Life Behind Bars

Early on Sunday, 12 June 23 students of al Tawheed Grasmere and The Deen Team did the first of the much anticipated “LIFE BEHIND BARS” visit to Groenpunt Prison on the Vaal. Visitors had the opportunity of interacting with our brothers who are serving time behind bars. These are some of the outstanding stories told to the visitors:

One inmate who had been serving the last 14 years of his life behind bars says: “I remember seeing my son when he was a year old, Today he is 15 years old and I haven’t seen him ever since, I’m now reformed and just received news that my son is a nyope addict”. #lifebehindbars #groenpuntprison

Another inmate mentioned that a number of his close family members had accepted Islam prior to his sentencing, he had strong hatred for this and would become very angry when he witnessed them practicing Islam however after he was sentenced to prison he had experienced the good akhlaaq of other muslim inmates and Allah had granted him the understanding and he accepted the religion of Islam within the confines of prison.

Another inmate Shared, that he resided in a township and had belonged to a group of friends. He mentions that once some scholars came to their area and they had invited the group to study at a local institute. He further added that all of his friends accepted the invitation and went to study at the institute however he turned the invite down and opted to remain behind. In doing so he was badly influenced by a group in his area and as a result he was going to be sentenced to prison on the same day that his other friends were going to graduate from the institute that they had been attending. He also mentioned that he regrets not going along with them.

Our brothers confine themselves to a small area in the prison to experience the most of the month of Ramadhaan with fasting, taraweeh and even itikaaf Allahuakbar!!

Insha Allah The Deen team will conduct visits to the Groenpunt prison on every Sunday during Ramadhaan.

Haafidh Muhammad Swalih Subrati ~ volunteer at The Deen Team

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