by Mommina Tarar
This article was originally published at Prism
Yusuf Kadhafi Al Basir Mu’min had been incarcerated in Garner Correctional Institution for 15 years when he was released last December. However, after maxing out his sentence, he was put back into confinement over violating parole charges. Abolition Ummah, a Connecticut-based and Muslim women-led organization, has been fighting for Mu’min to be let out and highlighting the abuse and Islamaphobia he endured during his sentencing.
In a report done by Muslim Advocates in 2019, Muslims were found to make up about 9% of overall state prisoners in 34 states and Washington, D.C., though they are only about 1% of the U.S. population. Inmates have been converting to Islam while serving their sentences as a way to find rehabilitation and peace. Muslim prisoners also alleged that their right to practice was being violated. Additionally, the report indicated that incarcerated Muslims were denied religiously compliant food, the Qur’an, head coverings, and prayer mats and beads.