Prison Outreach - Student Profile
“My name is Amin Rafiq ‘Abdul-Baari. I’ve been in Federal prison for more than 17 1/2 years now for a nonviolent offense. By the Grace of Allah, the light of Islam pierced my heart during the latter half of 1993. Naturally, I’ve witnessed and experienced many things, as it relates to the incarcerated segment of our umma.
Over the years, I’ve been introduced to such sciences as ‘ulum al-Qur’an, hadith, fiqh, tazkiyyah an-nafs, usul al-fiqh, Arabic and seerah, through books and other media. While I recognize my having access to these things is a tremendous blessing from Allah, I also realize that a key element was missing from my studies – frequent access to one who was competent and capable of guiding me along the road in my quest for knowledge. When journeying alone in an unfamiliar land, one is susceptible to taking more than one wrong turn, or, in my case, drawing many erroneous conclusions. Following the curriculum designed by the TAYBA FOUNDATION, I am now beginning to see how important it is to build a solid foundation based on sound, traditional texts and methods that have withstood the tests and scrutiny of time; not to mention the importance of the availability of those to whom we can direct our questions.
There are a great many Muslim women and men languishing in the various prison systems throughout this country. While not all of them desire a change for the better, or an opportunity to achieve a higher maqaam (station) with their Lord, for those of us that do, I would submit to you, sisters and brothers, that we are in one of the most ideal situations for an individual who is sincere about seeking knowledge and reforming him or herself. We have the time, insha-Allah, we’re not caught up in the everyday hustle and bustle of making ends meet, and we’re shielded from many of the temptations and distractions the world has to offer. With access to organizations like the TAYBA FOUNDATION, and the knowledge and rehabilitative assistance they’re trying to provide, there exists a real opportunity for us to re-enter society, not only as standard bearers for Islam and Muslims, but also as assets to the entire human family.“