Slogans such as ‘n*gger’ and ‘NF’ are common place. Moreover, he also states that he once overheard another, black, inmate complaining to a senior officer after finding similar writing in and around the kitchen locker area. The inmate was naturally upset, asking for a reason why staff had had clearly turned a blind eye to such an extent that even blatantly racist graffiti was not expunged. The Claimants states that the point remained: if inmates are clearly able to view these outrages then naturally the officers are cognisant of it too. He feels that given this stagnant attitude on the part of staff, it only further prevented him from complaining about the taunts that he had received as he was certain either little or no action would be taken.”

“Frankland Prison is in the Claimant’s opinion full of racist people, it is not a multiracial prison, it has the least amount of Muslim and ethnic prisoners in there, in particular on general location G and F wings.”

This bias is apparent in its treatment, or lack thereof, against ethnic minority inmates at all administrative levels. The staff at the prison refused Eesa Barot treatment for serious injuries for 3 days, despite nurses insisting that he should be treated immediately. When a similar incident occurred against a white inmate, he was taken to hospital for treatment immediately. This is just one example of many incidents in which ethnic minority inmates are being singled out for discriminatory treatment, and it is our contention that this is on the basis of race.

It is vital that these riots are ended immediately, with full protection given to those ethnic minorities in the prison who are being subjected to racial abuse. The prison has an obligation to protect all inmates, regardless of skin colour, whilst they serve their sentences.
END
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Please ring and write to HMP Frankland prison to stop the abuse taking place

HMP Frankland

Address:

Brasside

Durham

DH1 5YD

Tel: 0191 332 3000

Fax: 0191 332 3001

Governor: Bob Mullen

The prisoner need your assistance please help by placing on your website and emailing to others as well.

Thank you for your kindness afforded.

God bless your for this.

Muddassar Arani

Exclusive Interview: Muslim Prisoners Under Attack

“Muslims had come to Omar and told him “We’ve heard inmates talking and saying that they’re going to get you. They’re saying that they’re going to burn you alive, to stab you.”

This is an exclusive interview with the wife of Omar Khyam, the “ringleader” of the Fertiliser Bomb Plot. Operation Crevice was one of the biggest terrorism trials in British legal history. We speak to Mrs Khyam regarding recent threats to her husband and attacks made on other Muslim inmates currently imprisoned in HMP Frankland.

Read the full interview at al-istiqamah.com here

My Imprisonment in Kenya and America

“The next day I was blindfolded, ear plugged then ear muffed. I was shackled: hands chained to my waist and ankles shackled as well. For about a 24 hour flight I could not hear, see or touch anything…”

Daniel Joseph Maldonado, an American convert, was arrested by the Kenyan military in January 2007 and handed over the US authorities. In April he pleaded guilty to a charge of receiving training from a foreign terrorist organization and was sentenced to ten years imprisonment in June. In this exclusive first-hand account from his cell in Houston’s Federal Detention Centre he describes to al-Istiqamah.com the circumstances around his migration to Somalia, the tragic death of his wife Umm Musa and his subsequent arrest in Kenya and imprisonment there and in the US.

Read full interview at al-istiqamah.com here

Flashbacks - Part 1 by Martin Mubanga

“My eyes feel heavy, my wounds still raw…”

Al-istiqamah.com is pleased to publish the first part of this exclusive series of reflections, or flashbacks, written by an ex-Guantanamo detainee. Saifullah (Martin) Mubanga was held without charge for over two and a half years at Guantanamo, before he was finally released in January 2005.
Read full account at al-istiqamah.com here

Exclusive: Eesa Barot’s Letter to the Ummah

”…my junkie assassins crept up from behind, under the guise of night, in order to ‘jug me’, dousing me first with boiling water and then with boiling oil.”

Eesa (Dhiren) Barot, was arrested in August 2004 and held for over two and a half years in the High Secure Unit at HMP Belmarsh. He was convicted in November 2006 over the Gas Limos Plot and sentenced to 40 years minimum without parole (later reduced on appeal to 30 years). Eesa was subsequently transferred to HMP Frankland where he was brutally burnt with boiling oil by fellow inmates. Al-istiqamah.com is pleased to publish this exclusive letter written by Eesa to us which reveals an alarming picture of institutionalised racism and islamaphobia facing Muslim inmates in UK prisons.

Read full letter at al-istiqamah.com here

Exclusive interview: The ‘Terrorist’ Label Never Wears Off

“They told me that I was under arrest on the suspicion of lending financial support for terrorist activity in Kashmir…”

Abu Abdullah, a British Pakistani, was arrested in 2003 and held in HMP Belmarsh for several months. He was subsequently acquitted of financing terrorist activity. In this exclusive interview with al-istiqamah.com he describes his imprisonment in Belmarsh, subsequent acquittal and advises the Muslim community to remain firm upon their deen.

Read full interview at al-istiqamah.com here

What is al-istiqamah?

Al-istiqamah is a monthly newsletter aimed at encouraging Muslims to be steadfast in their Deen, particularly in the current climate. The online (and downloadable) newsletter is at http://www.al-istiqamah.com.

The Arabic word (al-istiqamah) encompasses a variety of qualities: steadfastness, uprightness, etc. We have based the title of our site on the following hadith from Saheeh Muslim:

Sufyaan ibn `Abdillaah radhiallahu `anhu said, “O Messenger of Allah, tell me something about Islaam, which I cannot ask anyone else besides you.” He said, “Say: ‘I believe in Allah’ and then be steadfast (upon that).”

In every issue, we present:

	Editorial Note:	A note from the Ameer introducing the current issue.
	In Focus:	Our featured article of the month.
	Taking a Stand:	Inspiring accounts of our pious predecessors and their unswerving stances upon the Truth.
	Personal Perspectives:	First hand accounts of tests encountered in a Muslim’s life and how they coped.
	Clearing Misconceptions:	A look at aspects of Islaam that are oft misunderstood by Muslims and non-Muslims alike.
	Seeking istiqamah:	Ways to attain steadfastness in the Deen.

Our Clearing Misconceptions section is particularly useful for non-Muslims and new Muslims alike. With so much negative publicity written about Islaam, it is necessary for Muslims to acknowledge that many aspects of Islaam are seen as controversial or barbaric by non-Muslims. Rather than offering defensive replies such as “That doesn’t apply nowadays”, we need to explain such aspects in a truthful but clear manner.

We welcome reader submissions for any section, particularly for the Personal Perspectives section. This area covers accounts submitted by our readers of tests in their Deen and how they coped.

Please use the Contact Us form to submit any suggestions, queries and articles.