ABU TAUBAH arrested by FBI

MohammedMaksudul

May Allah Forgive us
:salam2:

This looks like that he is being charged for a past incident. I wonder, what were the Feds doing all these year ? And now suddenly when he becomes a muslim and not just any Muslim, a one who spread Islam, subhan Allah.
 

JenGiove

Junior Member
:salam2:

This looks like that he is being charged for a past incident. I wonder, what were the Feds doing all these year ? And now suddenly when he becomes a muslim and not just any Muslim, a one who spread Islam, subhan Allah.


:salam2:

It may be that while living under the name Marcus, the FBI either didn't have enough proof, didn't know his exact where-abouts or didn't have the time to dedicate to tracking his duff down but once he became a Muslim and stopped hiding because he concentrated on Dawah (I'm not making a judgement here since I read little about the case), it was easier for the FBI to locate him. Sometimes, I think the FBI is lazy and just sits around waiting for something/someone to pop-up and then they do something. I'm like that sometimes with my genealogy research...you stop the hunt and eventually, something comes up that sparks the interest again and poof! you find what your looking for.

It may not be because he's a Muslim, the FBI wanted him off the streets...it may just be that once he became a Muslim, he was easier to find. And who knows...if he hasn't paid for the crimes he did before, then maybe this is meant to be. Action and consequence..I don't know. I'm just guessing.
 

A-believer-25

Junior Member
:salam2:

Why did he get arrested? Was is just because he is a Muslim? America really hates Muslims.

May Allah (SWT) free him and grant him patience, ameen!
 

JenGiove

Junior Member
:salam2:

Why did he get arrested? Was is just because he is a Muslim? America really hates Muslims.

May Allah (SWT) free him and grant him patience, ameen!

:salam2:

Brother, if it was just because he was a Muslim than ALL Muslims would be arrested in America.....
 

Abdul Hasib

Student of Knowledge
:salam2:

Inna Lillahi wa Inna ilayhi Raji'oon. Sheikh Abu Taubah is an extremely great speaker who can inspire many Muslim youth, especially our African American brothers and sisters who are living in the states. May Allah (SWT) hasten his release and break the backs and necks of all of His (SWT's) enemies, those of his enemies from the Kuffar, the Munafiqeen, and the Murtadeen, Ameen.
 

JenGiove

Junior Member
:salam2:

Inna Lillahi wa Inna ilayhi Raji'oon. Sheikh Abu Taubah is an extremely great speaker who can inspire many Muslim youth, especially our African American brothers and sisters who are living in the states. May Allah (SWT) hasten his release and break the backs and necks of all of His (SWT's) enemies, those of his enemies from the Kuffar, the Munafiqeen, and the Murtadeen, Ameen.


Read the links and you will find out why he was arrested. He did acts that he needs to make amends for and that means being held accountable for them.

http://www.islamqa.com/en/ref/14367/stealing

Is it permissible to steal from the kuffaar?

Is stealing from the kuffar haram if you live in a kaafir country? The person I'm thinking of is certainly not starving or in need of the things that he steals. It is also rather safe to live as a muslim in this country and the oppression is not grave.

Praise be to Allaah.


No one is unaware of the fact that stealing is a major sin, for which Allaah has enjoined the punishment of having the hand cut off. Sharee’ah makes no distinction between the wealth of a male and the wealth of a female, or between the wealth of a minor and the wealth of an adult, or between the wealth of a Muslim and the wealth of a kaafir. The only exception made by sharee’ah is the wealth of kaafirs who are waging war against the Muslims.​


The Muslim should be a good example of trustworthiness, honouring agreements and good character. When Muslims have had such characteristics, this has been the cause of many kaafirs entering Islam, because they saw the beauties of Islam and the good character of its people.​


The Muslim who regards the kaafirs’ wealth as permissible, whether he is in a Muslim country or in a kaafir country, is doing the kaafirs a great favour and helping them to distort the image of Islam and Muslims; he is thereby helping those who are launching attacks against Islam.​


When a Muslim enters a kaafir country, it is as if he entering into a peaceful agreement with them – which is the visa which is given to him to enable him to enter their country – so if he takes their wealth unlawfully, then he is breaking that agreement, in addition to being a thief.​


The wealth that he steals from them is haraam. It was narrated that al-Mugheerah ibn Shu’bah kept company with some people during the Jaahiliyyah. He killed them and took their wealth, then he came and entered Islam. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “As for your Islam, I accept it, and as for the wealth, I have nothing to do with it.” According to a report narrated by Abu Dawood, “As for your Islam, we accept it, and as for the wealth it is obtained through treachery, and we have no need of it.”​


(Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 2583; Abu Dawood, 2765; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh Abi Dawood, 2403).​


