I listened to my first companion-my host set out the guidelines and protocol for the duration of our visit. I glanced at my second companion- my colleague who had been enthusiastic in accompanying me today and noted the slight weariness in her eyes, which most certainly must have been reflected in mines too. One by one, we filed through the huge heavy metal gate…gate upon gate. As one gate was systematically opened for us, another was slam-locked behind us…gate upon gate. And then finally many gates and corridors later we entered a foreign domain, a hidden world, a confined existence…the correctional facilities for women, a South African prison.
Alhamdulillah, during the blessed month of Ramadaan for the past few years, ALLAH SWT afforded me an opportunity- a paradigm shifting moment, to visit and address the Muslim female prisoners at one of South Africa’s detention facilities. This article shares my very first experience
The three wonderful and inspirational women, who invited me to be one of their guest speakers for the month of Ramadaan, are doing such phenomenally good work on a weekly basis at this particular ladies prison. Teaching the ladies the basics of Islam, encouraging them towards a better life and providing them with ALL that Islam promises- the seeds of love, hope and peace.
While ‘cold, sterile, stoic and impersonal’ were my first impressions of the inside of the prison hallways, the nature of my host and the prison wardens we interacted with created a distinctly different atmosphere, ‘warm, unintrusive and polite’. As we walked down the corridors and passageways of the prison, amongst the prisoners (clad in navy blue and looking as normal…busy, purposeful and calm as you and I) we observed them go about their daily routine. My host softly and eloquently answered my numerous questions. Some of them even before I had asked them, which definitely affirmed in my mind her insight and wisdom in the position ALLAH had afforded and favoured her with- her dawah work for the past nine years in this ladies correctional facility.
She shared with me the ways and workings of life at this particular prison, “Alhamdulillah during Ramadaan we are given the opportunity to do a little more for these ladies and ONLY during Ramadaan are certain privileges allowed. This prison is perhaps the only one in this region that allocates a room for the Muslim ladies (approximately forty women of which twenty something share the room), to spend Ramadaan together. Making it easier for the ladies to make the most of their Ramadaan, with regards to their fasting and ‘ibaadah. However, the rest of the year is decidedly difficult for them as they do not live with other Muslim prisoners. They are grouped with other prisoners who have been sentenced for a similar misdemeanour or crime. Forty women share a relatively cramped cell, equipped with only one toilet and two showers. Everyday between 6am and 3pm, the women are free to pursue certain interests and activities, like studying, attending the taleem halqas, sports etc. However, between 3pm and 6am of the next morning they are locked up/confined to their cells.”
This was the very first moment when I felt my chest constrict, ALLAHUakbar! The realities of prison life seem difficult to fathom-
forty women (very much like you and I dear reader) confined to a cell with only one toilet, for fifteen hours!
As my mind absorbed and digested all that I heard and observed and as we continued making our way to the room the women were residing in during Ramadaan, we saw the very clean and sterile kitchen. During Ramadaan the ladies were allowed to prepare their Ramadaan meal of iftaar using the groceries which had been organised for them by these dedicated dawah workers.
When, in passing, the sister showed us a door leading to the section for those prisoners who were allowed to keep their babies with them until they reached the age of two years, again I felt an internal pressure as my chest tightened with the thought of the reality and difficulty of that separation. Every aspect of life in prison, including the circumstances leading to it, paints a very bleak, dark and hopeless picture, doesn’t it? And then when we entered the “Radiant Ramadaan Room” as I have come to term it in my mind, the bleak, dark and hopeless picture was erased from the canvas of my mind, almost as if it had never existed, Subhanallah! For in the depth of the perceived darkness of a prison, I was witness to light- the light of Faith exuding Love+Hope+Peace.
Glory be to ALLAH, Our Kind and Merciful Creator, whose Name reverberates throughout the world… bringing with it the fragrance of Love; the glimmer of Hope and the desire for Peace. And this is exactly what hit me, like a gale force of immeasurable magnitude; when I entered the room where these twenty something muslim women were spending their Ramadaan.
From my very first step into that “Radiant Ramadaan Room”, by ALLAH, I felt a force of light engulf me; I saw my beautiful muslim mothers and sisters dressed in the hijaab, some reading Quran, some making zikrullah and others preparing for the taalim halaqah. And to my amazement I heard the radio- would you believe it, Radio Islam.
Subhanallah! Truly my beloved Nabi Muhammad SAW desperate desire for the message of Islam to reach every home, “baked and unbaked”, appears to be a magnificent reality, for in the darkness of the confined prison, there permeates the light of Islam.
