Islam in Prison

By James Riva

It seems that every prisoner who serves a lengthy sentence claims—sometimes falsely—to have discovered religion and is therefore a changed man or woman, now fit to live in society as an upright citizen. Late night comedians joke about jailhouse conversions to Islam or so called “paperback Christians” (the latter so named because prison ministries often bring in cases of free paperback bibles to distribute to prisoners). Parole boards often automatically disbelieve the sincerity of the applicant’s faith and try their best to prove that this newfound faith is an act of deception to fool the board. Unless the conversion is to Islam.

And yes, I am a Muslim – a convert in a prison – and yes, I endured ridicule at the parole board for having the audacity to maintain my faith. I myself have sued over the lack of Muslim chaplains pro se and previous to that, to be afforded Halal meat 2 or 3 times per week. I have not fared too well in the courts thus far (Halal meat is now served in prison due to another inmate’s lawsuit).

Conversion to Islam draws so much negative attention to a prisoner that unless he is of firm resolve, he would abandon his faith and adopt one more socially acceptable. Prison officials try their level best to extinguish Islam in the prison because it comes from Homeland Security Directives that American Prisons are breeding grounds for homegrown Islamic terrorists. It would be foolish to dismiss these concerns entirely—the record is well supported that the lunatic fringe of Islam has taken and continues to take its toll in American blood. But why?

The Holy Qu’ran prohibits murder and prohibits suicide under any condition. Any killing to be done is done (altruistically) only against tyrants, oppressors of the faith, murderers, rapists, and adulterers. The modern war concept of ‘collateral damage’ is forbidden in the Holy Qu’ran – I know you’d never know by world events, but it is true – killing just one innocent life has dramatic consequences by Islamic law (and on Judgment day).

You need only watch television on any random night to see that someone isn’t getting their teachings right. So the lunatic fringe has poisoned our society and convinced us by their horrific crimes that Islam is a religion that should be smothered in American prisons. Nothing could be further from right policy.

The problem of Islamic terrorists is not to be extinguished by denying Islamic education, but by promoting it. These lunatics who bomb and murder in God’s name have misled so many because of their own woefully inadequate Islamic education. Allah and his messenger, Peace, strongly warned that suicide guarantees the offender a place in hell. Murder likewise earns a place in hell unless the fellow repents and pays restitution (or fasts if they are too poor to pay restitution). The prison officials who try to crush Islam in American prisons only adds to the chaos of misunderstanding. If ever there was a time when the state should shell out some money to place educated Islamic scholars as chaplains it is now. Islam, properly taught, is a sane religion that would serve America well, just as Christianity and Judaism have.

Prison mailroom guards routinely refuse to allow Islamic books into prisons – even though they are benign and contain wisdom about the religion, not radicalism. Prison officials allow the Christians to have monthly fellowship, religious services in which prisoner visitors are welcome. Not so for Muslims. Prison officials allocate resources to hire Christian and Jewish Chaplains. When it comes to hiring Muslim Chaplains they either hire mouthpieces of the prison’s agenda or allocate no funds at all. Religion when properly applied in prison can be a catalyst for sincere rehabilitation. For prison officials to prosecute a campaign to eradicate Islam is prison is loathsome and will only drive it underground and bring to prominence the lunatic fringe that is causing so much trouble in the world.

There are 1.7 billion Muslims in the world. It is the fastest growing religion in America. There are hundreds of millions of white Muslims in Asia and Europe so it is not just an Arab or African religion, rather the message is for all humanity. Why would Homeland Security foster a program to disintegrate a legitimate religion in prisons when that is part of the problem that brings the lunatic fringe to center stage? We need the major religions in American prisons instead of driving a wedge between them.

James Riva is in inmate at the Old Colony Correctional Center in Bridgewater.