Muslims in Texas Prisons (Part 2)

We recently told you about our collaboration with Chaplain Baquee - a veteran of serving the incarcerated Muslims in Texas.

Well, one of the projects Tayba sponsored left him shook up.

He’d never seen anything like this before.

Out in the middle of nowhere

There is a complex of women’s prisons out in the middle of nowhere in Texas.

The nearest mosque is hours away.

Now, Muslim women in prison already have a history of being underserved. But this place is remote.

Chaplain Baquee was the first Muslim chaplain to visit here in over 3 years.

And when he met the sisters at these units, what he saw stunned him.

No mushafs or translations.

No books.

No prayer rugs or hijabs.

Just a few old pamphlets to go around.

“The population of incarcerated Muslim women is the most neglected population of Muslims in our society,” was Chaplain Baquee’s conclusion after having visited them.

Hanging on to the rope of Allah

When he tested the sisters’ knowledge, he found out that these Muslim women didn’t know how to pray or fast, didn’t know what adhan was, and didn’t know which prophet came with the Torah.

What they knew was tawheed: the oneness of Allah.

And that was enough for them to not only remain upon Islam, but for other sisters to convert to Islam as well.

As Chaplain Baquee reflected: Allah guides whomever He wills.

Regular service

Alhamdulillah, thanks to his collaboration with Tayba, Chaplain Baquee will be visiting this Muslim community regularly, insha’Allah.

He has already come in to lead jumu’ah, teach the foundations of Islam, and answer the (many) burning questions the sisters have after being cut off from a Muslim chaplain for years.

Want to support programs like these? Your donations to Tayba Foundation help us continue and expand our programming, including our work in Texas.

You can give your zakat and sadaqa here.

Thank you for remembering your brothers and sisters behind bars.