Al-Haafiz Ibn Hajar said:​


The phrase “and as for the wealth, I have nothing to do with it” means, I will not touch it because it was obtained through treachery. What we learn from this is that it is not permissible to take the wealth of the kuffaar by treachery when they have trusted you and granted you safety, because when people accompany one another (when travelling), they do so on the basis of mutual trust, and that trust should not be betrayed, whether the other person is a Muslim or a kaafir. The wealth of the kuffaar is only permissible in the case of combat and war. Perhaps the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) let him keep the wealth in the hope that the people of its owner might become Muslim, then he could return their wealth to them.​


Fath al-Baari, 5/341​


Al-Shaafa’i (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: When a Muslim enters dar al-harb (the non-Muslim lands) on peaceful terms, and finds himself in position to take something of their wealth, it is not permissible for him to take it, whether it is a little or a lot, because if he is safe from them, they should be safe from him, and because it is not permissible for him to take anything from them when they have given him safety except what it is permissible for him to take from the wealth of the Muslims and ahl al-dhimmah (non-Muslims living under the protection of the Muslim state).



Wealth may be forbidden for a number of reasons:​


If the owner is a Muslim​


if the owner is (a non-Muslim) living under the protection of the Muslim state​


if the owner is one with whom there is a peace deal, until the deal expires; such people are considered to be like ahl al-dhimmah as far as the sanctity of their wealth is concerned, until the deal expires.​


Al-Umm, 4/284​


Al-Sarkhasi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: It is not right for a Muslim who is on peaceful terms with them to betray them, because betrayal is haraam. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Every betrayer will have a banner by his backside on the Day of Resurrection, by which his betrayal will be known.” If he betrays them and steals their wealth, and brings it to the Muslim lands, it is not right for a Muslim to buy from him if he knows about that, because he has obtained it in an evil manner, and buying from him is encouraging him in that, which it is not right for the Muslim to do. The basic principle in this matter is the hadeeth of al-Mugheerah ibn Shu’bah (may Allaah be pleased with him), when he killed his companions and brought their wealth to Madeenah and became Muslim, and asked the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) to take the khums of his wealth, and he said, “As for your Islam, we accept it, and as for the wealth it is obtained through treachery, and we have no need of it.”​


Al-Mabsoot, 10/96​


And Allaah knows best.​


Islam Q&A


 

samiha

---------
Staff member
Jen, make your own judgments if you want but don't try to say things like it was 'meant to be' or whatever and try to use fatwa to back you up.

If he did acts he needs to amend for, maybe he did Tawbah, maybe he changed. In any case that's not for you to say, and that's not for you to justify that this is his 'being accountable' using fataawa.

Sure it's haraam but you don't know what state he was in, what his condition was or anything else so the fatwa is irrelevant here in the scheme of things, and it downright annoys me that you would use it to make it seem as if it was.
 

JenGiove

Junior Member
Jen, make your own judgments if you want but don't try to say things like it was 'meant to be' or whatever and try to use fatwa to back you up.

If he did acts he needs to amend for, maybe he did Tawbah, maybe he changed. In any case that's not for you to say, and that's not for you to justify that this is his 'being accountable' using fataawa.

Sure it's haraam but you don't know what state he was in, what his condition was or anything else so the fatwa is irrelevant here in the scheme of things, and it downright annoys me that you would use it to make it seem as if it was.

:salam2:

He could very well be a very different person now than when he committed crimes (allegedly...since I wasn't there to witness anything) and so he very well may be "good" with Allah, but he would still have to make reparations to the injured parties, correct? "Arrested for" and "found guilty for" are two different things so untill the verdict is in, we can only wait.

I'm sorry that you feel that I was wrong in posting the Fatwah but a crime against a non-Muslim is still a crime as told to us by the scholars. Just because someone reverts does not mean that their past crimes can not catch up to them. Reverting gives them a "clean slate" with Allah but not with man...yes, Allah is the one who has priority but apologies need to be conveyed and reparations made. That way, the person who was wronged (the oppressed) is repaid his due and the criminal (the oppressor) has that deed washed from his book and everyone can move forward.
 

al-fajr

...ism..schism
Staff member
:salam2:

He could very well be a very different person now than when he committed crimes (allegedly...since I wasn't there to witness anything) and so he very well may be "good" with Allah, but he would still have to make reparations to the injured parties, correct? "Arrested for" and "found guilty for" are two different things so untill the verdict is in, we can only wait.

