When I think about Islam and prison, I think about Malcolm X. When I read the Autobiography of Malcolm X, it shook me up. I felt empowered by this man’s fearlessness. I was in awe of his ruthless commitment to truth, whatever the cost.
Malcolm X learned about Islam in prison. He said, “The religion of Islam brings out of the individual all of his dormant potential.”
Islam is currently the fastest growing faith in U.S. prisons. How can we support these brothers and sisters?
Here’s how MLFA helps:
- We were an advocate for Mr. Cummings, a prisoner in Colorado who requested to make up a day of fasting missed during Ramadan. The facility had repeatedly denied his request until MLFA attorneys from the Constitutional Law Center for Muslims in America (CLCMA) stood up for Mr. Cummings’ religious rights and obtained the permission he had asked for.
- We supported a Muslim prisoner in North Carolina whose facility had denied his right to change his religious designation so that he could attend Jummuah prayers and eat halal meals. MLFA attorneys argued his case with the Maury Correctional Institution, and they agreed to allow him to change his religious designation. He is now able to attend Friday prayers, and he has access to halal meals.
- CLCMA attorneys collaborated with the Aleph Institute and the law firm of Perkins Coie to ensure that prisoners at the Arizona Department of Corrections would have access to Kosher and halal meals.
- MLFA attorneys advocated on behalf of a prisoner in Virginia so that she would be allowed to wear hijab. This rule was changed statewide and for any person of faith who wishes to cover their head.
When we stand up for social justice and religious freedom, it impacts everyone in this country. Show your support for Islamic values by getting involved with MLFA:
by Jeannine Sherman – Tuesday, May 24, 2022