When I sat with them in the taleem halaqah, I observed Muslim mothers and sisters- like you and I, of every race-black, white, coloured and Indian; Muslim mothers and sisters-like you and I, some born Muslim, others reverts; Muslim mothers and sisters-like you and I, being sentenced for different crimes from fraud to murder; Muslim mothers and sisters-like you and I, victims of life circumstances; Muslim mothers and sisters-like you and I, desperate for Allah’s Love, Allah’s Mercy, Allah’s Forgiveness. And from the onset of our programme tears flowed freely from these Muslim mothers and sisters, tears that felt as if it were being squeezed out of their hearts and once again I felt my chest constrict. When I had completed my talk, they had questions to ask and messages to share. If by now, dear reader, you have not yet felt a lump in your throat, I am positive that you will feel one forming after reading the rest of the article.
As I recall and write their words the tears flow down my cheeks as it so passionately flowed down theirs, Sister Ayesha from Somalia shared so beautifully, “Jazakallah ya ukhti, and Jazakallah to our wonderful Apa, you help us so much, you have done so much for us, that here in the prison we can hear Quran and we can still have our Islam.”
Young sister Amaal Bohumelo, who has reverted recently, wanted to know, “How do I make my mother accept and understand why I am a Muslim now? That I didn’t accept Islam because I wanted to hurt her and that I still love her and my family even though I am a Muslim.”
Sister Anisa, a white revert, shared how as a Muslim she had learnt to forgive those who had hurt her so badly that she couldn’t imagine ever forgiving them.
Sister Zurina’s words were such a plea from her heart, “My whole life was centred on protecting my children, but today I can’ protect them. And I wonder if my duas for them will be accepted. When I phoned my mother the first Sunday in Ramadaan, and she told me that my son had prayed his fajr salaah in the masjid, I had hope that maybe my duas were accepted.”
All the sisters had made such an indelible impression on me but I must admit that it was the words of Sister Shanaaz, that echoed over and over in my mind. Punctuated by heartwrenching tears, she said, “I grew up in a good home and I had the best of Islamic and secular education. I am a CA-chartered accountant. I used to even pray my salaah regularly, but I didn’t know my Allah. I was leading a very materialistic life and I thought all my difficulties would be solved with more money and I made that my aim. When the reality of my wrong action and its consequences hit me, I didn’t know what to expect in prison. I was weary and afraid. But when I came here I learnt that ‘you can never be too good to be bad’ and when I met my fellow sisters in here I realised ‘you can never be too bad to be good.’ We have a sort of muslim sisterhood in here, we know that Allah loves us and make effort together towards Him. My sisters, ALLAH wants to see what we are worth. I make shukr to Allah that He put me here so that I could find Him, so that I could know Him and my husband has also found ALLAH through this, he now performs his five salaah and goes out in jamaat. All of my family have been very supportive.”
Two and a half hours later and it felt like a lifetime of knowing and sharing with these ladies… I recall meeting Sister Linda, a mature white lady who has not yet accepted Islam but comes every week for the taalim halaqah and has even kept all her fasts so far; I recall the outburst of excitement when I entered the room and my host placed the package of Muslim Women Magazines that Khudeja so generously donated (Subhanallah! Khudeja you would have truly been overwhelmed); I recall the moment of genuine gratitude the ladies expressed to the two wonderful women (whose sincerity is so apparent and who also wish not to be named), who have made these weekly dawah and teaching visits such an integral part of their lives for the past nine and six years respectively; I recall the ladies sharing how they take turns in performing the five salaah including taraweeh so that those who are reverts can learn…May our Kind ALLAH grant them acceptance, steadfastness and nearness to Him,ameen.
As I sit here unable to conclude (and really I should), I sit in awe of ALLAH: how He loves His creation, never wanting to forsake them; how He uses courageous women to inspire towards Al Islam, towards peace, hope and love.
Finally, I wish to share that the picture that now remains vividly etched in my mind is not bleak, dark and hopeless. For even though the reality of life in prison will always be considered a test and a difficulty, I have been to the “Radiant Ramadaan Room” and I have witnessed the light that Imaan dissipates.
Shedding with its light… a fragrance of love; a glimmer of hope and the desire for peace, SubhanALLAH!
…..My article extracted from the Muslim Woman Magazine…the September 2010 edition
Scroll Through My Thoughts...RSB 