I'm sorry that you feel that I was wrong in posting the Fatwah but a crime against a non-Muslim is still a crime as told to us by the scholars. Just because someone reverts does not mean that their past crimes can not catch up to them. Reverting gives them a "clean slate" with Allah but not with man...yes, Allah is the one who has priority but apologies need to be conveyed and reparations made. That way, the person who was wronged (the oppressed) is repaid his due and the criminal (the oppressor) has that deed washed from his book and everyone can move forward.
Hi,

The only 'reparations' that can be paid by a Muslim when he or she commits a crime, that is valid in the court of Allaah and valid in removing a sin from someones book as you have attempted to describe is a punishment dictated under Shari'ah law. This is the only law with punishments which have the power to wash away sins, this is found in the Sunnah in a number of examples, a person could be expiated from previous sins through being afflicted by hardships, we make du'aa this is the exact case for Abu Taubah.

If this makes no sense to you, then I'm sorry but simply put, you're taking valid Islaamic concepts and applying them to another system. Might I remind you it is in your very own interests to stop delving into realms which you clearly have misunderstood, perhaps get used to stopping short of posting on certain matters, because our interests are primarily to clear the misconceptions about Islaam, not have members just creating new ones.

Think twice, thrice, before posting.

Cheerio.
 

Aapa

Mirajmom
Assalaam walaikum,

I read the links.

I remembered this:

Abu Sa`id Al-Khudri (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: Prophet of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wassallam) said: "There was a man from among a nation before you who killed ninety-nine people and then made an inquiry about the most learned person on the earth. He was directed to a monk. He came to him and told him that he had killed ninety-nine people and asked him if there was any chance for his repentance to be accepted. He replied in the negative and the man killed him also completing one hundred. He then asked about the most learned man in the earth. He was directed to a scholar. He told him that he had killed one hundred people and asked him if there was any chance for his repentance to be accepted. He replied in the affirmative and asked, `Who stands between you and repentance? Go to such and such land; there (you will find) people devoted to prayer and worship of Allah, join them in worship, and do not come back to your land because it is an evil place.' So he went away and hardly had he covered half the distance when death overtook him; and there was a dispute between the angels of mercy and the angels of torment. The angels of mercy pleaded, 'This man has come with a repenting heart to Allah,' and the angels of punishment argued, 'He never did a virtuous deed in his life.' Then there appeared another angel in the form of a human being and the contending angels agreed to make him arbiter between them. He said, `Measure the distance between the two lands. He will be considered belonging to the land to which he is nearer.' They measured and found him closer to the land (land of piety) where he intended to go, and so the angels of mercy collected his soul".

How great is the Mercy of Allah.
 

thariq2005

Praise be to Allah!
Just want to mention a few points:

1) No one has the right to apply a general fatwa to a specific person/situation unless the person is qualified to do so- let alone a non-Muslim who disbelieves in Allaah and His Messenger :saw2:

2) There are many incidents from the Sunnah where the Sahaabah committed 'grave' sins before accepting Islaam and after accepting Islaam, they were not punished for it.

3) I apologize for being blunt- but Jen I have mentioned this previously:

I appreciate you are trying to help and stuff, but you are not in the position to teach Muslims their religion and I really feel uncomfortable with you trying to do so- whether you are correct or not. It's very misleading when you quote Fataawa from IslamQA and you add your own comments to it. You have not accepted the very fundamentals of this religion, so you are more in need of reading some of the sections of belief in IslamQA than any other Muslim out there. It is very misleading that you expect Muslims to accept a fatwa (that does not even apply in this situation) whilst you have disbelieved in Allaah and His Messenger :saw2:.

I kindly ask you, Jen, to refrain from posting Fataawa and stuff from IslamQA.

4) A final request to my brothers and sisters in Islaam. Seek knowledge! Seek Knowledge! Have you brothers and sisters come to the state where a Non-Muslim attempts to teach you your religion? This religion that came to us from above the seven heavens and conveyed to us by the pure is taught to you by someone who disbelives in Allaah? I really urge every Muslim to seek knowledge.
 

Hard Rock Moslem

I'm your brother
:salam2:

Brother, if it was just because he was a Muslim than ALL Muslims would be arrested in America.....

Let me guess, he had weapon of mass destruction or FBI has information that he was planning to hijack a plane and crash it onto white house... anything could be the reason why he is being arrested. In their eyes "a Muslim is able to commit all kind of crime in America"... may Allah makes him strong.
 

Aapa

Mirajmom
Assalaam walaikum,

We must not forget that this Brother is strong. That is the general impression I gleaned. I read the links and tried several searches to ascertain information about the arrest. I was redirected to the link provided by Ms. JenGiove. The links provide the legalize for his arrest and prior arrest and conviction records.

The Brother remains in custody. He is being forthright and pious. He is facing that battle, and none can be with him. Not one of us can stand next to him. Nor would he want us.

He, who weeps at the mention of the Sweetest Name of All, Allah, Allah. He, is strong. He is free. He who is alone contemplates. He who Believes contemplates Allah, Dhikrs to Allah, Makes Dua to Allah, Makes Salah.

Maybe, InshaAllah, we can learn from this Brother, an example for us to be pious. This is his jihad. InshaAllah, Allah will accept our dua to ease his journey.
 

JenGiove

Junior Member
let alone a non-Muslim who disbelieves in Allaah and His Messenger :saw2:

I am a non-Muslim, yes, but you:

Do NOT know me!

You do NOT know what I believe!

and you....

Do NOT have the RIGHT to say I do or do not believe in Allah and Mohammad!!!!

Very few know what I believe and those people are people I trust.

As for the rest of what you said, I appreciate you speaking respectfully to me.
 

Aapa

Mirajmom
Assalaam walaikum,


I am pasting the entire article. I urge you to write to these brothers:

By One of the Few
2011
Terre Haute, Indiana

The communication management unit at Terre Haute, Indiana currently holds about thirty prisoners, twenty of whom are Muslims.

These Muslims come from various parts of the world such as Yemen, Egypt , Pakistan, Lebanon, Palestine, Iraq, America and elsewhere. The differences in their cultural backgrounds naturally causes distinctions in their personalities, but they all have one thing in common -- they all share the same faith and that is what has brought them all to this racially classified unit where their communication in the prison and with the outside world is highly restricted.

Insha Allah [God willing] after reading this essay the readers will get a first hand account of who these prisoners are and, since the day they were snatched from their loved ones, how they were able to maintain their sanity. Perhaps, if the world gets to know these prisoners and prays for them, Allah will bring an immediate end to their ordeal. Indeed, Allah is able to do everything.

SCREAM IN A FOREIGN LANGUAGE

Until recently, those prisoners who were not already awake to pray Tahajjud prayer in the last part of the night would wake up hearing the adhaan given by John Walker-Lindh, commonly known as Yayha, but most of the Muslims here at CMU Terry Haute are already up for Tahajjud prayer prior to the adhaan, and can be heard reciting the Qur’an by those celled next to them.

Recently, Yayha was stopped from giving the adhaan and relieved an incident report for disrupting an early morning count by “putting his hands on his ears and screaming in a foreign language.” Since then, Yahya has stopped giving the adhaan loudly, but the Muslims still wake up for tahajjud and can still be heard reciting the Qur’an.

Yahya- a 29 year old American – has no time to waste. Like many others housed in the CMU who have memorized the Qur’an by heart, Yahya recites the entire Quran once a week. His whole life revolves around reading, writing, praying, and working out in his cell. His Muslim brothers know he is busy so they don’t hesitate to cook for him in order make sure he eats well. Don’t let Yahya’s calm and humble demeanor fool you. Yayha can be so funny that his jokes cause people to laugh until they roll on the ground. He has already served half of his twenty year sentence – a sentence that Mohammad Hammoud longs for.

AN INSPIRATION OF HOPE

Mohammad Hammoud is a Lebanese man in his late thirties is serving a 150 year sentence on terrorism charges. He keeps his schedule busy, so he is always behind in what he needs to do. According to Mohammad, “If you have lots of things to do and you are always behind in doing them, it means that you are doing your time the way it should be done.” Mohammad hasn’t given up on his freedom so he is often busy working on his case. He is indeed an inspiration when he wakes up every morning to remind those serving lengthy sentences that you lose when you give up, not when you lose your [legal] remedies. Perhaps it is for this attitude that he will be re-sentenced by the district court. Until then, everyone around him will be busy praying for his release. [His sentence was reduced to 30 years at re-sentencing – TML]


THE BEST OF THE PEOPLE BENEFIT OTHER PEOPLE

At 6:00AM, as the prison guards unlock the cells, Ahmad Bilal – a 32 year old American Muslim and a Hafiz of the Qur’an serving nearly a ten year sentence on terrorism charges – knows exactly what to do. His brothers are up and ready to start their day. Many want to start their day by taking a bath so the showers must be clean. Ahmad puts his boots on as he walks to the showers holding his cleaning supplies. Nobody has to remind him of his job. Close to a decade of incarceration has made him very disciplined. Ahmad starts his day serving people and ends his day serving them, and a small gift of a Hershey bar or something else sweet is sufficient to make his day, an opportunity which Dr. Rafil never allows to go by.

EVEN A SMILE IS A CHARITY

Dr. Rafil – a 62 year old Iraqi physician and a Hafiz of the Qur’an serving a 22 year sentence for feeding the children of Iraq – is a health conscious elderly man who starts his day with a morning walk. Since there isn’t much space to walk in the CMU, and no one here is allowed to leave this unit to use a huge prison yard, he walks back and forth in a small common area walkway. Dr. Rafil is not just concerned about himself. As an elder here, he smiles upon meeting others and won’t be content until others smile too. One way he brings a smile to everyone’s face is by making dessert for them. Right after the morning walks, Dr. Rafil spends time preparing these desserts and putting them in people’s cells. Indeed it is a time consuming job, but it sure is sufficient to bring a smile to somebody’s face, especially Mokhtar Al-Houari who sill grieves the injustice he faced at his trial.

THIS WORLD IS A PRISON FOR THE BELIEVER

After the breakfast is served at 6:30AM, Mokhtar Al-Houari – a 41 year old Algerian serving a 24 year sentence on terrorism charges – will grab his coffee and sit in the TV room to watch the news. Mokhtar has now been incarcerated for 11 years. He is extremely calm unless someone talks to him about his case. Whenever the topic of his case comes up , the anger he has been holding for the last 11 years starts appearing. Mokhtar talks about the injustices in his trial and the lies told against him. But those who know Mokhtar well, know exactly how to calm him down. All it takes is to initiate the subject of paradise. It is amazing how excited Mokhtar gets when the topic of paradise comes up. Other than that, the best way to cheer him up is to talk about soccer. Mokhtar spends his free time memorizing the Qur’an and already knows about 20 juz, and hopes to finish the remaining 10 juz soon insha Allah.

DEADLY DANCE IN DEADLY RIOTS

The CMU atmosphere till 10:00AM is silent. People have little to do, so many go back to sleep; but not Kevin James, also known as Shihab. Shihab – in his mid thirties – is serving close to a 10 year sentence on terrorism charges. He is known throughout the California state prison system for his dedication to Islam. While people are sleeping , Shihab can’t sleep. Throughout his incarceration, he saw many people get killed. It can often happen while prisoners are asleep. Even though such a fear does not exist in the CMU, Shihab still can’t sleep. Rather, he stays up cleaning the unit and memorizing the Quran. Shihab is extremely humble, polite, and can be funny at times, but it would be a big mistake to take these qualities of his for weakness. None knows how to dance a deadly dance -- at times a deadly prison riot – better than Shihab.

WEDDING NIGHT ARREST

At around 9:00AM, Mokhtar Al-Bakri – a 31-year-old Hafiz of the Qur’an from Yemen – will gather his work out crew. This crew competes with each other in burning body fat. For the next hour and a half, Mokhtar is the champion of the workout galaxy. Nobody in his weight class is stronger than him in the CMU. This young man was arrested close to a decade ago on the night of his wedding, and was brought to the U.S. However, Mokhtar has a lot to thank Allah for. Mokhtar finished memorizing the Quran during this difficult time. He thanks Allah for this blessing and hopes to share it with this mother upon returning to Lackawanna, Buffalo.

A SON’S WISH TO SEE HIS MOTHER

Those sleeping will be up at 10:30AM. Saad Ibrahim, a 42 year old Lebanese man of Palestinian decent, is dedicated to running the kitchen by keeping it clean and serving food to the prisoners three times a day. All day long, people run after Saad asking him to do various things for them. Why wouldn’t they? Saad has expertise in so many areas. He is a barber, an electrician, a cook and also the head orderly responsible for maintaining the unit. Nothing pleases him more than someone making him feel special, and nothing makes him feel special more than someone asking him to do something for them. Saad has been incarcerated for about 18 years and hopes to be released soon. Saad’s biggest wish is to be able to meet his mother before she dies. Saad did not have a chance to see his father before his father passed away in Lebanon, and wasn’t even told about it by his family in order to not cause any further hardship on him. He found out about 6 months later. Saad’s 20 year sentences is almost over but for Brian Carr, much time remains.


CLEANLINESS IS PART OF FAITH

Brian Carr – also known as Esa – is an American convert and does not need a reminder that his brothers at the CMU depend on him to remove trash from the unit so the unit does not start to smell. Cleanliness is Easa’s first priority, and he also encourages others to stay clean. Esa, the only Muslim in his family, is known for his politeness.


HAVE YOU NOT SEEN THE ONE WHO PROHIBITS A SLAVE FROM PRAYING

The warden and his gang come to the CMU about once a week. The hatred that some of them hold for the Muslims in the CMU is apparent not only their faces, but also in their actions. The Muslims better make sure they don’t get caught praying in congregation, even inside the cells, or they will be spending the coming days in segregation, commonly referred to as the “hole”.

This is exactly what happened to Patrick Byers, who , since his recent conversion to Islam , goes by the name Jibreel .

Jibreel- in his late twenties- had just embraced Islam and at the time did not know how to pray, so he joined some of the Muslims praying together in a cell. Poor Jibreel was caught praying by the warden. The warden went bananas and ordered the whole unit to be locked down. Jibreel and those praying with him were all sent to the hole after the Warden made it very clear that such an act is unacceptable because, “this is America.” That was Jibreel’s first trial since embracing Islam. Since then, the congregational prayer, even in the cells, came to an end. The warden and his gang still come to the unit and occasionally bully the Muslims, but Muslims do not react to such a behavior.

REWARD RUSH

At around 12:30PM, the CMU Case Manager and the Intelligence staff will come to the unit for the mail pass. They will pass out the incoming mail and will collect the outgoing mail.

Abdurahman Al Amoudi – a 57 year old man from Yemen serving a 22 year sentence – will use this opportunity to convey to these prison staffers any issues of concern to the Muslim Community as a whole at the CMU. These particular CMU staff members are somewhat open to the suggestions, but their hands are often tied by the champions of Justice in Washington, D.C. Abdurrahman Al-Amoudi has an important mission in life that is expressed indirectly every time he speaks, and that mission is to help humanity. It seems as though he is so eager to earn Allah’s reward that he wants to participate in every good that takes place in the world. Of course, he can’t resolve everything by himself, so at times he will ask Ali Asad Chandia for help.

A DEDICATED DAD

Ali Asad Chandia – a 34 year old hafiz of the Qur’an from Pakistan -- is serving a 15 year sentence on terrorism charges. He is known for his thick beard and thick dark hair which are always groomed in such a way that it seems as if he is about to get married. Ali Asad Chandia is one of the few people who delivers the Friday Khutbas (sermons). He gets along with everyone, avoids disputes, and spends much of the time in his cell. Arabs consider him an Arab, Pakistanis consider him a Pakistani and African Americans from DC consider him a “homeboy”. But half an hour prior to his weekly phone call, Ali has very little time for anyone. He is preparing a list of things which he will be discussing with his 6 year old boy and a 9 year old step-daughter over the phone. After the call, he will be a little sad, but Adham Hassoun is in there to cheer him up.

STARGATE: WHERE ARE WE?

Adham Hassoun – a 48 year old Lebanese man of Palestinian descent – is a co-defendant of the well-known Jose Padilla, and is serving a 15 year sentence on terrorism charges. Adham Hassoun – also known as Abu Sayyaf – if given an opportunity can joke 24 hours a day. But behind this humor hides a great concern for the Muslim Ummah. Therefore, he must read all the newspapers before sharing them with others. Abu Sayyaf is ready to help whenever called upon, and will leave behind everything which is important to him to do that, unless he is watching Stargate on the SciFi Channel. Dispute resolution has never been a problem for him, for he holds in his heart immense mercy for his brothers. No matter how many disputes he has had with someone, Abu Sayyaf knows nothing but forgiveness. It is probably for this reason Abu Sayyaf gets along with Shukri Abu Bakr who is also known for such traits.

A HELPING HAND

Shukri Abu Bakr – a Palestinian man in his early fifties – is serving a 55 year sentence for running one of the largest charity organizations in the United States called The Holy Land Foundation. Like many others, Shukri’s crime was to feed the poor, build schools and hospitals, and provide scholarship and relief to the people in war torn countries across the globe. He is a father of four girls who visit him often. Even with the sadness which shrouds him after the non- contact visits, Shukri is easy to approach for any emotional or physical help one may need. Why shouldn’t it be easy? Helping people is what he has done most of his life. Some approach him seeking help in Arabic grammar. Others need help with a GED. Some want him to mediate in resolving minor disputes amongst the Muslims, and others just want someone to talk to. Shukri can only do so much; therefore, his co-defendant Mohammad Ahmad Al-Mezain shares some of these responsibilities with him.

FAITH PUT INTO ACTION

Mohammad Ahmad Al-Mezain – also known as Abu Ibrahim – is a 57 year old Palestinian whose crime is also lending a helping hand to the needy. Abu Ibrahim is a hafiz of the Qur’an and has numerous medical problems. He walks with a cane and can’t walk up or down the stairs. Those who know him, know him to be one of the most disciplined individuals in the CMU. Abu Ibrahim’s lifetime experience as an imam has prepared him for many challenges. He recites the Qur’an throughout the day, prays Tahajjud during the hours of the night, and his poor health does not serve as an obstacle to his early morning workout. Because he is a certified reciter of the Quran, people not only like listening to his recitation, but occasionally recite to him as well. Abu Ibrahim is extremely generous and does not know how to say “no”. He loves to cook, but dislikes to eat alone. He treats the younger generation in the CMU as his own children and often says, “I wish that my children grow up to be better than me”.


AS IF WE ARE LOOKING AT A MAN OF PARADISE

Even though Abu Ibrahim is known to have exemplary character, some say that when they look at Al-Sayyed Nysair, it is as if they are looking at a man of paradise. From Egypt, Al-Sayyed is in his late fifties is serving a life sentence on terrorism charges. Al-Sayyed has been incarcerated for the last 20 years and has spent much of these years at the supermax facility called ADX in Florence, Colorado. He always has a smile on his face and speaks in a very moderate voice with a sweet Egyptian dialect. If visited in his cell, he will be found making dua with is hands raised high, begging Allah for the goodness of his family, his ex-wife and his children with whom he lost contact more than a decade ago. Al-Sayyed loves to discuss the dreams he sees and tries to find their correct interpretations. He often writes letters to the world leaders to express his views on how to make this world a better place in which to live, and also likes to share the responses he receives from the White House and elsewhere. Everyone in the unit prays that he be united with his loved ones.

4 O’CLOCK STAND-UP COUNT

Much of the activity at the CMU will halt at 4:00pm as the prisoners are locked in the cells for a stand up count. Many will now take a short nap or will just lie down with their eyes wide open, staring at the ceiling with their minds busy thinking of the various concerns each one of them carries. The cell doors will be unlocked at around 4:45PM and a chow call will be made. Many will walk to the kitchen to eat, but not Ahmad Jibreel. He fasts most of the days of the month.

A SON’S GRIEF

Ahmad Jibreel, a 41 year old American born Palestinian is a Hafiz of the Quran, a graduate of the University of Medina, and also holds a law degree with a specialization in United States Labor Law. Like most lawyers, Ahmad loves to chat, except that Ahmad does it for free in order to cheer up his Muslims brothers. But behind this cheerful attitude hides the grief of a son who lost his mother while he was incarcerated. Prior to his arrival at the CMU, Ahmad was housed in various prisons. In one of the these prisons the staff took away Ahmad’s telephone privileges and he was unable to call home for months. Ahmad woke up one morning in a very uncomfortable state of mind as if something was wrong but he was not certain why he had that feeling. He couldn’t call home to share this feeling with his father, a known scholar of Islam. Ahmad walked to the chapel and humbly requested the chaplain for a favor, “ Can you please call my home and find out if my mother is OK?” The chaplain found the request quiet strange, but upon Ahmad’s persistence they called Ahmad’s home and asked about Ahmad’s mother. As the chaplain was talking on the phone, the chaplain’s face changed. After hanging up the phone, the chaplain told Ahmad “your mother passed away.” “Thanks,” said Ahmad, as he walked out of the chapel to cry in privacy, not to be seen by anyone. Just let Ahmad know that you pray for his mother and he will do anything for you.

I FEEL GOOOD

As the night approaches, Christopher Paul – also known as Abu Yusuf – stands in the kitchen by the microwave, singing a song by James Brown called “ I feel good” with full passion. Why is he so happy? It is his Cappuccino time. Abu Yusuf – a 47-year-old American convert – is serving a 22 year sentence on terrorism charges. Abu Yusuf’s personality allows him to blend into any age group. He can be an 18 year old, a 20 year old, a 30 year old, a 40 year old or the 47 year old that he is. This distinctive quality of his allows him to get along with everyone young and old. Abu Yusuf has a wife and a daughter he misses greatly, but he has accepted the fact that for now he has a new family which lives with him in the prison.

NO CAT LEFT BEHIND

“Habooba, Habooba,” is a call many can hear from their cells as Ghazi Ibrahim Abu Mezer calls the cat that lives right by the CMU outdoor recreation cages. Habooba knows Abu Mezer won’t let a day go by without feeding her. Abu Mezer – a 38 year old Palestinian – is serving a life sentence on terrorism charges and has spent much of the last 14 years at the ADX in Florence, Colorado. Now that he is out of the ADX and is not in isolation, Abu Mezer likes to spend his time walking in the unit. He is also known for his dedication to serving the elderly and sick prisoners. Abu Mezer loves talking about his childhood experience in Palestine. The torture that he went through in Israeli prisons can indeed bring tears to one's eyes. Abu Mezer is not a very wealthy man, but that does not hinder his generosity. He also has an incredible memory, and from the pleasures of this life, he loves listening to the Qur’an and eating chicken. Those who know him constantly pray for his release so that he is reunited with his family in Palestine.

A GOLDEN ADVICE

The prisoners will soon be locked up in their cells for the night, but an hour prior to that, some will sit in the lively company of Mohammad Rashid, also known as Abu Zohair. Abu Zohair – the eldest Muslim prisoner in the CMU – did not just spend last few decades of his incarceration at the ADX, but also at various prisons around the world. As a Palestinian who was an active member of the PLO, he was dedicated to serving the people of his homeland. In his presence, poems are read, stories are told, and songs are sung to cheer those present. Due to his incarceration, Abu Zohair hasn’t see his children for more than 20 years and has a golden advice for those with lengthy sentences. According to him, “a great favor that you can do for your family is to pray for them. If you are constantly distracted by the worries of the free world then time will break you.”

THE FEW AMONG THE FEW

At around 9:00PM, the prisoners will be in preparation to conclude the day. They will take some ice from the ice machine and will lockdown in their cells awaiting a new day. Some are a day closer to freedom. Others have not lost hope that Allah’s help is near. They must go to bed early. Some have to wake up early for Tahajjud and for some, the sleep will bring an end to their stress …at least for a night. After all, they are all humans who, like everyone else, have feelings . At times they are happy and at times they are sad. At times they get along and at times they have disputes, but they don’t last long. They don’t have many belongings, so they have very little to lose.

They jewels of patience, gratitude and reliance upon Allah are what help them pass their sentences which will either end, or remain until they meet their Lord. It is because of the sacrifices of these few that many still live in peace. It is by the virtue of their sincerity, supplication and prayer that insha Allah Islam will be victorious. Indeed it is by the virtue of their sacrifices that they are honored as the few among the few in the CMU.

The prisoners at the CMU Terre Haute can be reached at the following address:

Inmate Name, Inmate ID #
FCI Terre Haute, CMU
P.O.Box 33
Terre Haute, IN 47808


http://www.cageprisoners.com/our-wo...the-racially-classified-prison-called-the-cmu
 

al-fajr

...ism..schism
Staff member
I am a non-Muslim, yes, but you:

Do NOT know me!

You do NOT know what I believe!

and you....

Do NOT have the RIGHT to say I do or do not believe in Allah and Mohammad!!!!

Very few know what I believe and those people are people I trust.

As for the rest of what you said, I appreciate you speaking respectfully to me.

Non-Muslims are those who do not believe in the following:

Ash-hadu an laa ilaaha illallaah, wa ash-hadu anna Muhammadan ‘abduhu wa rasuluh.

I testify there is nothing worthy of worship except Allaah, and I testify Muhammad is His slave and messenger.


Belief in Allaah and His messenger necessitates unwavering trust in the 100% authenticity of the Qur'aan, and requires accepting the correct way in which the laws of the Qur'aan were demonstrated as an example applied to the everyday life of Mohammad :saw2: and also his noble companions.

As long as you claim to be a non-Muslim you are rejecting the above statement, you remain a non-Muslim if you reject even a part of that statement, you remain a non-Muslim if you say it for any other reason except 100% true faith. Testifying to it with ones heart and mind is the pre-requisite for any sort of progression.

Therefore in claiming to be a non-Muslim, you should recognise that people have every right to conclude by the way of logical inference that you do not believe in Allaah (see below) and you do not believe in Mohammad :saw2:; belief in Allaah necessitates belief in His messenger and following his :saw2: example.

The word Allaah is comprised of two words: Al - which is the definite article, and Ilaah, which means something that is worshipped. Thus, Allaah (a combination of these two words) means: The true object of worship.

So the true object of worship is Allaah one should seek to worship Him in the way in which He has commanded us to worship Him, know that Allaah never left his slaves without guidance!

There are two parts to the shahadah which you should understand:

"None has the right to be worshipped except Allaah (alone)", the first part of a Muslim's declaration of his faith - that no created thing is deserving of, or has the right to subservience and worship.

The following is an extract from an article by Dr Saleh as Saleh, it is a beautiful quote:

The Creator has Perfect Attributes. He is the First, nothing is before Him. He is the Last, everything ends except Him; the Most High, nothing is above Him; the Most Near, nothing is beyond His reach and his compassing, and He is the Most High in His nearness. He is the Ever-Living, to Him we shall all return, where everyone will be dealt with in the Most Perfect and Just way. He does not beget nor is He begotten.

Claiming to believe in Allaah the Most high through idol worship or anything other than pure Islaamic monotheism, is in actual fact disbelief in Him since you are attributing qualities to Allaah which are false.

The second part of a Muslim's declaration is: "Mohammad is His Messenger". Muslim's believe that at specific times, Allaah sent Prophets to convey His Message - Mohammad :saw2: being the last and final messenger, with the divine guidance in the form of the Qur'aan.

And We have raised in every community a Messenger (proclaiming): "Worship Allaah alone, and avoid false gods." [Surah Nahl Ayah 36]

"O you who believe! Obey Allah, and obey the Messenger (Muhammad ) and render not vain your deeds." [Surah Mohammad Ayah 47]

This last Ayah enjoins us to obey both Allaah and His Messenger.

Allaah has validated Mohammad :saw2:, so to actively reject and disobey Mohammad :saw2: example, is actively rejecting and disobeying Allaah's command, therefore indicative of corruption in ones faith.

__________________
 

Aapa

Mirajmom
Assalaam walaikum,

I think we need to write to these pious brothers. A simple letter would be sadaqa for us. And let us not forget our sister Dr. Aafia Siddiqui.
 
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